A Tiny Spanish Village Finds New Life With Remote Workers

In rural Spain, where abandoned towns and depopulation warnings often dominate the narrative, one Andalusian village is showing a different side. Benarraba, a mountain town of just 350 permanent residents, recently hosted a month-long visit by a writer with Rooral, a nonprofit that brings remote workers to the village for stays of up to two months.

The program pairs co-working and co-living spaces with community engagement, encouraging visitors to join Spanish lessons, potluck dinners, or even lead their own workshops. During the visit, daily scenes included teenagers heading to a coding workshop, retirees walking to a padel court with a traveler from South Korea, and shared meals featuring local ingredients.

Rooral was featured on Condé Nast Traveler's Bright Ideas in Travel 2025 list. The initiative aims to address Spain's rural-urban divide, known as Espana Vaciada (Empty Spain). While cities like Barcelona and Madrid attract nearly 100 million annual visitors and face overtourism protests, 42% of the country's 8,000 villages are at risk of total depopulation, according to government projections.

Founder Juan Barbed, who worked remotely in over 40 countries, said he wanted to build something where the community is at the core, adding that if it doesn't work for local residents, it makes no sense. Rooral sessions run from two weeks to two months in spring and fall, with six to 12 participants typically staying at a time. Each guest injects about $1,765 monthly into the local economy.

Longtime resident Anabel Zurdo said it's nice to see new faces in the village, and that participants have taught her everyone can fit in. One participant created a series of 45 portraits of locals, while another made a map of local businesses for future travelers. Similar programs are emerging elsewhere in Spain, such as Anceu in Galicia, and Rooral is working on resources for other villages to replicate the model. Barbed noted that one program can't save all villages and that progress must advance at the speed of trust.

The writer described the month as feeling like moving away rather than departing a vacation, noting the village felt more lively since Rooral's arrival.