Croatia National Parks
Croatia – Mediterranean flair in the Balkans! This country is one of the countries with the oldest cultures in Europe. You will be enchanted by breathtaking landscapes and important monuments, such as the UNESCO World Heritage City of Split with the palace of Emperor Diocletian, the old town of Dubrovnik with the Roland column, the Franciscan monastery or the three large monasteries; the historical city of Trogir with the city wall, the Füsrtenpalast and in the city of Sibenik the cathedral of St. Jacob. There are good diving and swimming opportunities on the coast and you will simply be amazed by the Croatian cuisine. One attraction is the capital Zagreb with the St. Mark’s Church, the Stone Gate, the Banal Court, the Botanical Garden, and many other sights, that you will remember forever. Discover the beauties of this country on a round trip!
Plitvice Lakes National Park
The Plitvice Lakes National Park, also simply called Plitvice, is one of the most famous and beautiful national parks in Europe. The area of almost 300 square kilometers, located in the middle of today’s Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, was placed under protection as early as 1949, making it the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Unique water system
A unique mountain and water landscape awaits the visitor in the Plitvice Lakes National Park: Several smaller rivers and countless other surface and underground waters come together here to form a total of 16 lakes of different sizes. These lakes form a common system that stretches in steps over a height difference of 133 meters and in which sensitive travertine compounds act as natural barriers. These have arisen in the millennia since the end of the Ice Age through a special interaction between the vegetation and the influence of the elements. Cascades of thousands and thousands of rivulets that are subject to constant change as well as several imposing waterfalls transport the crystal-clear water over these barriers to the next, deeper lake.
Greatest biodiversity
In order to enable visitors to view these special natural phenomena at close range, without endangering the delicate balance of nature, raised wooden paths have been created that run like fine cords through the extensive park area. In addition to the picturesque landscape formations, it is the special flora and fauna that distinguish Plitvice and are among the most species-rich in Europe. Biologists assume that the Plitvice Lakes National Park is still home to all the animal and plant species that were found there before humans first appeared. These include brown bears and imposing golden eagles, as well as several hundred different types of butterflies and more than fifty types of orchids.
Visiting opportunities
The Plitvice Lakes National Park is easily accessible by all means of transport and can be visited all year round. The admission prices depend on the season. Since nature has new surprises in store every season of the year, a visit is worthwhile all year round and should definitely be part of a trip or study trip to Croatia.
Krka National Park
The Krka National Park is located in the Šibenik-Knin district in Croatia. It has a total area of more than 100 km² of the most beautiful areas of the Krka River and the lower reaches of the Čikola River. The nature reserve is huge and primarily serves science, education, culture and recreation, while tourist activities have also been introduced for its visitors.
The Krka River is about 70 kilometers long, making it the 22nd longest body of water in Croatia. With its total height difference of 242 meters and its seven waterfalls, the river is an incredible natural phenomenon. Especially the travertine waterfalls of the Krka river are very famous. The need to protect the water and its exceptional value was recognized as early as the 20th century. In 1985 the time had finally come and the government of the Socialist Republic of Croatia declared the 140 km² area from the early Croatian castles Nečven and Trošenj to the Šibenik Bridge a national park.
Sights in the national park
The area around the Krka River includes many important archaeological sites, without which it would be impossible to learn about the history of the area. There are about 20 archaeological sites from all eras within the boundaries of the national park. Prehistoric sites were primarily hill forts, of which the hill fortress of Puljani and cave towns such as the Oziđana pećina cave are particularly interesting.
Among the sites dating back to the Roman Empire, the Burnum military is certainly the most significant, with its recently discovered amphitheater, a spectacular world-class find. The remains of the Burnum military camp are located on the right bank of the Krka River, near the current village of Ivoševci. Today you can see the remains of the arches that belonged to the Pretoria (camp command) building and the amphitheater, where recent studies have uncovered a lot of archaeological material.
