20 Photos of Empty Cities During Lockdown in 2020

As the coronavirus swept across the world turning our beloved landmarks and cities into eerily barren sites, the photographs people have of their empty cities are haunting to say the least. To see the Times Square or the Duomo in Milan completely devoid of human life is simply chilling.

It sends a shiver down my spine in a way that only these post-apocalyptic vibes could. We’ve all seen some footage here and there that people snapped before lockdown or during their allowed-walks, so we reached out to travel bloggers and friends around the world to collect photos of empty cities during lockdown.

Hopefully you’ve found ways to stay productive while inside but if you’re wondering what the outside world looks like right now… here’s a glimpse!

Barcelona, Spain

This photo and video is from Alyssa, she took it on March 15th, the day she got put in the mandatory confinement lockdown in Barcelona. This was also just ten days after she moved from Los Angeles to Barcelona to become an expat with her boyfriend. They haven’t been allowed outside even for walks (besides to get groceries) for 45 days now, read her updates here.

Milan, Italy

One of the first hardest hit cities in Europe, and one of the first to go into strict lockdown. After almost 50 days, the people will finally be allowed outside for walks.

Cape Town, South Africa

As the words “STAY HOME” tower over empty streets, Cape Town certainly had to be included in our collection of photos of abandoned places during lockdown.

New York, New York

Want to hear some shocking statistics? As one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, Times Square draws about 50 millions each year. In a single day, 333,000 people pass through. But on busy days, over 460,000 walk through the icon landmark. That was of course, before coronavirus. Now this popular attraction is part of the list of empty cities during lockdown in 2020.

“It has been surreal here. The usually bustling streets have been left like a ghost town. I have lived my whole life in Manhattan and could never imagine seeing it like this, it truly feels like we are in an apocalypse. These were shot during a Friday rush hour around 5pm….which if you have been to NYC before, you know is usually gridlocked.” – @the_wandering_woos

“Roosevelt Island is a very popular spot during cherry blossom season, and Spring in general. This particular strip across the Manhattan skyline is usually packed with people, and finding an empty bench to sit on is usually impossible. This year, all cherry blossom festivities have been cancelled, and you could literally count the amount of people walking by on one hand. ” – @my.bucketlist.journeys

Washington DC

 “I took these at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. last Saturday 4/25/2020 around 8am. It is very abnormal to see the National Mall this empty ever, let alone on a sunny Saturday. All the perks of living in a city (restaurants, public transportation, culture) are now irrelevant, but at least we have it all to ourselves!” –@brianablanch

Seattle, Washington

A normally packed I-5 highway was completely empty during lockdown, as was the ever popular Pike Place.

Photos by @beyond_the_gorge

San Francisco, California

“San Francisco during shelter-in-place. The city streets has never been this quiet and eerie as they are now. At the night time, you can even see coyotes walking around in downtown.” – @paulagaston   

Mumbai, India

“A city Made of Seven Islands also known as the Financial capital of India , which has never slept after Independence now forced to sleep in Lockdown.” – @ruh_sha_

Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities on earth, so it’s very strange to have it on the list of empty cities during lockdown in 2020.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Here are some photos from Amagertorv – one of Copenhagen’s most visited squares. It’s the center of the city where two pedestrians streets intersect and it’s lined with shops and cafes, but not at the moment.

Hội An, Vietnam

Streets were empty and stores closed early as locals were afraid to catch the virus from tourists. On a typical day, the streets of Hội An are packed so it’s a harrowing site to walk the empty streets.

Pokhara, Nepal

Muscat, Oman

Muscat is the capital of Oman and the largest city with over 1.72 millions residents. But like everywhere in the world, the city looks bizarrely empty now.

Cagliari, Italy

This city is the capital of the Italian island of Sardinia. With medieval architecture and it’s well-known Castello, the city looks like something from the long forgotten past when

Lisbon, Portugal

The capital city of Portugal is home to half a million people. But as you can see, the residents are taking lockdown seriously as streets and squares sit entirely empty.

Thission in Athens, Greece

This hip, young neighborhood in Athens jams more cafes, bars and nightlife into just a few blocks than some cities do in their entirety. But as coronavirus put the city on lockdown, this hub of activity has fallen silent in Athens.

Prague, the Czech Republic

Prague is home to over 1.3 million people and the city alone receives a whopping 8 million tourist in a single year. These streets are normally alive with the hustle and bustle of city dwellers and tourists alike. But now they sit empty.

“I’ve been living in Prague for almost two years now and seeing all these major tourist sites completely empty is so strange! The good thing is, now that our lockdown is over we’ll be able to enjoy a summer without all the insane crowds. (Astronomical Clock, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge)” –
@tori_berkowitz

Sibiu, Romania

This is Strada NIcolae Balescu. A wide open pedestrian street sit empty during the pandemic. Typically this street is awash with cafes, tourists, vendors and the bustle of life.

Dublin, Ireland

Like the rest of the world, there is no shortage of photos from around Dublin, Ireland during the lockdown. This street located near the Dublin City Centre remains lifeless.

Ireland ON St. Patrick’s Day

I (Alyssa) received another submission for Northern Ireland that I just had to include…because it’s what it looked like on St. Patrick’s Day! This is one of the empty cities submissions I was shocked to see!

“From the pub lined streets of Galway, to Temple Bar (the busiest pub in Dublin!) and even to the Dark Hedges in Belfast which are always full of tourists, Ireland and Northern Ireland were eerily empty the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day. And Dublin Airport was just as empty the day we flew home!” –@nadyaroundtheworld

Oslo, Norway

The most populated city in Norway, and one of the busiest train stations there, almost completely empty. – @markgerardcox

Ghent, Belgium

“Normally my city is at the moment very crowded with tourist, especially the Sint-Michielsbrug and now I am able to take some nice shots without people in it. Currently doing a staycation in Ghent during my free weekends and it keeps me sane! Hope you can do it soon in Barcelona.” – @msinfinityandbeyond

This post is a collaboration between Alyssa, Emily, and several contributors both bloggers and audience members! If you’d like to add a photo from a major city that’s empty due to lockdown, comment below!