If you are looking for something different and unique to do whilst in Croatia, and you’re interested in abandoned locations and even ghost stories, then The Bay of Abandoned Hotels is definitely a must-visit spot for you.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this eerie but fascinating location right on the Adriatic Coast.
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What is The Bay of Abandoned Hotels in Kupari?
The Bay of Abandoned Hotels is a disused military tourist resort and a haunting reminder of the Yugoslav Wars that ravaged the region in the 1990s. The area was once an idyllic beach resort, with luxury hotels and villas lining its shoreline, mainly frequented by Yugoslav military elite.
But after heavy destruction from artillery fire during the war, these buildings now stand abandoned and crumbling, covered in bullet holes, graffiti and shattered glass. Despite their dilapidated state, many of them still contain memorabilia and artifacts that bear witness to the war.
For visitors, the eerie atmosphere of these ruins is a powerful reminder of the conflict’s devastating consequences.
The main hotel in this resort was the opulent Grand Hotel, constructed in 1919. There were 7 hotels here in total, the other hotels were the Goričina I, Goričina II, Kupari, Pelegrin, Mladost and Gale, and these were built between the 1960s and 80s.
When you visit the resort, it’s hard to imagine what this resort would have been like prior to the war, when all you can see is the destruction of the shells of the hotels.
The location of the resort is amazing, right on the beach front with spectacular sea views, it must have been a real luxury holiday resort.
Where is The Bay of Abandoned Hotels located?
The Bay of Abandoned Hotels is located in Kupari, a village just 10km south of Dubrovnik.
Kupari is a popular holiday destination and the beaches around the resort are still enjoyed by visitors and tourists, but maybe Kupari is now best known for being home to this abandoned resort.
The area surrounding the resort is actually very beautiful and is also well worth a visit, the views over the shimmering, turquoise blue Adriatic Sea are incredible. We spent around a week in this area during our van life travels of Croatia, and we really loved it.
TIP – If you are travelling in a motorhome or campervan like us, then it is possible to wild camp here in the off-season. Wild camping is prohibited in Croatia in the Summer, but in the Winter, it is tolerated, and we managed to wild camp here with no issues for 3 nights.
Does The Bay of Abandoned Hotels have a historic background?
The Yugoslav Wars took place from 1991 – 2001 and they were a series of military conflicts which were related to the dissolution of Yugoslavia. They are known to be Europe’s deadliest armed conflicts since World War II.
The breakup of Yugoslavia led to six individual countries – Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When the war broke out, the Yugoslav People’s Army ended up bombing the resort in an attack on Croatia soldiers, even though they had mainly funded the resort.
The hotels were completely vandalised and completely gutted of almost everything inside of them, including the tiles, leaving behind the derelict shells that can be seen today.
Is accessing The Bay of Abandoned Hotels easy?
The Bay of Abandoned Hotels can easily be reached by car, bus or taxi from Dubrovnik. If you have a car, or a motorhome or campervan like us, there is a large space for parking right outside the hotels, on the beachfront.
The area can be freely explored on foot, and there aren’t many limitations on what you can and can’t explore, so you can get close up views of the buildings and go right inside them as well as take in stunning views of the Adriatic Sea.
So however you choose to explore it, visiting this remarkable place will provide a unique and unforgettable experience.
What activities can you do near The Bay of Abandoned Hotels?
There are lots of activities to do in the surrounding area of the abandoned resort.
The beaches are beautiful and there is the option to do sea kayaking and other water sports.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants to enjoy around the resort, so you won’t struggle to find somewhere to eat.
As mentioned previously, Dubrovnik is only around 10km away, so it is also very easy to tie a trip to the resort in with a trip to Dubrovnik.
Summary
Originally a popular holiday destination, Kupari’s Bay of Abandoned Hotels is now an important part of the region’s history and culture. With its iconic buildings standing as powerful reminders of the Yugoslav Wars, this spot is both a sad reminder of past events and an inspiring monument to the resilience of those who endured them. It’s an experience that will never be forgotten
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I love everything about travel, from seeing new places, learning about new cultures and trying new foods! I believe that travel is one of the best forms of education you can get, I have learnt so much about myself and about the world from travelling all over. Travel is something I feel so passionately about, and I love the fact that we are now lucky enough to have this opportunity to do what we love as much as we can, it’s a dream come true.
Before we started travelling, I worked in local government in administration. I had been in this job for several years and had reached a complete brick wall where I was so fed up, but didn’t know what else to do. The only thing I knew that I wanted to do was to travel, and had wanted to do that for many years.
There were hundreds and hundreds of places on my wishlist that I wanted to go to, and I knew that going on a weeks holiday maybe twice a year if we were lucky wasn’t going to cut it.
After being in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, and working from home staring at the same 4 walls every day, 2021 seemed like the perfect time for us to take the risk to finally do what we had dreamed of for so long.
It was a hard decision to completely change our lives, but so far it has been the best decision we have ever made!
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