An American buys an abandoned village for less than $400,000 to turn it into a holiday destination

Jason Lee Beckwith, an American entrepreneur, has purchased the abandoned village of Salto de Castro, in Spain’s Zamora province, for €310,000 – roughly $335,000 at current exchange rates. The acquisition marks the first step in an ambitious plan he and his wife hope will breathe new life into the long-deserted settlement.

Located on the border with Portugal, the village was built between the 1940s and 1950s by the electricity company Iberdrola to house workers constructing the Salto de Castro dam and its hydroelectric facilities.

The settlement includes 44 homes, a church, a school, a bar, a guesthouse, Civil Guard barracks, recreational areas and two swimming pools. It remained inhabited until 1989, when the project concluded, and has stood in ruins ever since. At one point, it was even placed on heritage watchlists for endangered monuments.

Beckwith came across the property online and decided to visit in person as soon as he saw it. He describes the place as “a switch that changed my life.”

To finance the venture, he sold his guesthouse in California and plans to relocate to Salto de Castro to personally oversee its transformation. His goal is to convert it into a vacation resort and tourist destination.

Plan for renovations

The project envisions the construction of luxury villas, stylish apartments and a hostel with a total of 184 beds for hikers. It also includes plans for a restaurant, bar, outdoor swimming pool, sports complex and spa, while the former church will be converted into a multiuse multicultural space.

Among other initiatives, Beckwith intends to develop a vineyard and winery, turning the area into a wine tourism destination, with the possibility of hosting film and wine events in the future.

The businessman estimates the project could create around 35 quality jobs for local residents and attract investment to help counter rural depopulation. The opening is scheduled for late 2026, when the initial apartments, hotel, hostel, church facilities, pools and café are expected to be ready.

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