The Natural Beauty of Croatia

Krka National Park is located in central Dalmatia takes its name from the Krka River. It is found just a short distance away from the city of Sibenik. The park was created in order to protect the Krka River and for visitors to be able to participate in cultural, recreational, and educational activities.

Within the park are 860 species of planta. In the Krka River there are 18 species of fish among them brown trout, Visovac trout, Adriatic salmon and the Dalmatian Barbelgudgeon. Amphibians and birds can be seen in the reeds and swamps. Making their home in stone quarries and thickets are different kinds of reptiles.

In the national park bird lover can see osprey, short-toed eagle, golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, lanner falcon, the peregrine falcon, Eurasian eagle-owl, European bee-eater and griffon vulture. Living here are also 18 species of bats and the threatened European otter.

Skradinski buk is an attractive part of the park. This is a huge clear, natural pool with high waterfalls on one end and cascades on the other.

To enjoy Roski Slap which also has cascades you have to take an excursion boat or a public road.

The upper area of the waterfalls is heavily wooded with many willows, cypress, hornbeam, poplar, and oak trees. Around Krka River, there is a beach and people enjoy swimming in the summertime. An area beyond the bridge is where local women sell dried or fresh figs, almonds, olive oil, grape brandy and herb brandy.

You can visit Visovac Island which is home to the Roman Catholic Visovac Monastery. The monastery was founded by Franciscans in 1445. The island was founded during the reign of Louis I of Hungary. Another monastery is the Eastern Orthodox Monastery Krka, founded in 1345. The island can be reached by taking a tour boat from Skradinski buk.

Visitors enjoy seeing Sibenik, the oldest native town on the coast in Croatia. The main feature of the town is the Cathedral of St. James. Today it is a cultural and tourist center and for the last forty years, Sibenik has been the host of the annual International Children's Festival with groups from all over the globe performing in the streets.

Visitors to Krka National Park can enjoy walking along the footpaths, taking sightseeing tours, and boat trips on the river. At the park you can find souvenir shops, a museum, and restaurants.

Plitvice National Park has caves, waterfalls, and beautiful lakes. Between Mala Kapela Mountain and Pijesevica Mountain, there are 16 interlinked lakes which are further divided into upper and lower lakes. The park was founded in 1949 and is located in central Croatia near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Wild animals that make their home in the park include bears, wolves, deer, boar, rabbits, foxes and badgers. There are over 120 species of birds such as owls, cuckoos, hawks, thrushes, starlings, kingfishers, wild ducks and herons. Occasionally visitors might see black storks and ospreys.

Bats are in abundance with around 20 different species. 321 different kinds of butterflies go flitting through the park. Among the reptiles found here are the viviparous lizard, the European green lizard, the dice snake, and the European pond turtle. The fish that can be found here include brown trout, common minnows, the European chub and the common rudd as well as crayfish. In the karst caves are rare olms, a cave-dwelling species.

Plitvice National Park is not only the oldest national park in Croatia but it is also a Unesco World Heritage site. The park is heavily forested with an abundance of fir, spruce, and beech trees. 55 different species of lovely orchids can be found here.

Visitors can take different paths around the lakes and there are also boat and bus transfers. All of the paths have wooden planks, gravel, rocks, and steps and some are even wheelchair accessible.

At the entrance to the park and at the exit are snack shops. Visitors can find a large picnic area with various food stands that can be reached by ferry across the main lake. If you wish to stay overnight many locals offer to rent bedrooms in their homes and provide food for a price.

In the town of Korana, there is a camping site offering clean toilets, a small shop, and dining facilities. There is a bus service to and from the campsite. In the town of Borje, there is another camping site with no bus service.