TOP 5 NATIONAL PARKS IN CROATIA: WONDERFUL PLACES YOU MUST VISIT!

Wondering which national parks in Croatia are the best? These are five of my favourites!

While the coast may be the main reason you’re visiting Croatia, there are many other places you shouldn’t miss once you’re here. At the top of the list are Croatia’s natural beauties – its national parks!

I absolutely love Croatian national parks, and all of them are worth visiting. However, I know you can’t see them all, so these are my top five that I’d highly recommend adding to your itinerary.

In this blog post, I’ll share more about the most loved Croatian national parks where they are, what you can see and do there, and how to reach them.

1. PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK

The most famous Croatian national park is definitely Plitvice Lakes, and that spot is well deserved! The oldest Croatian national park consists of 16 incredible lakes, divided into Lower and Upper lakes, and it’s incredibly hard to choose which ones are more beautiful!

UNESCO also recognized the beauty of the lakes, so the national park has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1979!

Plitvice Lakes NP is a perfect day trip destination if you’re visiting Zagreb, Rijeka, Zadar, or even Split if you don’t mind a longer ride. The easiest way to reach Plitvice is by car, but there are also buses if you’re not renting a car, or private tours if you want to enjoy the day trip without any stress. Here’s how to reach Plitvice Lakes from all over Croatia!

The tickets are 40 Euros for adults, 25 Euros for students, and 15 Euros for children in the summer high season. If you want a cheaper option, visit Plitvice in the off-season (it’s also going to be less crowded!).

There are many different paths you can choose from once you’re in the park. The paths differ in length, but for the full experience, I always recommend Path C. You can buy your tickets on their official website or grab a tour that will take you there!

Read the full, ultimate guide to Plitvice Lakes from a local if you want more details!

2. KRKA NATIONAL PARK

Krka National Park is located in central Dalmatia and it’s one of Croatia’s most visited national parks. It’s especially popular because it’s easily accessible from almost any Dalmatian town where people might come for their holidays – it’s the closest to Zadar and Split.

The park offers several paths, boat tours, restaurants, and even a museum. Some people even preferred Krka over Plitvice Lakes because for some time you could actually take a dip in NP Krka, but you can’t do that anymore.

Skradinski Buk is the most beautiful and the most popular spot in NP Krka, and it’s the place where everyone used to go for a swim! It is a massive natural pool with waterfalls and it’s considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe. Today, you can walk around it and enjoy the beauty of it, and of course, take loads of photos.

Roski Slap is also a very popular attraction in NP Krka. The wonderful waterfall gets many visitors throughout the year and you can easily reach it by taking a boat tour, hiking, or even from a public road.

The tickets are almost the same as for Plitvice – 40 euros for adults and 15 euros for students and older kids (kids under seven go for free!). It’s also much cheaper in the off-season, though the weather can affect your experience (look how dull our photo looks)! Here’s a complete guide to Krka National Park.

3. BRIJUNI NATIONAL PARK

Another incredibly beautiful national park in Croatia is Brijuni National Park. This one doesn’t have waterfalls but it’s a collection of 14 islands off the coast of Istria. The biggest two islands are Veliki Brijun and Mali Brijun, and the other 12 are significantly smaller.

Brijuni islands have great historical value for both the world and Croatia and the beautiful nature is just something you have to see.

Some special things you have to see on Veliki Brijun are the Dinosaur footprints (there are over 200 of them!), the safari park, museums, the Mediterranean garden, and so on. You can even rent a bike or an electric scooter to explore the island on your own. Veliki Brijun also has an incredible golf course if you’re into golfing, or you can try your hand at tennis if you prefer that!

How to get to the Brijuni islands? Come to Rijeka or Pula by car or a bus and then continue to Fazana. The tickets to the national park include the boat that will take you to Brijuni. The boat ride is around 15 minutes and in the summer months, the boats sail from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The tickets for Brijuni are also 40 euros per person. You can buy tickets on their web!

Read my detailed guide to Brijuni NP for more information.

4. KORNATI NATIONAL PARK

Not that far from the NP Krka, you can find an archipelago of islands called the Kornati islands. This archipelago consists of 89 islands and it’s been a national park since 1980.

A ticket for the Kornati islands is based on the type and length of the boat you have, so if you don’t have a boat you’ll have to take a guided tour which will bring you to the Kornati islands (this one has great reviews!). The planned trips usually include a boat ride to the Kornati and back, lunch, and free time for swimming and exploring.

The best thing you could possibly do to experience the Kornati islands in their full glory is to sail through the NP.  Also, the sea organisms around the Kornati islands are extremely unique, so I would recommend snorkeling or scuba diving. This way, you’ll experience the incredible underwater world of the islands.

5. MLJET NATIONAL PARK

The last national park I’m going to mention is Mljet National Park – another island worth visiting! This national park is an ideal day trip if you’re staying in Dubrovnik since it’s only a few hours away by boat. You can also drive to Pelješac and then take a ferry to the national park.

The Mljet National Park is situated on the island of Mljet, but it’s not the whole island that’s protected.

The national park has many unique and endangered species, as well as two lakes – the Great Lake and the Small Lake – which are totally worth exploring. There are different types of snakes, lizards, and jellyfish specific to this particular area. You can also hike, cycle, or scuba dive in the park as well.

The tickets for Mljet National Park are the cheapest out of all parks on this list – only 25 Euros!

MY PERSONAL TAKE ON NATIONAL PARKS IN CROATIA

I love exploring national parks in Croatia. As a Croatian, I’ve visited some of them multiple times, and they’ve amazed me every single time. Of course, I highly recommend Plitvice Lakes, as it’s truly one of a kind, but I also really love Brijuni National Park. It’s the perfect place for those who enjoy nature and slow travel, especially if you love animals!

CONCLUSION: NATIONAL PARKS IN CROATIA

Visiting national parks in Croatia is a must, so be sure to add at least one to your itinerary. With so many beautiful parks across the country, you can easily find one to visit no matter where you’re traveling in Croatia!