World’s Strangest Towns


Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you lived in a place where the biggest focus was on chess? Or what about a town filled with retired circus freaks? Well, these places actually do exist! Here are some of the world’s strangest towns:

Elista, Russia. 

This town is all about chess. There is a giant chessboard painted on the ground in the town square, where you can enjoy a big game of chess with your friends. You can also head to Chess City, a complex that hosted the 1999 Chess Olympiad.

Gibsonton, FL. 

For years, this town was the spot where carnival and circus people spent the winter and where many of them chose to retire. The town allows people to leave circus trailers and elephants on the lawn. The statue of a giant boot pays tribute to a past resident, a circus giant with 27 shoes.

Slab City, CA. 

There are no laws in this town! There is no running water in Slab City, but the town does have an open-air nightclub, run by a resident and with performances by local musicians on Saturday nights.

Centralia, PA. 

In May 1962, a fire started in this town, and more than 50 years later it’s still burning! Most of the residents relocated, but a few refuse to leave. As of a 2011 consensus, it is home to 10 people. This town doesn’t even have a zip code anymore!

Roswell, NM. 

This city was changed forever in 1947, when a UFO allegedly crashed in the town. Now Roswell is obsessed with aliens, and even the local McDonald’s is shaped like a flying saucer. There is much to see at the International UFO Museum and Research Center.

Rennes-le-Chateau, France. 

This village located in the South of France is buzzing with conspiracy theories. People believe that the Holy Grail is hidden there.

Monowi, NE.

A woman named Elsie Eiler is famous in this town. She’s famous for one reason-she’s the only resident. The population had been declining since the 1930s, and by 2000 it was down to one couple: Elsie and her husband, Rudy, who has since then passed away.

Would you ever want to travel to any of these places? Comment below or tweet us @travefy!