The Nude Beaches of Murter Island, Croatia
Murter island, northern Dalmatia, Croatia
Mostly unsigned, informal coves scattered around a small island, no two reached quite the same way.
snapshot
Murter is a small island in Croatia’s Šibenik archipelago with several clothes-free coves spread along its coastline, from Čigrađa in the west to Vrtiluka at the southern tip. None carry official clothes-free status. Reaching them means walking past each cove’s textile section onto rocky shelves or pine-shaded pebble stretches. The collection suits travellers who prefer quiet, informal nudity over an organised clothes-free resort, and who don’t mind bringing their own shade, food and water shoes.
season
June to September
LEGAL STATUS
Tolerated
GETTING THERE
Car recommended
Vibe
Quiet and informal
where we are
REGIONAL orientation
Murter is a small island of around 19 square kilometres in Croatia’s Šibenik archipelago, connected to the mainland by a narrow drawbridge at the town of Tisno. Its coastline alternates between rocky shelves, pine-backed coves and small pebble beaches, with the main settlements of Murter town, Betina, Jezera and Tisno spread around the shore.
Most visitors base themselves in one of these towns and drive or walk out to the beaches from there. The island lies close to the Kornati archipelago, a national park of scattered islets popular for day trips by boat. Away from the coast, Murter’s economy still runs on fishing, olive growing and small-scale agriculture alongside tourism, which gives the island a slower pace than some of Dalmatia’s larger resort towns.
the nude beaches
ONE BY ONE
Čigrađa
43.80706767995916, 15.588747026939945
Čigrađa’s main cove is a lively, clothed beach beside a row of cafés, but a coastal footpath quickly changes the mood. Past the last sunbed, pine trees shade a rocky shore where skinny dip is the norm rather than the exception. Facilities stop at the textile end, so this stretch is sea, rock and pine, and little else.
QuietAccessibleNatural settingRockyNo facilities
Mala Doča
43.80312615176003, 15.593037529655689
Further along the coastal path from Čigrađa, Mala Doča opens into a wide cove that draws a strong clothes-free crowd. Two small pebble beaches break up the surrounding rock platforms, giving visitors a choice between pebbles or flatter rock for the day. Sea urchins are common in the shallows, and the walk back to Čigrađa’s cafés is far enough that most people bring their own food and drink.
QuietNatural settingRockyNo facilities
Kosirina Stretch
43.7950576243698, 15.606004688854188
On the island’s west side, the Kosirina stretch strings together several beaches beyond the Kosirina campground, enough for a full afternoon. Nude sunbathing inside the campground itself has faded in recent years, but past its boundary the shoreline turns steadily clothing-optional. An unnamed pebble bay comes first, still visited by some textile bathers, before the path reaches Mali Dolac, a pebble cove edged by flat stones and pine shade, where clothes-free sunbathers often outnumber the clothed.
QuietNatural settingRockyNo facilities
Podvrške
43.825051332809885, 15.573737383444628
Podvrške in the island’s north has two distinct moods. Bars and a busy main beach sit near the entrance, but further north the crowd spreads onto large, flattish stones shaded by trees. Clothes-free sunbathing happens here, usually mixed in with textile visitors looking to get away from the busier centre rather than kept in a separate section.
QuietNatural settingRockyNo facilities
Tisno
43.79389583933765, 15.648324248740458
At the eastern end of Tisno, where the island connects to the mainland, an unofficial clothes-free zone runs along the rocky coast beside the beach promenade. It isn’t the island’s most photogenic corner, but shade, small cut-ins to the sea and the closeness of the town’s cafés make it a convenient option for a quick swim. How far along the rocks the nude section starts depends on how busy the day is.
QuietNatural settingRockyNo facilities
Vrtiluka
43.767130033565586, 15.661662704016427
At Murter’s southern tip, a dirt road from Jezera ends abruptly at a large pebble beach backed by forest. On quiet days it can be empty enough for a solo swim right at the road’s end. When textile bathers are around, the nude crowd tends to head further along toward the large flat rocks, where shade from the surrounding forest keeps most people there through the afternoon.
