While most visitors to Lokrum enjoy swimming with peacocks and strolling to the Benedictine monastery, four stone buildings quietly decay hidden in the dense Mediterranean maquis. These abandoned quarantine villas bear witness to a time when Dubrovnik was under French rule, and the island served as the first line of defense against deadly epidemics.
Why Did Napoleon Build Quarantine Villas on Lokrum?
In the early 19th century, Dubrovnik underwent a dramatic change. In 1808, Napoleon abolished the Republic of Dubrovnik, and the city became part of the Illyrian Provinces. The French immediately recognized Lokrum's strategic importance – an island just 600 meters from the city walls was perfect for isolating ships and travelers arriving from the East.
In those days, cholera, plague, and typhus regularly arrived via sea routes. The Republic of Dubrovnik had a developed quarantine system, but the French decided to strengthen it further. Between 1808 and 1813, they built four stone villas intended for isolating wealthier travelers who could afford private accommodation during mandatory quarantine.
What Were Quarantine Villas Actually?
Unlike lazarettos where ordinary travelers and sailors crowded in cramped conditions, quarantine villas offered more luxurious isolation. Each villa had:
- Separate bedrooms for family and servants
- Its own kitchen and food storage
- An enclosed garden for walking during isolation
- Cisterns for collecting rainwater
Quarantine usually lasted 40 days – hence the name itself, which comes from the Italian word quaranta, meaning forty. During this period, doctors visited the isolated travelers daily, observing them from a distance of several meters.
Four Villas: What Remains Today?
Finding all four villas is a real challenge even for persistent explorers. Lokrum Island has marked trails, but the villas are not located along the main routes. Here's what you can expect:
Villa Number 1 – Northern Villa
This villa is located north of the Benedictine monastery, about a 15-minute walk through dense forest. Only the foundations and wall sections barely a meter high remain. It's recognizable by the large cistern that is still visible. Access is not marked, so watch out for thorns and uneven terrain.
Villa Number 2 – Eastern Villa
The best preserved of all four, this villa still has parts of its roof structure. It's located east of the Dead Sea, hidden behind dense vegetation. Walls made of local stone reach heights of three to four meters in some places. The interior is overgrown with moss and ferns, creating an almost surreal scene.
Villa Number 3 – Southern Villa
The least remains of this villa – only foundations covered with leaves. It's located on the southern part of the island, near the cliffs facing the open sea. The location was obviously chosen for a reason: winds from the open sea provided natural ventilation, which was considered important for preventing the spread of infection.
Villa Number 4 – Western Villa
This villa is situated closest to the mainland, on the western side of the island. Walls up to two meters high are preserved, along with a clearly visible floor plan with several rooms. Interestingly, remnants of an old staircase leading to the sea can be found nearby – probably for disembarking passengers directly from ships.
How to Find the Abandoned Villas?
Finding the villas requires a bit of adventurous spirit and good preparation. Here are some practical tips:
What to bring:
- Long pants and closed shoes – the maquis is dense and thorny
- Enough water – there are no drinking water sources on the island
- GPS device or offline map – mobile signal is weak in the interior
- Camera with good zoom – some details are difficult to access
Best time for exploration:
Visit Lokrum early in the morning, on the first boat departing at 9 AM from the city harbor. In June and September, temperatures are more bearable for hours of walking through the forest. Avoid July and August when temperatures exceed 35 degrees, and tourist crowds make the island overcrowded.
Price and transportation:
A return ticket to Lokrum costs around 200 kuna for adults (children half price). Boats depart every half hour from the old city harbor. The last boat returns around 6 PM in summer, so watch your time.
Dark History: Tales of Death and Isolation
Local legends claim the villas didn't serve only for quarantine. According to stories from old Dubrovnik residents, sometimes those who were considered infected but whom nobody wanted to treat ended up there. They died alone, far from family, with a view of the city they perhaps had just wanted to visit.
One record from 1812 mentions a Venetian merchant who spent 47 days in isolation on Lokrum. He survived quarantine, but the letters he sent to his family never arrived – they were destroyed for fear of infection. Only his son, about thirty years later, learned that his father had been alive all that time.
Why Were the Villas Abandoned?
After Napoleon's fall in 1815, Dubrovnik became part of the Habsburg Monarchy. The Austrians built more modern quarantine facilities on the mainland, and the Lokrum villas became redundant. During the 19th century, they occasionally served as storage, but vegetation soon swallowed them up.
What Else to Visit on Lokrum
After exploring the villas, the island offers numerous other attractions:
- Benedictine Monastery – now a museum with a rich collection
- Botanical Garden – founded in 1959, with hundreds of exotic species
- Dead Sea – a saltwater lake perfect for swimming without waves
- Fort Royal – a Napoleonic fortress with panoramic views
- Nudist Beach – on the southeastern part of the island
Accommodation in Dubrovnik for Lokrum Explorers
For multi-day exploration of Lokrum and its surroundings, it's most practical to stay in the old town or in Ploče. Apartments with views of the island offer a special experience – you can observe Lokrum while planning your next day of exploration. On BarbaBooking.com, find accommodation near the city harbor, which allows for early morning departure to the island before larger tour groups arrive.
Lokrum hides more secrets than most visitors ever discover. The abandoned quarantine villas are just one of them – silent witnesses to a time when isolation meant the difference between life and death, and Dubrovnik was the gateway between East and West.