Krka
Krka National Park shows the Croatian karst at its best. Karst environments are formed by the dissolving action of carbon dioxide and water on carbonate rock, which in Krka’s case is limestone. Over thousands of years this process has resulted in the formation of a series of distinctive geomorphological features, with the Krka river fighting its way through a long gorge and plunging over rapids. Karst landscapes also feature highly developed subterranean drainage systems, making them ideal territory for those interested in exploring potholes and caves.
More information here:
Kornati
This is a group of about 130 islands, islets and reefs sprinkled in the deep blue sea of the Adriatic covering an area of about 64 sq km. The Kornati
archipelago is in Dalmatia, a coastal region of Croatia just across the cities of Zadar and Sibenik .
The largest island is Kornat from which the
archipelago takes its name. Other larger islands
are, Piskara, Kurba, Vela, Zut, Sit and Levrnaka.
Apart from a tiny area of cultivated land with fig trees,
olives and vineyards, Kornati islands are rocky,
covered with thin grass, rare trees and Mediterranean
scrubs.
More information here:
Brijuni
The Brijuni archipelago is an attractive group of islands near the Istria Peninsula, with the main islands of Veli Brijun that is the National Park. The islands are rich in natural beauties, flora and fauna brought here from various parts of the world. On Brijuni there is an attractive archaeological site, the Byzantine castrum, and luxurious Roman villas, archaeological museum and natural history exhibition.
More information here:
National Parks
There are eight national parks in Croatia. Their total area is 994 square kilometres, of which 759 kilometres is land and 235 kilometres is water.
Each of the national parks is maintained by a separate institution, overseen and funded by the government ministry of nature conservation and spatial development.
Mljet
The Island of Mljet is situated couple of hours
boat ride east from Island of Korcula towards
Dubrovnik. This National Park is characterised
by two deep bays which are called lakes due
to their narrow passages to the open sea
(Veliko and Malo jezero/ the Great Lake and the
Small Lake). Both lakes are surrounded by
dense Mediterranean vegetation. There is a
tiny island in one of the lakes, called Melita
(Mljet), with a 12th century Benedictine monastery.
More information here:
Paklenica
With its surface area of 96 square kilometres, from the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea to the highest peaks of the Velebit Mountains, Paklenica abounds with numerous natural wonders and phenomena, which is why the entire area was proclaimed a national park in 1949. Rich in beech and black pine forests, its deep canyons cut vertically into the Velebit ridge, with numerous caves and pits.
More information here:
Plitvice Lakes
Croatia's most popular tourist attraction, this National Park was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979. Located roughly halfway between capital city Zagreb and Zadar on the coast, the beauty of this National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, interconnected by waterfalls, and set in deep woodland.
More information here:
Risnjak
Risnjak covers an area of 3,198 hectares and was proclaimed a national park in 1953. It includes the central, the highest and most interesting region of the Risnjak massif which dominates the northwestern part of Gorski kotar, a highland region located in western Croatia. This is one the most densely forested regions of Croatia.
More information here:
North Velebit
This is the youngest of the national parks, established in 1999. It comprises the most attractive and, in terms of nature, the most valuable areas of the northern part of Velebit. A large number of attractive sights are concentrated in this predominantly mountainous park , including a unique botanical garden and the Lukina cave, one of the longest in the world.
More information here:
