Naked vacations in Croatia: Where to go in 2027

There used to be a time, roughly from the late 1960s through the 1980s, when Croatia was the world’s number one destination for clothes-free vacations. The FKK movement was on the rise in German-speaking Europe, and the government of (former)Yugoslavia realised that they were perfectly located to provide refuge to this growing group of naked vacationers.

A lot has changed since then. While wars divided Yugoslavia into seven different states, Spain and France were rapidly increasing their naturist offer. By the time newly formed Croatia was ready to receive tourists again, it had to share the market with a growing number of other European countries.

In recent decades, the total of naturist resorts in Croatia declined from over thirty to barely ten and mass tourism rapidly found its way to the remote beaches that used to be nude only.

But enough bad news. Croatia may have lost its top spot in clothes-free vacation lists, but the country still has a variety of opportunities on offer. Which we will explore in this blog post.

In the north of Croatia, Istria had a pioneering role in shaping naturist vacations, and that is largely thanks to Koversada, the country’s first commercial naturist park. In recent years, Koversada stirred significant debate among long-time guests when its management converted parts of the complex into a textile zone, significantly downsizing the clothes-free area. When we went back there in 2025, we found the new Koversada Uncovered a very agreeable place to spend a naked vacation, even though it’s much smaller than what it used to be.

Ask ten naturists about Croatia and at least eight will tell you about Valalta. While many resorts were struggling with the decline of naked guests, Valalta managed to profile itself as the number one naturist resort in Croatia. Spanning around 120 hectares along 4 kilometres of coastline, Valalta accommodates roughly 5000 to 6000 guests per day in the summer months. The infrastructure is unmatched in the country, with several restaurants, bars, and a variety of activities.

The underdogs in Istrian naturism are Solaris and Ulika resorts. Both are 100% clothes-free, and although they may not have the extensive facilities that Valalta offers, both can guarantee a great naked vacation under the Croatian sun. For the sake of completeness, we also want to mention Camping Kanegra in the very north of the peninsula. Kanegra is partly textile and partly naturist, but its facilities don’t compare to any of the other resorts. In other countries, this could be a nice resort. But in Croatia, it just stands in the shadows of its massive neighbours.

The coastline of Istria is typical Croatian: Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Although there are quite a few “independent” nude beaches, these can rarely guarantee a comfortable afternoon in the sun unless you bring chairs, cushions, umbrellas and a cooler with drinks. Since every one of the aforementioned resorts is at the coast and offers beach facilities, it’s recommended to visit these for a beach vacation.

Long story short: Istria is where you find the massive naturist resorts. Go to Valalta if you want a busy summer vibe among thousands of naked people. For something a bit more relaxed, pick Koversada, Ulika, or Solaris. Since they are all different in their own way, and located relatively close to each other, we mostly recommend a road trip visiting all four. Make reservations if you travel in July or August because the resorts fill up.

While Istria made its name early on, many of Croatia’s naturist options were located on the islands, with Kvarner Bay being one of the best regions. Next to a variety of small islands, it’s the larger ones you want to keep an eye on: Cres and Losinj (often considered one island), Krk, Rab, and Pag.

Cres can be reached by ferry from Istria and is home to naturist campsite Baldarin, another long-standing name in Croatian naked tourism. Although Baldarin also has a naturist part and a textile part, it’s unique because the naked side is about four times larger than the textile one. This is basically a naturist campsite with a small clothed corner. The vibe at Baldarin is very bohemian, bringing back memories of the golden age of Croatian naturist vacations.

Krk Island is the easiest to get to because it’s connected to the mainland by a bridge and because it has its own international airport (Rijeka International Airport). There are two naturist campsites on the island. Bunculuka is the most famous one, feeling like a little sister of the Istrian campsites. Camp Konobe is the more rustic of the two and one of the very few naturist campsites in Europe that doesn’t offer rentals, only camping.

