The charming Spanish village desperately seeking more tourists
- Our Hidden Earth
- Mar 6
- 2 min read
A tiny but beautiful Spanish village is fighting to save its small community.
Just a few hours from busy Barcelona, Oliete is tucked away in the remote Teruel region of eastern Spain.
With a population of only around 300 people, it is one of the country’s many villages at risk of disappearing.
Despite its small size, Oliete has plenty to offer. From stunning historical sites like Donjuana House, a Renaissance-style building in the village’s church square, to Sima de San Pedro, a breathtaking 108-metre-deep cave, there is no shortage of things to explore.
Hoping to bring more people to the area, the village has come up with a creative idea to help secure its future.
Oliete is rich in Empeltre olives, a variety native to Spain, known for producing high-quality olive oil. Now, these ancient olive trees might be the key to saving the village.
To fight against depopulation, residents launched ApadrinaUnOlivo.org, an "adopt an olive tree" project, encouraging people worldwide to sponsor a tree for €60 (£49.65) a year. Spanish residents pay less due to NGO tax deductions.
So far, over £58,000 raised from sponsorships has been used to convert an old cowshed into a modern co-working space, designed to attract digital nomads.
The initiative has also received support from national and regional governments, as well as business groups, creating 43 new jobs for local people.
The project has already had a big impact. With an ageing population, the village school was at risk of closing. When ApadrinaUnOlivo.org began, only three children were enrolled. Today, there are 27 students aged between three and 11.
Sandra Mairal, 50, is one of the digital nomads who now spends time in Oliete.
She said: "I just love the slower pace of life. You can switch off from the stress. I can work from the co-working space while looking out across the peaceful village."
According to Teresa Sancho, who works on the olive tree project, there are now about 8,000 sponsors from the UK, Europe, and the US—many of whom visit Oliete to see their trees in person.
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