Whether they’re creepy, striking or eerily beautiful, abandoned places have captured travellers’ imagination for years. 

Some abandoned places have been taken over by nature while others have become tourist attractions. Varosha, an abandoned seaside resort once popular with celebrities, is now included on tours of the areas. An abandoned village in China has been taken over by plants. 

In an interview with Express.co.uk, Oliver Smith, author of the Atlas of Abandoned Places, A Journey of the World’s Forgotten Wonders, said that abandoned places slip in and out of that state. 

The travel expert said: “Places slip in and out of abandonment. We wouldn’t really say ancient ruins like Stonehenge are abandoned because the distance between us and the people that used it is so long ago.” 

Have you visited an abandoned place? Let us know in the comments.