Hidden in the countryside of the Slovenian Istria is the small village of Abitanti. Abutting the border with Croatia in the hinterland of the Adriatic Sea, it has seen its fate turn from a thriving village into a virtual ghost town. Now, some are trying to revive Abitanti and convince travelers that inland villages can be just as interesting as the towns on the Slovenian coast.

Abitanti is an ancient Istrian settlement whose population has traditionally been mostly Italian. At its peak, some 150 people called the community home. Most sold locally grown produce to the nearby port city of Trieste, but the lifestyle was always a difficult one, and the population of Abitanti saw a steady decline in the 20th century, when more and more villagers began to move to larger towns and cities.

After World War II, Abitanti became a part of Yugoslavia, and most of the Italian population fled the village for a new life in Italy. The remaining residents found it difficult to survive, and when Ivanka Perič, the last full-time resident of the village, passed away, Abitanti’s population was reduced to zero. Many houses collapsed, while others were covered in ivy and overgrown with fragrant Mediterranean bushes. Others survived in a better condition, but all were strikingly beautiful - built in the distinctive Istrian style -, and several enterprising individuals, some with family roots in Abitanti, became determined to revitalize the village.

The village was protected as an architectural monument in the late 1980s, but that was only the beginning. Several enthusiasts began to purchase and renovate local homes in the area; among them is Gracijan Perič, a former resident who now runs a simple inn serving local specialties. New olive groves and vineyards have also appeared around the village - the first signs of economic life returning to Abitanti. And a fine art workshop in May attracts artists from around the world.

For Abitanti to become a lively village, however, much more work needs to be done. The current population consists of only a handful of pioneers. The village has no plumbing system, and even most of its wells have dried out decades ago. All residents get their water from a single renovated well. But with a growing awareness of Abitanti’s picturesque architecture, there is now more hope that the village - and several others like it - could one day become new tourist destinations is southwestern Slovenia.