Abandoned Places in Croatia: The Complete Urbex Guide

Croatia’s abandoned places tell the story of a country that has lived through empires, war, socialism and independence. Yugoslav military resorts bombed in 1991, a political prison on a barren island, the largest underground airbase in Europe, medieval villages emptied by plague and migration, and a 1970s casino resort built with Penthouse magazine money.

This is the most comprehensive mapped guide to abandoned and urbex locations in Croatia. 78 abandoned places and 24 military bunkers, each with real history, exact coordinates and practical tips. Every entry is pinned on our searchable map and free to browse.

Why Croatia is an urbex paradise

Three forces created Croatia’s abandoned landscape:

The Yugoslav era left a network of military bases, underground tunnels, submarine pens and workers’ resorts across the country. When Yugoslavia collapsed, much of this infrastructure was simply abandoned.

The 1991 to 1995 war destroyed or damaged hundreds of buildings, from hotel complexes on the Dubrovnik Riviera to entire villages in the Kordun and Slavonia. Many were never rebuilt.

Depopulation emptied the interior. Medieval hill villages, mountain settlements and eastern Slavonian towns lost their populations to the coast, to the cities, and to emigration. Croatia’s population is still falling, and each year more buildings slip into ruin.

The headline sites

Kupari, the hotel graveyard

Five hotels built for Yugoslav military officers line a sheltered bay near Dubrovnik. The oldest, Hotel Grand, opened in 1920. All were shelled and burned in the 1991 siege. They have stood roofless for over thirty years, slowly being reclaimed by pine trees and the sea.

Zeljava Airbase (Objekat 505)

Yugoslavia built the largest underground airbase in Europe in the 1960s, hewn into Pljesevica mountain on the Croatia-Bosnia border. Jets rolled out of the tunnels straight onto the runway. Damaged in the 1991 war and mined by retreating forces, the runway is now a cracked, weed-grown strip and the tunnels are dangerous to enter.

Goli Otok, the political prison

A barren island in the Kvarner Gulf turned into a prison in 1949 for Tito’s opponents, especially those who backed Stalin. Up to 16,000 prisoners passed through its quarries. The prison closed in 1988 and the buildings still stand as a grim open-air museum.

Haludovo Palace Hotel

A 1971 resort near Malinska on Krk, part-funded by Bob Guccione of Penthouse magazine. The casino heyday lasted barely a few years. After Yugoslavia collapsed the hotel slid into bankruptcy and abandonment.

How to use this guide

Every location below links to a dedicated page with coordinates, an embedded map, history, access tips and the best time to visit. Use the full directory to filter and search.

If you plan a dedicated urbex trip, combine the Kupari complex with a visit to Dubrovnik, then drive north to Zeljava via the Velebit. Goli Otok requires a boat trip from Rab or Lopar. The Lozovac aluminium factory sits right next to Krka National Park, so you can pair nature with industry in a single day.

Photograph by John has mapped and verified every location in this guide. All photography is original. If this helped plan your trip, share it with a fellow explorer.