An Italian “ghost town” is now attracting thousands of tourists and reversed its demise – by commissioning artists to paint more than 140 Instagramable murals on the sites of shops and homes. Stornara, in the Puglia region, once known for producing wheat and olives began to decline as less babies were born and young people left for jobs in big cities, outside agriculture.

Local artist Lino Lombardi, 57, grew frustrated to see his hometown “crumbling” around him – and was determined to make it a destination worth visiting. In 2017 he created Stramurales – an annual street art festival – inviting artists from around the world to paint murals in the town.