Greece is one of Europe's most underrated urbex destinations — a country where the 2008 financial crisis compounded a century of rural exodus to produce a derelict landscape of extraordinary variety. The former Athens international airport with an Olympic Airways 747 decomposing on the tarmac, 1,000+ train wagons rusting in Thessaloniki, Xenia modernist state hotels abandoned on Venetian castles and earthquake-emptied cave houses sealed since 1956 create a dereliction unlike anything else in the Mediterranean. Discover the 5 best abandoned places in Greece, selected from our Greece Urbex Map — 60+ verified GPS locations.
Why Greece Is One of Europe's Most Underrated Urbex Countries
Greek abandonment reflects three distinct mechanisms: post-war rural exodus that emptied mountain villages and Aegean islands; the EOT Xenia programme that built extraordinary modernist hotels then abandoned them; and the 2008 financial crisis that froze businesses mid-operation. The Mediterranean light makes every ruin visually extraordinary.
1. Ellinikon Airport – Athens — International Airport 1938–2001, Olympic Airways 747 on Tarmac, Eero Saarinen Terminal, 2004 Olympic Venues Now Derelict (Known Location)
Ellinikon International Airport served Athens for 60 years before closing on 28 March 2001. The site was partially used for the 2004 Olympics then abandoned amid the 2008 financial crisis. It contains abandoned Olympic Airways aircraft including a Boeing 747 first flown in 1973, and the original terminal designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Redevelopment construction began in 2020. 7km south of Athens near Glyfada. Visit before development restricts access further.
🔗 Sources: CNN – The Greek Airport Left to Fall Apart | The Points Guy – Exploring Ellinikon
2. Thessaloniki Train Cemetery – Nea Ionia, Thessaloniki — 1,000+ Wagons, OSE Hellenic Railways, Rusting Since 1980s, Ten Tracks, Greece's Largest Rail Graveyard (Known Location)
On the outskirts of Thessaloniki, thousands of decommissioned railroad cars have been standing abandoned on ten tracks in the suburb of Nea Ionia since the 1980s. The Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) leaves their retired trains here — attempts to sell as scrap have repeatedly stalled amid shady business dealings. Nature has gradually invaded the space. Bus 51, 54 or 54A from Thessaloniki train station; alight after the E90 highway.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Greece →
3. Hotel Xenia Nafplio – Akronaflia, Nafplio — 1961 Modernist on Venetian Castle, 100 Beds, Abandoned Since 2000, Sea and Palamidi Views
The Xenia Hotel in Nafplio was built in 1961 on the Akronaflia peninsula on the site of former political prisons. Architect Ioannis Triantafyllidis designed a luxury modernist hotel with 100 beds. It operated until 2000, was sold to new owners who planned renovation but instead left it to collapse. It stands completely abandoned with stunning views of Palamidi fortress, Arvanitia beach and the sea on both sides. All GPS in our Greece Urbex Map.
4. Vathia Tower Houses – Deep Mani, Peloponnese — 18th–19th Century Defensive Towers, Clan Warfare Heritage, Ottoman-Era Resistance, Aegean Sea Views (Carte Urbex Exclusive)
Vathia — perched on a hill in the Deep Mani peninsula overlooking the southern Aegean — is one of Greece's most visually extraordinary ghost villages: rows of empty stone tower houses built between the 18th and 19th centuries for protection against invaders and rival clans during the period of Maniot independence. As the 20th century progressed, inhabitants left for better opportunities and the village declined. The imposing towers, the barren Mani landscape and the sea views create a dereliction experience of unusual historical weight. GPS in our Greece Urbex Map.
5. Aradena – Western Crete — Ghost Village Above Aradena Gorge, Mid-20th Century Exodus, Stone Houses Suspended Between Sky and Gorge (Exclusively on Our Map)
Aradena clings to rocky heights above the Aradena Gorge in western Crete — stone houses and a lone church suspended between the sky and a 100m gorge drop, the Ionian Sea visible on the horizon. The village declined through the mid-20th century as residents moved to urban centres. The combination of the dramatic cliff-edge setting and the architectural completeness of the abandoned village makes Aradena one of the finest ghost villages in the Mediterranean. Mapped exclusively in our Greece Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
What is the best abandoned place in Greece?
Ellinikon Airport in Athens — 60 years of aviation history, an Olympic Airways 747 on the tarmac, the Eero Saarinen terminal and 2004 Olympic venues in decay 7km from the city centre. Redevelopment is underway — visit before development closes access completely.
Is Greece good for urbex?
Among the best in Europe — Xenia hotel programme dereliction, the Thessaloniki train graveyard, island ghost villages, earthquake cave houses in Santorini and a former international airport with abandoned jumbo jets create a dereliction variety unavailable in most European countries.
How many abandoned places are on the Greece Urbex Map?
60+ verified GPS locations across mainland Greece and the islands — hotels, airports, train graveyards, ghost villages, military sites and derelict mansions. Updated regularly with new verified locations.
Safety Tips
- Ellinikon security: active redevelopment patrols — assess perimeter before approaching; conditions change frequently
- Aradena gorge: 100m+ sheer drop with no barriers near the village ruins — never approach the gorge rim
- Mani heat: the Deep Mani peninsula in summer can exceed 40°C with no shade — always bring water and visit in spring or autumn
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person and share your location
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