10 most beautiful national parks in Croatia

10 most beautiful national parks in Croatia

With a long, breathtaking coastline and numerous beautiful towns dotted along its shores such as Dubrovnik and Split, not to mention the dreamy islands set in the Adriatic Sea; Croatia is a popular tourist destination.

Every year millions of visitors flock to this enchanting country to admire everything it has to offer and to relax under the warm sun that bathes its mountains, valleys and lakes.

With a wide range of memorable and unforgettable landscapes, Croatia's natural beauty is incredible; discover these 10 truly stunning parks with us!

10Biokovo Nature Park

This enchanting nature park is rocky, wild and as such makes for pleasant trekking. Thanks to its plethora of winding trails and paths that snake across the rugged terrain, Biokovo Nature Park is a famous park in Croatia among hikers. The park's imposing mountains overlook the nearby Adriatic Sea and, while the steep peaks rise to over 1500 metres in height, visitors will be able to enjoy wide panoramic views once they reach the summit above. Scattered and hidden among the peaks and cliffs, you will find a series of fantastic caves to explore. With a rich range of fauna and flora that includes over 1500 types of different plant species; Biokovo is a little treasure just waiting to be discovered.

9Ucka Nature Park

As the highest peak in this mountainous park, Vojak gazes impressively over many panoramic viewpoints below. Immersed among the other mountains of the range, the views from its peak are stunning and are enough to highlight the abundance of natural beauty that Croatia boasts. Covered by lush vegetation, the mountains form a splendid backdrop to the beaches and cliffs that dominate the coast. Located on the Istrian peninsula, most of the Ucka Nature Park consists of a karst system, which explains the limestone rocks and rock formations.

8Kornati National Park

This archipelago of uninhabited and consequently unspoilt and wild islands offers sailing tourists the best experience in all of Croatia. With more than 140 islands both large and small, exploring the secluded beaches and coves is fascinating and seems to take you back in time to the voyages of the ancient explorers. The pristine marine environment with its coral reefs and corals is the perfect place to snorkel and explore the underwater depths. Remains of human settlements and dwellings can be found on some islands, with some traces dating back to the Neolithic! You can also find Roman mosaics and bear witness to the enduring charm of these fantastic islands. Take to the sea and have fun sailing through the Kornati islands.

7Sjeverni Velebit National Park

These broad mountains with a luxuriant and verdant open forest between the sloping valleys are a sight not to be missed. The Velebit mountains are the largest mountain range in the whole country and as such have incredible landscapes just waiting to be discovered. With a delightful alpine offering and a myriad of small trails to follow, Sjeverni Velebit National Park makes for a pleasant visit. Scattered around the park are the ruins and remains of old houses and lodges that have long since given in to the harsh winds of time. Decaying, these old remains add to the park's picturesque setting; wild and untameable, the settlements allude to the harsh environment that surrounds them. Steep peaks, crevices, caverns and chasms abound in the rocky parts of the park and create some spectacular scenes in nature.

6Paklenica National Park

With two enormous canyons cutting their way through the park, coastal channels and an abundance of flora on display; there are a number of special ecosystems to explore in Paklenica National Park. The broad cliffs bordering the canyons plunge dramatically to the ground, with only their lower regions anywhere near able to welcome trees and shrubs that might grow in the harsh confines of their shadows. Among the gullies and gorges, small rivers and streams meander down the rocks amid the arid rocky terrain. The summit of the mountain ridge in Paklenica National Park offers a breathtaking view of the wild and wonderful landscapes that surround it. With more than a thousand plant species in the area, it is a precious biodiversity hotspot that is also home to a number of endangered and rare birds that nest among the rocks.

With some of the best climbing in south-eastern Europe and routes of varying levels of difficulty, climbers are strongly advised to visit this splendid park.

5Risnjak National Park

Home to a series of mountains and wild forests, Risnjak National Park is rarely visited by tourists despite the variety of natural wonders it offers. This means you will have plenty to explore, delight in and enjoy in all the enchanting and peaceful places that surround you. The mountain that gives the park its name is part of the Dinaric Alps and the summit that slowly descends from its peak is lovely to walk, offering splendid panoramic views over the rest of the park. The beautiful green woods cover the flanks of the lower mountains before slowly fading into wooded valleys and green meadows. White and greyish rock formations stand out dramatically against the green of the trees, and the blue sky helps to create splendid landscapes.

Brown bears, deer, wolves and wild boar live in the park and, if you are lucky, you will see some of them clambering up the mountainside or darting stealthily through the woods.

4Mljet National Park

Located just south of the country, the park takes its name from the island on which it is partly located. Mljet is a hidden gem of a national park. Lush woods cover the hills that slope down towards the perfect blue waters, with only narrow strips of blinding white sandy beaches or grey rocky outcrops separating the two. Postcard-perfect, the national park is stunning to see, and the Greeks and Romans referenced it as far back as the 6th century BC! A compelling and astonishing sight, the natural wonders on display have changed little over the millennia.

3Brijuni Islands National Park

With Greeks, Austrians and Venetians having owned the islands at one time or another, it is fair to say that the Brijuni Islands National Park has been part of a long and varied history. Because of humanity's long involvement with the islands, there are a number of fascinating archaeological and historical sites to visit, such as the Bronze Age fortress dating back to the 14th century BC! Roman ruins, a Knights Templar church and dinosaur footprints are on display on the islands. Incredibly beautiful, the park is actually mainly known for its enchanting landscapes. With wonderful coastlines and fascinating landscapes, the national park is a pleasure to visit and there is a wealth of diverse fauna and flora to explore.

2Krka National Park

Comprising the Krka river that gives the park its name, the riverbanks and the waterfalls are incredible to see, such is their beauty. This biodiversity hotspot is home to more than 850 different types of plants that grow and thrive in this humid and wild landscape. The undisputed highlight of the park is Skradinski Buk. This broad body of water is simply astonishing and, with beautiful waterfalls on one side and floating jets on the other, it makes a majestic spectacle. The stretches of water are framed by the abundance of flowers and wild plants. Another pleasant place to visit is Visovac Island, which recalls the renowned Lake Bled in Slovenia, and has a beautiful monastery situated on the small island in the middle of the lake.

1Plitvice Lakes National Park

Along with Dubrovnik, it is probably Plitvice Lakes National Park that evokes the perfect picture-postcard image of Croatia. The vast turquoise, blue and grey lakes with their beautiful waterfalls make this park an absolute must-see in Croatia. Increasingly popular thanks to its recent fame, Plitvice now welcomes more than a million tourists every year; rightly so, such is its beauty. With enchanting wooden walkways that snake through the pristine pools, the national park's charm is undeniable and you really have to see it to believe it. Unforgettable, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an essential part of any visit to this wonderfully beautiful country.