Croatian National Parks: Plitvice, Krka and Paklenica

The Croatian capital Zagreb is located at the foot of the Medvednica mountain range and has a historic center with the thirteenth-century Lotrščak Tower. In the Gornji Grad district stands the Crkva svetog Marka, notable for its roof adorned with the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia. You can visit the daily Dolac Market near the cathedral or explore the city with the blue trams that connect the historic districts.

Samobor is a medieval town at the foot of the Žumberak Mountains, known for its Baroque architecture and the central square Trg kralja Tomislava. On Tepec Hill, you can explore the ruins of the 13th-century Samoborski dvorac castle, which overlooks the Gradna stream. You'll find hiking trails through the forests of the Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park, where mountain peaks reach over 1100 meters.

Plitvička jezera National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Lika region, consisting of sixteen lakes that flow into each other via numerous waterfalls. You can explore the karst landscape via wooden walking paths and see the Veliki Slap, a 78-meter-high waterfall, at the lower lakes. An electric boat crosses Lake Kozjak while the limestone barriers continue to grow due to constant travertine deposition.

Risnjak National Park covers the forested mountain massifs of Gorski Kotar in the Kvarner region, near the Slovenian border. The 1,528-meter-high peak of Veliki Risnjak and the turquoise spring of the Kupa River, Izvor Kupe, form the core of this limestone area. Wild lynxes, wolves, and brown bears live in the beech and spruce forests. You can relax at the mountain hut Schlosserov dom, located among the rock formations just below the mountain peak.

Zavratnica Bay is a 900-meter-long inlet at the foot of the Velebit Mountains, resembling a fjord due to its steep limestone walls. In the water, you can see the remains of a German landing craft from World War II, sunk in 1944. You can walk along a path beside the rock walls to the bay or climb the slopes of Velebit Nature Park for views of the islands of Rab and Pag.

Paklenica National Park surprises you with its spectacular limestone canyons and rugged mountain landscape. You can hike through the deep Velika Paklenica and the smaller Mala Paklenica, where you'll admire unique karst formations. The 712-meter-high rock face Anića Kuk attracts rock climbers. Ancient beech forests, part of the UNESCO World Heritage, offer shady resting spots. The tranquil paths in the Velebit mountains lead you to expansive views over the Adriatic Sea.

Vransko jezero, Croatia's largest natural lake, is a vast bird paradise directly behind the Adriatic coast. In the ornithological reserve, in the north of the nature park, you can observe over 250 bird species. From the Vidikovac Kamenjak viewpoint, you can look out over the water and the islands of the Kornati archipelago. You can walk or cycle here along the unpaved paths through the extensive reed beds. In this peaceful environment, you can spot rare birds and enjoy the expansive panoramas.

Krka National Park in North Dalmatia encompasses the limestone plateaus over which the Krka river flows. The Skradinski buk waterfall has seventeen steps with a total height of 45 meters. You can walk along wooden paths past working watermills or visit the fifteenth-century Franciscan monastery on Visovac island by boat. At the Roški slap waterfall, you'll see numerous cascades in a narrow gorge.

Omiš is a former pirate town in Central Dalmatia at the mouth of the Cetina River into the Adriatic Sea. Above the historic centre stands the thirteenth-century Mirabella Fortress, while the higher-situated Starigrad Fortress from the fifteenth century offers views over the Brač Channel. You can explore the Cetina gorge by boat or on foot along the forested banks and visit the sandy beach at the river mouth.

Mljet is the greenest island in the Adriatic Sea, featuring a national park in the west, encompassing two saltwater lakes and an islet with a Benedictine monastery situated in the largest lake. A cycling path encircles the lakes, and a boat provides transport to the monastery. Near Babino Polje, you will find Odysseus' Cave, while the eastern tip of the island boasts the beautiful beach of Saplunara. The campsite is conveniently located near Ropa, right on the edge of the national park. The ferry docks in Sobra, providing easy access to the island.