In the interior mountains of the Ogliastra region lies Gairo Vecchio, one of Italy’s most famous and evocative ghost towns. The old village was gradually abandoned by its inhabitants starting in the mid-20th century following a series of devastating landslides triggered by historic torrential rains. The unstable rocky slope forced the population to evacuate and rebuild their homes higher up the mountain. Around the same time, hydraulic engineering reshaped the valley below with new dams and reservoirs. Today, the crumbling stone houses, roofless ruins, and empty streets of Gairo Vecchio stand as a testament to the island’s geological fragility.