Ghost town with dying streets brought back to life by unexpected tourist boom

An Italian "ghost town" has made an astonishing comeback, drawing in thousands of tourists by transforming into a canvas for over 140 Instagram-worthy murals.

Stornara, nestled in the Puglia region and once famed for its wheat and olive production, witnessed a decline as birth rates dropped and the youth migrated to larger cities for non-agricultural employment. Local artist Lino Lombardi, aged 57, watched his beloved hometown deteriorate and was driven to reinvent it as a tourist hotspot.

In 2017, he launched Stramurales, an annual street art festival that beckons artists globally to adorn the town with their work. The inaugural festival in 2018 saw six murals painted; now, the town boasts 140 striking artworks, attracting throngs of visitors each year.

Tourism revenue has risen by 25% since 2020, and the town has seen the opening of eight new businesses, including eateries, B&Bs, and an art supplies shop. The local population has ceased its decline and is on the upswing, with young families returning, according to town residents.

Café owner Antonio Maglione was on the verge of shutting down when an influx of camera-toting, guidebook-clutching tourists replaced his sparse clientele, leading to queues snaking out his door. He exclaimed: "Suddenly there were loads of people turning up with cameras and guidebooks. I had to quickly learn to say 'welcome' in five different languages. The murals saved my business, but more than that, they saved our community."

Rita Gensano, 45, was heartbroken to find her hometown of Stornara in ruins after two decades away in Turin, but now she's leading the charge in its transformation, dubbing it "the coolest town in Italy".

Returning in 2017 to care for her parents, Rita, who has since become a tour guide, recalled: "When I first returned it felt like a sacrifice, it was like walking into a ghost town. I had left it full of life and laughter but when I returned it felt like it was dying. But actually it has become something extraordinary which I have been fortunate to be a part of."

Stornara's turnaround has caught the attention of other towns seeking similar rejuvenation.

Lino, a local artist, expressed his passion for the project: "Art doesn't just decorate our walls, it reminds us that even small places can dream big. Our community has painted itself back to life, one wall at a time.

"At first people thought I was crazy, but I couldn't just watch the town fade away. I started looking at the walls as blank canvasses which could be turned into something beautiful. Every mural reflects both the artist's vision and our community's heart."

The unexpected role model status of Stornara is not lost on him: "We never planned to be a case study, but if our experience can help other communities that's even more meaningful."

Lino didn't stop with murals; he founded Stornara Life Aps, a charity running art workshops for high-school students. The over 140 murals adorning Stornara's streets and squares draw inspiration from its agricultural heritage, emigration stories, and the spirit of its residents.

Locals have the chance to cast their votes on potential themes for murals before each festival, which is when the artworks come to life.

Salvatore Nappi, 69, a retired olive farmer, shared: "We had lost our pride, but the murals reminded us that our town and our stories are worth celebrating."

The 2025 Strmurales festival, set for July, will for the first time showcase artists from every continent.