The Croatian island shrouded in dark secrets – no one would stay overnight

Lokrum

Croatia is brimming with beauty, but few captivate quite like the island of Lokrum. Just 600 metres from Dubrovnik, this mysterious, forested island offers an ideal escape from the bustling streets of the old city centre.

Easily accessible by a short 20-minute ferry ride from Dubrovnik, Lokrum boasts lush vegetation and is home to numerous peacocks and rabbits, which have become symbols of the island.

Lokrum is also famed for its fascinating history and legends.

According to one story, as Večernji list tells, English King Richard the Lionheart was shipwrecked on his return from the Crusades in 1192 and found refuge on the shores of Lokrum.

In gratitude, he vowed to build a church on the island; however, at the request of Dubrovnik’s citizens, the church was eventually built in the city instead.

There is also a compelling tale about the Benedictines. They established an abbey and monastery on the island, but the French army expelled them in 1808.

Peacock on Lokrum island in Croatia

Before leaving, legend has it that the Benedictines placed a curse on the island for forcing them out, and as a result, Lokrum has never had an enduring owner.

This legend, involving mysterious deaths and misfortunes among local would-be owners and property claimants, might have faded over time were it not for the tragic fates that befell the family of Austrian Emperor and Croatian King Franz Joseph I, some of whose relatives once owned Lokrum.

The execution of the Emperor’s brother, Archduke Maximilian, in Mexico, the assassination of his wife, Empress Elisabeth, by Lake Geneva, and the suicide of his son and heir, Crown Prince Rudolf, at Mayerling have all cemented the legend in popular memory, casting a dark shadow over the island.

Lokrum with Dubrovnik in the foreground

Today, due to these associations, Lokrum is considered one of Croatia’s haunted places.

Locals often advise visitors against taking anything from the island—not even a fallen leaf or a peacock feather—as it is believed that anything taken from Lokrum will bring misfortune to its new owner.

During the tourist season, boats ferry visitors to Lokrum, but no one except the island’s caretakers spends the night. A few have tried to sleep on the island, but according to reports, the haunting cries of the peacocks in the night sent them running back to shore.