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๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Culture & Society

The only permanent resident of a depopulated Spanish village

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Fernando, 39, is the only permanent resident of Benamira, a Spanish village that once had more than 200 inhabitants.
  • He moved there from Madrid 17 years ago and says residents return on weekends, but he has spent 200 days a year alone.
  • Low living costs allow him to save about 700 euros a month, although the village lacks a supermarket, public transport and adequate internet.

For 17 years, Fernando has lived alone in Benamira, a Spanish village that now has just one permanent resident. He first came for four months, but the quiet persuaded him to stay.

Benamira, part of the Medinaceli municipality, reflects the rural depopulation affecting many parts of Spain. The village once had more than 200 residents. Over time, its school and shops disappeared as people moved to cities.

Fernando, 39, left the bustle of Madrid for the slower life he wanted. He works in road maintenance from Monday to Friday, beginning his day at 6 a.m. His commute takes only 15 minutes in both directions. After work, he runs in the mountains, tends his garden, cooks and reads. He also writes monologues because he enjoys comedy.

People come here on weekends, but I have been alone for 200 days a year.

· FernandoHe described the intermittent presence of other property owners in Benamira.

The village is not entirely empty. Owners return to their houses during the summer and especially on weekends. โ€œPeople come here on weekends, but I have been alone for 200 days a year,โ€ Fernando told content creator Diego Revuelta. He says the solitude does not bother him. Instead, he values the peace and the absence of crowds.

Living in Benamira costs less than life in Madrid. Fernando pays no rent because his home belongs to his family. Electricity costs about 40 euros a month, and he spends 300 to 400 euros on food. His monthly income is about 1,500 euros, allowing him to save roughly 700 euros because he lives simply.

The village also imposes clear limits. There is no supermarket or public transport, so a car is essential. โ€œEither you have a car, or you are stuck,โ€ Fernando says. Fuel can cost 300 to 400 euros a month, depending on how much he drives, while phone and mobile data add about 50 euros. Poor internet access, along with the lack of shops and transport, makes it difficult to attract new residents. Fernando says about 400 remote workers have expressed interest in moving there, but the available report ends before describing what happened next.

Either you have a car, or you are stuck.

· FernandoHe explained why a car is essential in the village, which has no public transport.
About this summary

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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