4 National Parks You Should Visit in Croatia

The beautiful islands of Brijuni, located on the northern part of the Adriatic coast, hide many treasures. The pristine nature of various Mediterranean trees and the clean blue sea surround reminders of history, most of which are connected to the former Yugoslavia leader, Tito, who had a residence on the largest island called Veliki Brijun. Recently, the Forbes reporter had a chance to visit the Brijuni National Park and was stunned by its unique mixture of nature and history.

Some of the highlights of the Park are:

• real dinosaur footprints in a rock by the sea,
• ruins of a Roman villa from 1st century B.C. and many more historical sights
• the Boathouse from 1902 that is now the Interpretation and Education Centre,
• Tito’s Cadillac from 1953 which is available to rent,
• 1600-years-old olive tree that is one of the oldest ones in the Mediterranean.

One of the main attractions of the Brijuni National Park is the Safari Park with exotic animals that were gifts to Tito from eminent world leaders. You can see zebras, ostriches, llama, Indian elephant, zebu and the autochthonous animal species like Istrian sheeps, goats and donkeys, among others.

The main island can be explored by foot, rented bikes, golf carts or the tourist train that visits all of its key attractions. The Brijuni National Park is accessible by boat from the town of Fažana, which is under an hour car ride away from Aminess Maestral Hotel.

Brijuni National Park Entrance Fee*: adults approximately 11-40 euros, children approximately 10-17 euros

Opening Hours*: 8 am to 8 or 9 pm (high season) & 8 am to 3 or 7 pm (low season)

*fees and opening hours vary throughout the year

The wild and powerful river Krka creates some breathtaking views throughout its course. The magnificent seven waterfalls splatting over the tufa barriers among the natural karst, mediaeval fortresses, caves, water mills, archeological remains and a series of small cascades often referred to as “silver necklaces” are just some of the things that await you at Krka National Park.

Its beauty is not restricted only to the summer season, so the park is great to visit all-year-round. Not only can you visit the Krka National Park any time of year, it is also easy to reach from basically any part of Dalmatia, as it spreads from Knin to Skradin.

If you stay in the luxurious Aminess Khalani Beach Hotel in Makarska, it will take you around an hour and a half to get to the Park's entrance in Lozovac. A field trip to Krka National Park is definitely one of the many activities you can do while staying in Makarska.

Krka National Park Entrance Fee*: adults approximately 7-27 euros, children approximately 4-16 euros, children under 7 - free

Opening Hours*: 8 am to 8 pm (high season) & 8-9 am to 4-7 pm (low season)

*fees and opening hours vary throughout the year

The largest and the oldest Croatian National Park, the Plitvice Lakes, consists of 16 beautiful lakes separated by the tufa barriers and glorious waterfalls. Its uniqueness and importance was recognised by being included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Plitvice Lakes National Park covers an area of nearly 300 square metres, most of which is covered in forest. The visitors can take seven different tour routes and four hiking trails.

The National Park is open for visits all year round and is impressive no matter the season. It is a popular stop for tourists travelling to Dalmatia through Lika and there are numerous organised field trips from all over Croatia for all of those who want to see the stunning wonder of nature.

If you are enjoying your stay in Istria, a full day trip like this one will give you the chance to visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park and see many stunning places along the way!

Plitvice Lakes National Park Entrance Fee*: adults approximately 11-40 euros, children approximately 5-16 euros, children under 7 - free

Opening Hours*: 7 am to 8 pm (high season) & 8 am to 4, 6 or 7 pm (low season)

*fees and opening hours vary throughout the year

The Mljet National Park spreads across the northwestern part of the island of Mljet and it is known as the oldest National Park in the Adriatic. It is often referred to as the Green Island because of its rich vegetation but its most famous sites are two seawater bays called Great and Small Lake.

Besides the two bays, in the Mljet National Park you can see:

• the island of St. Mary on the Great Lake (an island within an island!) which features the stunning Benedictine monastery
• many endangered and rare species, such as the Audouin’s gull
• archeological remains,
• plenty of other preserved natural and cultural landmarks.

You can visit the Mljet National Park by boat any time of the year. The island of Mljet is close to Korčula and Pelješac, both of which are quite easy to access, offer wonderful accommodation and amenities, but also excursions to the Mljet National Park!

Mljet National Park Entrance Fee*: adults approximately 8-20 euros, children 3-7 euros, children under 7 - free

Opening Hours: 8 am to 8 pm

*fees vary throughout the year