Aside from Madrid, Spain's interior is a vast emptiness, Europe's least densely populated zone on par with northern Scandinavia. Rural flight, a rapidly ageing population, a move away from farming and herding, have left many towns struggling to sustain themselves.

Vilardevós in southern Galicia is one such place. Just minutes from the border with Portugal, this rural agrarian town has seen its population whither away. Only during summer festivals does the diaspora return. Most everyone I met was from the town but lived elsewhere: Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Germany, the UK. At this rate the towns will be hard pressed to survive.