Croatia offers one of Europe's most concentrated and varied urban exploration landscapes — Cold War underground airbases, Yugoslav military resort hotels shelled in 1991 and abandoned for three decades, an Adriatic island closed to tourists until 1989 due to its military importance, and a penthouse casino hotel on Krk island whose $45 million investment lasted exactly one year. The combination of extraordinary Adriatic scenery and the specific violence of the Yugoslav war's end makes Croatian dereliction uniquely atmospheric. Discover the 5 best abandoned places in Croatia, selected from our Croatia Urbex Map — 400+ verified GPS locations.
Why Croatia Is One of Europe's Top 5 Urbex Destinations
Croatia's unique urbex appeal comes from the suddenness of its abandonment — buildings operational in summer 1991 and derelict by autumn the same year, preserved in a frozen moment by three decades of ownership disputes and investment paralysis. The Dalmatian coast setting adds visual drama unavailable in most European dereliction.
1. Kupari Hotel Complex – Near Dubrovnik — Bay of 7 Abandoned Hotels, Grand Hotel 1923, JNA Military Resort, Shelled 1991, Still Accessible in 2025 (Known Location)
The Kupari "bay of abandoned hotels" contains seven hotels — Grand, Goričina I & II, Kupari, Pelegrin, Mladost, and Galeb — all abandoned since the Siege of Dubrovnik in 1991. The Grand Hotel (1923) was the first hotel built in the Dubrovnik area. After the war, the Yugoslav People's Army turned the complex into a military resort with capacity for 4,500 guests. Reconstruction works began in 2025. 10km from Dubrovnik; bus 11 from Pile Gate (35 minutes).
🔗 Sources: My Wanderlust – Kupari | Wikipedia – Kupari
2. Željava Air Base (Objekat 505) – Croatia-Bosnia Border, Near Plitvice — Europe's Largest Underground Airport, $6 Billion Cost, Destroyed 1992, Landmine Warning (Known Location)
Željava Air Base was the largest military air base and underground hangar in Yugoslavia and one of the largest in Europe. Built 1957–1968 at a cost of $6 billion, designed to house 60 aircraft and withstand nuclear attack. Destroyed in 1992 by 56 tonnes of explosives — the explosion shook Bihać and smoke rose from the tunnels for six months. Today the international border divides the base; active landmines remain in the surrounding area. 20 minutes from Plitvice Lakes. Stay strictly on paved areas.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Croatia →
3. Haludovo Palace Hotel – Krk Island — Built 1971, Penthouse Casino $45M (Bob Guccione), Refugees 1991–95, Last Guests 2001, MoMA Exhibition 2019
The Haludovo Palace Hotel was built in 1971 by architect Boris Magaš with $45 million from Penthouse founder Bob Guccione, who added the Penthouse Adriatic Club Casino in 1972. The casino went bankrupt in 1973 as Yugoslavian law prohibited nationals from gambling. The hotel operated until the Yugoslav Wars, sheltered refugees, and closed permanently in 2001. Featured in the MoMA Concrete Utopia exhibition in 2019. Accessible by car on Krk Island (bridge from mainland). All GPS coordinates in our Croatia Urbex Map.
4. Vis Island JNA Naval Base – Vis Island, Central Dalmatia — Closed to Tourists Until 1989, Tito's WWII HQ, Underground Submarine Pens, Cold War Naval Tunnels (Hidden on Our Map)
Vis Island — closed to foreign tourists until 1989 due to its strategic military importance — housed Tito's wartime headquarters in 1944 and the JNA's most significant Adriatic naval complex: submarine pens carved into limestone cliffs, underground ammunition stores, and a tunnel network beneath the port town used as the command center for Adriatic operations. The island's unique history (1944 Churchill-Tito meeting, AVNOJ resolution), combined with its extraordinary natural beauty and the scale of Cold War engineering, makes Vis the deepest military heritage experience in Croatian urbex. Find it on our Croatia Urbex Map. All GPS in our Croatia Urbex Map.
5. Depopulated Dalmatian Island Settlement – Central Dalmatian Islands — Post-WWII Rural Exodus, Stone Village, Pine Forest, Adriatic Setting, No Road Access (On Our Map Only)
The smaller Dalmatian islands experienced severe post-WWII depopulation as fishing and agricultural communities migrated to the mainland. Several island stone villages exist in states of near-complete dereliction: dry-stone terracing returning to maquis, stone houses with collapsed roofs, the church bell tower still standing above the vegetation. The Adriatic island setting — clear water, pine forest, the specific quality of Dalmatian island light — creates a ghost village experience of extraordinary visual beauty. Mapped exclusively in our Croatia Urbex Map. Mapped exclusively in our Croatia Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
What is the best abandoned place in Croatia?
Kupari near Dubrovnik — seven abandoned Yugoslav military hotels in a single Adriatic bay, freely accessible from the beach, 10km from the old town. Reconstruction works began in 2025; visit now before access is restricted. The Hotel Goričina II rooftop gives the finest panoramic view in Croatian urbex.
Is Croatia good for urban exploration?
Among the best in Europe — the 1991 war abandoned functioning hotels overnight, Cold War military infrastructure of extraordinary scale lies open in the countryside and Dalmatian island ghost villages offer scenery unavailable elsewhere. Our Croatia Urbex Map covers 400+ verified locations.
How do I get to Željava Air Base?
Drive from Plitvice Lakes toward the Izačić border crossing (20 minutes). The airbase is signposted from the Croatian side, free entry. Stay strictly on paved areas — active landmines remain in surrounding terrain. Guided tours available from Destination Urban (Zagreb).
Safety Tips
- Željava landmines: never leave paved areas — active anti-personnel mines remain in the surrounding terrain
- Kupari structural risk: war damage and 30+ years of dereliction create unpredictable conditions — avoid heavily damaged upper floors
- Island ferries: Jadrolinija schedules change seasonally — always check jadrolinija.hr before planning island visits
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person and share your location
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