The nude beaches on Krk island tend to be rocky in the north and pebbly in the south. Here too, the most comfortable nude beaches are part of the resorts, where you can rent sunbeds and shade. The area east of Bunculuka has a number of very agreeable pebble beaches where nudity is the norm.

Further to the south, we arrive on Rab island. No overnight naturist resorts here, but Kandarola offers a great alternative as a day resort. For just a few euros per day, you can make use of all services that you typically find at a medium-sized naturist resort (sunbeds, showers, a bar and restaurant,…). But you can’t stay here overnight.

What makes Rab most unique though, is its beaches, which are sandy, unlike in most other parts of Croatia. Especially in the area north of Lopar are a variety of sandy nude beaches to be found, saving you the dilemma of whether you’ll carry heavy chairs or sit on sharp rocks.

The southernmost large island of the Kvarner Bay, Pag, is the least nude-friendly. There are a few nude beaches, of which the ones around Čista are very agreeable, but these are more the kind of places you visit because you’re already on the island and want some nude time. Pag isn’t really a clothes-free destination on its own.

Long story short: Krk is the easy one with two resorts, a number of beaches, and easy access from the mainland. Head over to Cres if you want to enjoy the vibe of Camp Baldarin or take a ferry to Rab for sandy nude beaches and some comfortable time on Kandarola. And if you happen to be on Pag instead, explore the nude beaches around Čista.

The part of Croatia where the decline in clothes-free tourism is the most noticeable is Dalmatia. Resort-wise, only FKK Camp Sovinje on Pasman island and Camp Nudist on Hvar island are still standing. Camp Mlaska on Hvar had to close down for legal reasons in 2025, and whether it will ever reopen, and in what form, is still uncertain.

Each of the islands still has a number of unofficial nude beaches, although how nude they really get depends a lot on the season. One of the most epic beaches is Zlatni Rat on Brač island, the white triangle that you see in every information brochure about Croatia. Right beside the famous beach is a large nude section that’s great in the shoulder seasons but gets overrun by bathing suits in summer. Nugal beach, further to the south, is a similar case, and there are many others. The golden rule is: If you want to get naked on beautiful beaches in Dalmatia, travel in the shoulder seasons. In summer, you’ll have to do with the very remote beaches.

An exception is Jerolim Island, just off the coast of Hvar. Jerolim is often nicknamed Croatia’s naked island and has been attracting naturists for many decades. The whole island is considered nude-friendly, including the beach bar. It could be the perfect nude vacation destination, if it weren’t for the fact that overnight stays are not allowed. So at the end of the day, you’ll need to return to the clothed world.

Another naked stronghold in Dalmatia is the Makarska Riviera. Every town along this over 60-kilometre coastline has at least one nude beach. Some are stretches with official signage, like Dračevac beach, where nudity is common throughout the year. Others are more remote coves with FKK spray paint, where the dress code mostly depends on the personal choice of whoever got there first that day.

Long story short, although Dalmatia has the fewest options for naturists today, there are still some good spots left. Camp in Hvar and spend your days on Jerolim island, or go beach hopping in Makarska in search of your perfect spot. Skip the summer months for the best options.

The shift in focus from naked tourists towards the bathing suit-wearing kind has left some interesting marks. Naturist resorts in Croatia typically have their own nude beach, but most often also a few of the nearby beaches are clothing-optional. When some of these resorts turned textile, so did their main beach, but not necessarily the ones around the corner.

So today, at whichever Croatian campsite you’re staying, it’s not unlikely to have a nude beach just around the corner. This creates opportunities for travellers who enjoy spending a bit of time naked on the beach but don’t feel much for being nude all day at a campsite. Or for couples or families where some are naturists and others are not.

While Croatia may have lost its top spot on the naked vacation lists, the country’s long history of clothes-free tourism trickles through in exactly those small details. The nude beaches just outside textile campsites and FKK spray paint indicating spots to get naked all along the coastline. Croatia gave naturism a home long before it was fashionable, and it turns out that this kind of heritage doesn’t disappear when the signs come down.