You know how when you visit some country there are just some places that you need to visit because without visiting them your holidays would feel incomplete. These are often some landmarks or some famous parts of any particular country. The same is with national parks in Croatia. You simply have to visit at least one of 8 Croatia national parks.
Croatia as a country is full of natural beauties, wherever you might at any particular moment. Exploring them or just driving through the pure nature of Croatia can make your holidays have a much better ‘vibe’. So settle down in a cozy chair and let’s explore the beauty and diversity of national parks in Croatia.
When it comes to protected natural areas in Croatia, we have few classifications. The highest class is a national park and the class below it is called a nature park. Have that in mind, because you might stumble upon many nature parks too. Again, these are places of beautiful nature too and we’ll talk about them more in our other articles. But let’s stick to the national parks for now.
PLEASE NOTE: We’ll try to update infromation provided in this article as often as possible since some rules can change, but please visit the official website of each of the parks before your visit to ensure updated information such as pricing or any other crucial bit of inromation.
Introduction to National Parks of Croatia
We already mentioned that there are 8 national parks in Croatia and they are: Brijuni, Kornati, Krka, Paklenica, Plitvicka jezera, Risnjak, Sjeverni Velebit, and Mljet. Theoretically, you can visit them all during your vacation, but you’ll have some traveling to do. And that would be a lot of traveling through Croatia.
All Croatia national parks are situated in south-western Croatia and many of them are along the coast, and mostly on the traveling routes that many tourists pass each year. When people come to Croatia they often visit one or two national parks.
The most famous one is Plitvice lakes in a beautiful part of Croatia called Lika. According to the statistics, Risnjak is the least visited of all Croatia national parks. But don’t cross it from your list just yet. Further in this post, we’re going to present you with the most important information about each park.
We encourage you to visit the Parkovi Hrvatske website to get into more details about visiting the park you want to.
Best Time to Visit National Parks in Croatia
There’s no easy answer for this one. Every season is beautiful in its own way. National parks in Croatia gets most of their visits in the summer months when the income of tourists in Croatia is at its peak. That might be the worst time to visit any of the parks simply because there are many more people wanting to do the same and you get stuck in the line and do your best to admire the nature around you. That’s not how it goes. We always suggest that anybody should visit Croatia in the preseason or postseason months.
The weather is still nice in these periods but there are fewer tourists in Croatia. The same goes for the national parks in Croatia. Take September for example. The weather is beautiful, just right for the perfect vacation. And the best thing about September is that most of the tourists (especially families) are gone because school starts in this period.
- Spring (April to June):
- Perfect for hiking and exploring, with mild weather and waking nature.
- Waterfalls in national parks such as Plitvice lakes are at their most impressive due to having a lot of water after the melting of the snow and rainfalls during the winter season.
- Summer (July to August):
- Perfect for swimming, kayaking, and other water activities (if they are allowed in particular place, for example, no swimming is allowed in Plitvice national park.)
- National parks can be full of people, especially Plitvice Lakes and Krka national park.
- Autumn (September to October):
- Milder weather and way less people.
- Stunning autumn colors in many parks, especially ones with a lot of forests like Risnjak and Northern Velebit.
- Winter (November to March):
- National parks in Croatia are at their quietest and most serene state, with opportunities visiting in snowy conditions, especially parks that have regular snowfall such as Plitvice Lakes for example.
- Some areas of the parks have limited accessibility due to the snow covered trails.
How to Choose Which National Park to Visit
Well, this depends on you and your preferences. Plitvice Lakes are the most famous national park in Croatia, but if you don’t like sharing your nature experience with few thousand people at the same time, then you’ll need to either find a time when fewer people are in the park or visit another one. Although, you’ll rarely be alone in the national park.
Let us present you with basic information about each park that might help you in choosing which one to visit when you come to Croatia.
- Location: Choose a park near the place you stay during your vacation in Croatia to save travel time. For example, a lot of people staying in Split choose to visit Krka national park because of its proximity to the city of Split.
