Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia just has to be one of the prettiest World Heritage Sites I have visited so far. The vast hilly woodlands, the streams, waterfalls and cascading lakes are breathtaking. Due to the underlying limestone and chalk and the reflected colours of the canopy and sky, the water takes on mesmerising hues of greenish-blue and is crystal-clear:
You really wouldn’t be entirely wrong comparing some of those lakes’ colours to a Caribean or South Seas beach and when I visited, I wanted nothing more than just jump in – this is not allowed, though, because people entering the lakes would destroy the underground, which makes the colours so special. To keep the park intact, it is absolutely necessary to stay on the paths and wooden walkways.
The national park was created in 1949 and is just under 297 square kilometers large; it was granted World Heritage status in 1979. The park is situated about 55 km from the Adriatic coast and can easily be reached by car or coach – there are regular tours on offer. Getting to the Plitvice Lakes by public transport is a little more tricky, but not impossible.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is home to many species of birds, and also to bears and wolves, apparently. Thankfully, I didn’t encounter any of those! =)
I know that a majority of tourists to Croatia spend their time on the beaches along the Adriatic coast, but it is well worth having a day away from the beach in the beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Wow! That really looks amazing! Beautiful pictures!
Thanks so much! The area is so beautiful – which can also be seen because the photos look nice even though it wasn’t a brilliant day.