Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘National Parks’ Category

A little stroll along the walkways of Plitvice Lakes is not sporty enough for you? On June 5, you can test your running skills on what may be the world’s most beautiful marathon.  The Plitvice Marathon is organised by the Plitvice Lakes National Park staff and includes a choice of three different levels, depending on your skills. There’s a 42km, 16km, and 5km course that will take you along the pathways of these 16 spectacular lakes.  The top two levels are divided into age categories but runners of all levels get a ticket to the park, a triumphal pasta dinner and other goodies just for entering. Click here for more details and an application form.

If you haven’t yet visited Plitvice Lakes National Park, go soon because visitor numbers are rising every year.  This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most visited of all Croatia’s National Parks, receiving some 980,000 visitors in 2010, 5% more than in 2009. There’s no wrong season to visit the park; you’ll see snow in winter, thundering cascades in spring, luscious greenery in summer and a rainbow of colors in autumn.

It’s amazing how certain coastal towns can be wall-to-wall with tourists during the summer while other, equally enchanting Croatian destinations can be nearly empty. Northern Velebit National Park, in northern Dalmatia has never gotten the attention it deserved despite its status as a national park. That may change now that the European Commission has named the park as a European Destination of Excellence (EDEN). The purpose of these yearly awards is to highlight destinations that manifest a commitment to sustainable tourism with the aim of helping to  “de-congest over-visited tourist destinations”.

In awarding the prize the commission noted that “the park unites two different locales, the coastal region and the mountainous zone. Predatory animals such as wildcats, bears and wolves, roam the mountainsides, while deep sinkholes and caves give the park an unparalleled sense of multiplicity”.

“Multiplicity” here might also refer to multiple activities. You can explore over 150 caves (including Lukina Jama which is 1392m deep), hike, cycle, cross-country ski, and just enjoy waves of unparalleled scenery. There’s also multiple plant species: around 1500! The park has something to offer each season from flowery hillsides in spring, verdant hiking trails in summer, migrating birds in fall and snowy peaks in winter.

Find out more and see pictures of Northern Velebit National Park or discover other Croatian National Parks.

As the Washington Post recently reported, the Croatian economy is facing dire problems. Once the summer tourist season ends, “Croatia’s unemployment will rise and living standards deteriorate”. The unemployment rate which currently stands at 14% will rise to God-knows-what level while labor unions are gunning up for massive demonstrations in September.

Is that a reason to put the family jewels on sale? The Croatian government apparently thinks so. Rumors are that the Brijuni Islands, a Croatian National Park in Istria and former hideaway of late Prez Tito, are on the block.  Do you have an extra billion or so euros? These delightful islands could be yours.  Actually, the price is a bargain; a couple of years ago the asking price hovered around two billion euros but the property market in Croatia has gone into a serious decline. As the New York Times just reported, prices have fallen 20 to 25% this last year and most real estate professionals expect prices to fall even further.

Under those circumstances, raking in a billion or so euros for the Brijuni Islands is probably not a bad idea. Unlike other Croatian islands, there’s no regular ferry service to the islands as hardly anyone lives there. Although of great historical and even archaeological interest (traces of Roman settlements and dinosaur footprints) the islands have not been a great performer on Croatia’s tourism scene. It could be a prestige location but the hotels need serious work and private accommodation is non-existent. A deep-pocket investor could turn a nice profit.

Plitvice National Park’s 16 turquoise lakes are so clean and luminous that you want to jump right in. Alas. Swimming is forbidden in Plitvice Lakes National Park. As a tour guide once explained to me, “The lakes are also a resevoir for drinking water! We just can’t allow swimming”.

I assumed that the only alternative for swimming in a Croatian National Park was Krka Waterfalls where a swimming area is roped off right next to the crashing waterfalls. Now, The Guardian has set me straight. A reader’s suggestion yesterday pointed out that you can swim just a few kilometers north of the National Park. The Korana river flows into Plitvice Lakes National Park and is just as inviting on a hot day as Plitvice’s sparkling lakes. Just outside the village of Korana, villagers have even placed a small ladder next to a tree to make it easier to dive into crystal clear river.

Given the heat wave now sweeping Croatia, I can imagine that there will be quite a line leading up to that ladder!

See more about Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Writer Clare Mann wrote a useful recap of her Dalmatia sailing adventure in this week’s Telegraph. What I particularly like is the PR boost she gives to some of Croatia’s less-visited gems. Yes Hvar and Korcula are “party islands” (particularly Hvar) but just sail out to Vis, Mljet or the Kornati Islands and you can get plenty of peace and quiet even in mid-August.

In addition to recounting her itinerary, the writer gives a rundown of where to fuel up, and I don’t mean put petrol in the boat. There sure aren’t a lot of restaurants jostling for space in Zlarin for example, but it’s nice to hear about her scrumptious local meals. Just keep in mind that many of the destinations mentioned are only accessible by sailboat. Another good reason to charter a sailboat in Croatia!

Click here for the article on the Dalmatian islands.
Click here for where to eat and drink.

See my Croatian islands guide.