- Think about your Interests:
- If you are into waterfalls and lakes, visit Plitvice Lakes or Krka.
- For mountains and hiking, choose visit to Paklenica or Northern Velebit.
- If you want to explore marine biodiversity or enjoy sailing, Kornati is the top choice.
- Season:
- Some parks are better when visited during a particular season. For example, visit coastal parks like Mljet in summer and forested parks like Risnjak in spring or autumn for the best experience.
- Accessibility: Some of the national parks in Croatia are easier to reach than others, especially if you’re traveling without a car. Have this in mind when choosing which one to visit. There are also many guided tours for visiting each of the parks.
what to have in mind when visiting croatia national parks
All national parks in Croatia are places of unique and highly protected nature. There are many things not allowed in parks area and rangers are making sure that everybody sticks to these rules in order to preserve nature.
First of all, making fire is strictly prohibited in each of the Croatia national parks. Don’t even think about doing it since the fines are quite large and you’ll hate the fire until the rest of your life. Make sure you know the rules of the park you are visiting.
Some national parks in Croatia prohibit swimming in the park area, that’s the case in Plitvice lakes for example. On the other hand, you can swim in most of the other national parks, at least in some of their parts.
Camping is also prohibited in some national parks. Also, make sure you have a valid permit if you want to do any kind of commercial filming or photography inside any of the national parks in Croatia. In most cases, you’ll need to pay some fee and you’ll be allowed to film whatever you want to. When it comes to drone flying in Croatia, some national parks have special requirements when it comes to drones so make sure you follow their rules.
Croatia’s National Parks: A Journey through marvels of Nature
1. Risnjak National Park
We already mentioned that Risnjak is one of the least visited national parks in Croatia. But it’s still beautiful just like the others. The reason why it is visited less than others is the fact that you need to hike to reach it. And many people avoid hiking in the summer months.
Risnjak national park is situated in the Gorski kotar region. It presents a vegetation barrier between the continental and coastal Croatia and its surface is covered in vast forests. It’s also a place where all 3 European large animals are present (bear, lynx, and wolf).
The highest point of the park is the Risnjak peak (1528 m).
- Location: Gorski Kotar region, near the border with Slovenia.
- Highlights:
- Dense forests and diverse wildlife, including lynxes and bears.
- Hike to Veliki Risnjak, the park’s highest peak and enjoy the best views.
- Explore the source of the Kupa River while visiting Risnjak national park.
- Best For: Hiking, birdwatching, and enjoying far from the crowds.
2. Northern Velebit National Park
Velebit is the longest mountain range in Croatia and has 2 national parks on its surface. Paklenica and Northern Velebit national parks. The entire area of Velebit mountain is a nature park. Northern Velebit national park is a place of mountainous landscape and biodiversity. It encompasses many different and unique landmarks such as Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi. It’s a great place if you are interested into hiking in Croatia.
- Location: Northern part of Velebit Mountain range in Lika.
- Highlights:
- The famous Premužić Trail, one of the most famous hiking trails in Croatia.
- Unique rocky formations and endemic plants.
- Home to the Velebit Botanical Garden.
- Best For: Hikers who want to hike one of the most famous mountains in Croatia.
3. Plitvice Lakes National Park
When we speak about national parks in Croatia, Plitvice Lakes is one that comes first to mind. It’s the most popular of Croatia national parks and it’s situated deep in the wild landscapes of the Lika region. Plitvice Lakes are also the largest and the oldest of all the national parks in Croatia. These lakes are also on the UNESCO heritage list since 1979.
The park is covered in forests and it consists of a total of 16 lakes that pour one into another through beautiful waterfalls. Seven different routes are available for you to explore this beautiful national park and there are 4 additional hiking routes. There are wooden trails all over the park.
- Location: Central Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Highlights:
- A UNESCO World Heritage Site with 16 connected lakes and many waterfalls.
- Wooden trails that are made above water and allow close viewing of some of the best parts of the park.
- Great opportunities for photography, especially during less crowded months.