QuietRemoteNatural settingRockyNo facilities
WHO THIS IS FOR
WHO SHOULD GO & who should not
Great for
- ✓ Travellers happy to find their own quiet stretch of coast
- ✓ Couples wanting an unhurried, informal pebble or rock beach
- ✓ Self-sufficient visitors who don't mind carrying their own food and shade
- ✓ Anyone combining several short island stops in one day
not ideal if
- ✕ You want beach bars, sun loungers or full facilities close by
- ✕ You expect officially signed and mapped clothes-free beaches
- ✕ You'd rather not walk rocky, unmarked coastal paths to reach a beach
practical
GETTING THERE & what to know
getting there
The nearest airport is Zadar, about 63km away and a little over an hour’s drive. Split Airport is a similar option at roughly 95km, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Public transport does not reach the individual beaches covered here, so a car is close to essential. Murter connects to the mainland by a drawbridge at Tisno, so no ferry crossing is needed once you’re on the road.
best time to go
Murter’s swimming season runs from June to September, when cicadas fill the pine trees and the sea is warm enough to enjoy in the nude. July and August bring the busiest beaches, including the textile crowds you’ll need to walk past to reach the clothes-free stretches. June and September tend to be quieter island-wide, though remote spots like Vrtiluka and the far end of the Kosirina stretch can feel sparse even at the height of summer.
legal status
None of Murter’s clothes-free beaches carry official naturist (FKK) designation. Croatian law protects nudity at signed FKK beaches and licensed clothes-free resorts elsewhere in the country, but on Murter itself, clothes-free sunbathing runs on long-standing informal custom. It is tolerated rather than codified.
what to bring
Water shoes matter here more than almost anywhere else in Croatia. Every beach in this guide has sharp rocks, and sea urchins are common in the shallows at several of them. Facilities stop where the clothed sections end, so pack your own food, drinks and shade rather than relying on a beach bar. Pine trees offer patchy cover at some coves, but open rock platforms elsewhere make sun protection worth planning for.
WHERE TO STAY NEARBY
virtual visit
SEE FOR yourself
Sometimes a two-minute watch tells you more than a page of text. Our video shows you what the beaches in this overview actually look like.
FAQ
most asked questions
Is nudity mandatory, or can I keep some clothes on?
Nudity isn't enforced at any of these beaches. Because none carry official clothes-free status, they're mixed spaces in practice, and clothed and unclothed visitors often share the same rocks, especially near where a beach's textile section ends.
Are the nude beaches of Murter good for first-timers?
They work reasonably well for first-timers who are comfortable finding their own spot. None of the beaches are signed or clearly marked, so walking a little further along the coast past the crowds is usually enough to reach a comfortable clothes-free stretch.
Are these beaches family-friendly?
Family-friendly isn't really the focus here. Every beach in this guide needs water shoes for sharp rocks and sea urchins, and none has toilets or shade structures once you reach the clothes-free stretch.
Do I need a car to visit?
Yes, effectively. None of Murter's clothes-free beaches are served by public transport, and several, including Mala Doča and the Kosirina stretch, involve a walk after parking near a different beach or campground. If you stay on the island, it's small enough though to get around on bicycle.
What time of year are the beaches at their best?
The swimming season runs roughly from June to September. July and August bring the warmest sea and the busiest beaches, so the clothes-free stretches described here tend to feel calmer in June and September.
Are there toilets or food available at the beaches?
Facilities exist only at the textile ends of the beaches you walk past to get here. Once you reach the clothes-free stretches at Mala Doča, the Kosirina stretch or Vrtiluka, there are no toilets, cafés or shade structures, so bring what you need for the day.
Why don't any of Murter's nude beaches have official signage?
None of the six beaches in this guide carry official naturist (FKK) designation. Clothes-free use has developed through informal custom instead, following a pattern common on smaller Croatian islands, where visitors simply keep walking past a beach's textile section until the crowds and the swimsuits thin out.
