by Silvia Marchetti

Forget the grandeur of Rome, Florence or Venice. Italy has nearly 20,000 ghost towns that are totally or partly abandoned, the locals having fled due to a mix of factors.

Harsh living conditions, including lack of running water and electricity, pirate raids, natural calamities such as quakes and floods, bombings and massive emigration flows triggered by the appeal of a better life in larger cities and in the Americas, have all contributed to the abandoned villages.

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/