- Best For: Families, nature lovers, and basically anyone who wants to visit one of the most famous places in Croatia.
4. Paklenica National Park
Paklenica is one of our most favorite national parks in Croatia. That’s because we love the mountains and we spent a lot of time there doing our adventures. I used to visit it a lot during a rock climbing school since it’s one of the most popular places for rock climbing in Croatia. Even in Europe. A lot of climbers visit Paklenica national park each year.
Paklenica is a beautiful canyon in the Velebit mountain. It’s situated near the Krka and Kornati national parks and close to the city of Zadar. Paklenica is full of natural biodiversity and rich forests. Apart from the canyons, Paklenica national park includes some of the most beautiful parts of Velebit mountain, including its highest peak – Vaganski vrh (1752 meters).
Paklenica is also famous because of its geomorphological structures. In the Velika Paklenica canyon, there is the old military underground complex made by the Yugoslav army. Today it’s the visitors center which you must see when visiting the Paklenica national park.
There are other interesting places to visit nearby such as Zrmanja Canyon, the landscape of one of the most beautiful rivers in Croatia. Then there are Tulove Grede as well, one of the most unique rock formations in Croatia.
- Location: Velebit Mountain range, near the city of Zadar.
- Highlights:
- Two stunning canyons, Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica.
- Most famous rock climbing destination in Croatia.
- Hiking to Anića Kuk, the largest rock in Croatia, or visiting Manita Peć cave system.
- Best For: Climbers, hikers, and any kind of adventurers.
5. Kornati National Park
Moving down to the south but still staying in a similar landscape. The Kornati are, just like Brijuni, a group of islands scattered in the beautiful blueness of the Adriatic sea. There are many more islands here than in the Brijuni group. To be exact Kornati islands are made of 89 islands, islets, and reefs.
They are considered to be a nautical paradise and navigating through this unique landscape will definitely make you feel like you’re in Heaven. There is a legend about how the Kornati islands were made. It says that God had some extra land leftover from his creation of the world and he didn’t know what to do with it. So he just tossed it behind himself, turned around, and saw that what he made looked beautiful and that’s how the Kornati were made.
The Kornati are situated near the cities of Zadar and Šibenik. Most of the islands are not inhabited but were once used to grow vegetables and other plant cultures. Stone walls are still visible on many of the islands.
- Location: An island archipelago in the Adriatic Sea, near the city of Šibenik.
- Highlights:
- Over 89 islands, islets, and reefs, forming a truly unique landscape.
- Great destination for snorkeling, diving, and sailing.
- Unique geological formations and rich marine life.
- Best For: Sailers, kayakers, and divers.
6. Krka National Park
And now something completely different, but close to Kornati islands. Krka national park is something different. It’s the landscape made by the Krka river on its journey to the Adriatic sea. This park is situated in Sibenik – Knin county and it presents an unaltered and unique natural landscape.
It’s full of canyons and waterfalls. It has a total of 7 waterfalls and a drop from the spring to the mouth of the river is 242 meters. Krka river has its spring near the Dinara mountain, the highest and one of the most beautiful mountains in Croatia.
Entrance to the park is possible from few directions and the entrance in the small town of Skradin is among the most popular ones. There are boat tours going from Skradin and exploring the Krka landscape.
- Location: Dalmatian hinterland, also near Šibenik.
- Highlights:
- Spectacular waterfalls, including the famous Skradinski Buk. Similar to Plitvice lakes, but still different.
- Krka includes swimming areas and boat tours to Visovac Island.
- Historical landmarks like the Krka Monastery on the Visovac island.
- Best For: Families, couples and those seeking a mix of nature and history.
7. Mljet National Park
We left Mljet national park for the end because it’s the closest one to us of all Croatia national parks. Still, we waited a lot until we finally decided to explore it. In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis. And we did well since we were one of the rare people in the park that day. The reason for that was the closed borders of many other European countries and we believe that this situation might happen never again.
