The symphony of water in luxuriant nature
The Plitvice Lakes, situated in Lika, are the largest, most visited and oldest of our national parks, which celebrated its 70thanniversary in 2019. This system consisting of 16 named lakes and several other smaller ones, cascading down to the waterfalls known as Sastavci and the beginning of the River Korana, is one of the most beautiful natural landmarks in the world. The formation of travertine barriers and lakes occurs through the process of travertinization, which is a unique value, so this year, the “Plitvice Lakes” National Park also marks the 40th anniversary of entering UNESCO’s heritage list. This is even more exceptional since travertine in other parts of the world typically achieves a growth rate of one millimetre in 30 years, while at Plitvice Lakes it grows at the rate of 3 centimetres a year!
Covering an area of almost 300 square kilometres, the Plitvice Lakes boast endless ornaments: the Great Waterfall, 78 metres tall, and the largest lakes – Prošćansko and Kozjak – as well as endless waterfalls, large and small, ponds and wooded paths surrounded by roaring clear cyan water. However, the lakes account for less than one per cent of the Park. The forests and fields in Plitvice are home to large beasts that are rather rare in other parts of Europe – the wolf (no less than three packs live in the Park), the lynx and the bear, which is also featured in the traditional Plitvice emblem. Otters enjoy swimming in the waters, completely undisturbed, and other animal species include beautiful butterflies and venomous snakes. More than 1,400 plant species are present in the Park – they account for a total of 30 % of all Croatian flora, and the orchids alone include more than 60 species. The Park also includes an old-growth forest, known as Čorkova valley, which is a special forest vegetation reservation.
Plitvice Lakes have been attracting visitors from all over the world – in 2018, over 1.7 million of them visited the Park, staying at four hotels and two campsites. The Park is open to visitors throughout the year and offers eight different lake tours, four hiking trails and the Plitvice Marathon, which takes place in June, featuring races at 42 km, 21 km and 5 km, as well as a children’s race. You can move around the Park on foot, by train or by boat. The Park includes a total of 18.3 km of walkways. Cycling is not allowed, but there is a cycling trail network in the nearby Plitvice Lakes and Rakovica municipalities. In winter, the Park allows sledging and skiing and, in 2018, it featured a Christmas market and ice-skating rinks for the first time.
Hrvoje Dečak, M.A. in Journalism,
Journalist and editor at a publishing house
