Croatia is where European naturism was born. In 1934 the island of Rab passed a municipal ordinance regulating nudist bathing – one of the first official acts of its kind anywhere – and two years later the story that made it famous: in August 1936, King Edward VIII obtained official permission from Rab’s authorities to swim nude at Kandarola beach with Wallis Simpson, and the international press did the rest. Under Yugoslav rule the tradition went commercial: in 1961 Yugoslavia (and its Montenegrin continuation, Ada Bojana) became the first European country to open naturist resorts to tourists without requiring INF membership cards, importing the German FKK (Freikoerperkultur) tradition for a Western clientele. Sixty years later Croatia remains one of the world’s great naturism destinations – though the map has changed, and this guide includes the honest updates.
Istria: The Naturist Heartland
The stretch between Poreč and Vrsar holds the densest naturist infrastructure in the country:
- Valalta (Rovinj): the flagship – a 100 percent naturist resort since 1968, 120 hectares with capacity for 7,000 guests, its own naturist marina, microbrewery, pool complexes, apartments and mobile homes. Europe’s premier naturist resort experience.
- Koversada (Vrsar): the 1961 pioneer and for decades Europe’s largest naturist campsite (5,000+ guests). Honest update: since 2025 operator Maistra has split it into the naturist Koversada Uncovered zone and a textile Koversada Covered zone – still a major naturist destination, no longer 100 percent FKK.
- Ulika (Poreč): a dedicated family naturist campsite four kilometres north of Poreč – note the correction from many guides: it’s in Poreč, not Pula.
- Solaris Naturist Resort (Lanterna peninsula): a Valamar-run 100 percent FKK resort with apartments, rooms and camping along 2.5 km of coastline.
Kvarner: The Islands of the Pioneers
Rab is the cradle: Kandarola beach on the Frkanj peninsula (the Edward VIII site, still official FKK with taxi-boat access and amenities) and the sandy Lopar beaches – Sahara, Ciganka and the officially designated Stolac. On Krk, Campsite Konobe at Punat and Valamar’s Bunculuka at Baška are fully naturist camps; on Cres, Baldarin keeps dedicated FKK zones in deep pine forest and Kovačine maintains a designated naturist zone; on Pag, giant Camp Straško at Novalja holds a secluded FKK zone.
Dalmatia: Beaches and Islands
South of the Kvarner, naturism shifts from resorts to beaches: Sabunike near Nin in the Zadar area, the rocky tip of Kašjuni below Marjan hill in Split, and the Makarska riviera’s crown jewel Nugal – a cliff-backed cove reached by a 30-minute pine-forest walk that travel outlets regularly rank among Europe’s best nude beaches. On the islands: Jerolim, the world-famous naturist islet in Hvar’s Pakleni archipelago (plus uninhabited Zečevo off Jelsa), Paklina cove just west of Bol’s Zlatni Rat on Brač, historic Novo Pošta at Komiža on Vis, and on day-trip from Dubrovnik, the signposted FKK section at the southeastern tip of Lokrum island, plus Plat between Srebreno and Cavtat.
The Law and the Signs
Nudity is legal on designated FKK beaches and inside licensed naturist camps – look for “FKK” signs or the crossed-out-swimsuit symbol. Wild coves are tolerated by local custom. Textile beaches and town streets are a different matter: nudity off-designation violates the Law on Offences against Public Order (fines €200-400), and Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar and Zadar fine swimwear-walkers €150-300 in historic centers. The Croatia rule of thumb: inside the FKK sign, you’re legal; outside it, dress like a local.
Camping Country: The Honest Structure
Over 90 percent of Croatia’s naturist capacity is camping – pitches, mobile homes and bungalows; there are no standalone naturist hotels, and naturist apartments in Vrsar and Rovinj mean clothed in town, naked inside resorts. The post-Yugoslav market has also taken its toll and honesty requires naming it: Monsena (Rovinj) and Politin (Krk) went textile entirely, Koversada split in 2025, and Straško and Kovačine reduced FKK to sub-zones. The giants that remain all-naturist – Valalta, Ulika, Solaris, Konobe, Bunculuka – are fewer but thriving.
Season and Getting There
The naturist season runs mid-May to late September; July-August sea hits 22-26°C with peak crowds, while June and September are the connoisseur’s months. Fly to Pula (PUY) or Rijeka (RJK, on Krk) for Istria and Kvarner, Zadar (ZAD), Split (SPU) or Dubrovnik (DBV) for Dalmatia; Jadrolinija and private catamarans connect every naturist island.
Flying in? Pula (PUY) and Rijeka (RJK) serve the Istrian heartland; Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik (ZAD/SPU/DBV) cover Dalmatia. Search and compare fares on Kayak. Disclosure: affiliate link – if you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where to Stay
Valalta, Koversada Uncovered, Ulika and Solaris all book direct or via the usual camping platforms, with naturist apartments around Vrsar and Rovinj. The map below is centered on Vrsar, the gateway to the Koversada-Valalta coast:
Disclosure: this map contains affiliate booking links. If you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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