The ferry to Mljet Island leaves from Prapratno bay near Ston town and we suggest you combine a visit to Ston with the visit of Mljet Island. If you are staying in Dubrovnik, there are many day trips from Dubrovnik to Mljet National Park.
Mljet island is situated in southern Croatia, one of the most beautiful Croatian regions. It’s a small island and only a small part of it is in the national park area. We recommend you read our Mljet national park adventure post and you’ll get all the info you need when visiting this beautiful island.
Let us just say that Mljet national park consists of lakes which are connected to the sea and you can swim in them. They also have some of the most beautiful shades of blue you can imagine. The best exploration option in Mljet national park are bikes which you can rent when entering it. Once in the park, we suggest you hike to Montokuc for the best views of the park area. Also, Odysseus Cave on Mljet Island is a place worth visiting as well.
- Location: Mljet Island, southern Dalmatia. Not so far away from Dubrovnik.
- Highlights:
- Two saltwater lakes, Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero.
- The old Benedictine monastery on St. Mary’s Island.
- Great cycling and kayaking opportunities.
- Best For: Island lovers and those seeking peace and exploring a nearby attractions.
8. Brijuni National Park
Brijuni national park is situated in Istria and it’s the island group that was separated from the rest of the Istria peninsula a long time ago. It was a place of leisure and many famous people in the previous century used it for their holidays. Even the famous Tito had his villa there and spend a lot of time in Brijuni national park.
Apart from Tito, many princes and princesses and other elite class members become visitors to this beautiful place. Brijuni are also famous because of its flora with dominating holm oak and bay laurel. Brijuni are consisting of 14 small islands and islets.
When it comes to animal life, Brijuni are famous for their biodiversity. There are many exotic animals inside, including elephants. Most of these animals are not native to Croatia but brought to Brijuni throughout the years.
- Location: Istrian Peninsula, near Pula.
- Highlights:
- A group of 14 islands with historical ruins and a safari park.
- Brijuni are a blend of cultural and natural attractions.
- Beautiful beaches and walking trails.
- Best For: History lovers, families, couples or anyone visiting this part of Croatia.
Follow leave no trace principles when visiting national parks in Croatia
Leave No Trace Principles are the best philosophy to live by when visiting national parks in Croatia. It’s a set of rules that, when followed, minimize our impact when exploring nature. There is a saying that you should never leave anything in nature except your footprints. And it’s one of the best things we have ever read.
You need to understand that national parks in Croatia are places of unique beauty and as such, they need to be preserved as much as possible. But these principles don’t apply only when talking about protected areas. We, as a human race, have a huge impact on the nature around us and it’s time we begin to minimize that impact. Every single of us matter. You and your choices matter.
Have that in mind when exploring the beautiful nature of national parks in Croatia or any other natural environment. Also, drone flying is prohibited in national parks in Croatia unless you have a valid permit issued by the park’s authority.
Tips for Visiting Croatia’s National Parks
Here are just few more regards when visiting national parks in Croatia.
- Plan Ahead:
- Check park opening hours and entry fees. Some parks such as Plitvice Lakes have specific ammount of tickets they can sell each hour so make sure you reserve yours in time.
- Book guided tours or activities in advance during peak season since these can fill up rather quickly.
- Pack Essentials:
- Bring comfortable shoes for walking, sunscreen, and water.
- Dress in layers, especially for mountain parks or when visiting off season.
- Respect Nature:
- Follow Leave No Trace principles to protect the environment of the national parks in Croatia.
- Stay on designated trails and don’t disturbe wildlife.
- Choose Guided Tours:
- Make your experience even better with guided tours and knowledgeable guides who will share insights about the park’s history and any other peculiarities of the park.
Before you venture into the exploration of the Croatia national parks
Croatia’s national parks are a testament to the country’s natural beauty and ecological diversity. No matter if you’re interested in cascading waterfalls, mountain landscapes, or pristine marine ecosystems, these parks promise unforgettable experiences. Plan your visit to one (or all!) of these marvels and discover why Croatia is a top destination for nature lovers.