National Parks in Croatia

There are 8 National parks in Croatia, overflowing with fauna and flora, forests, cascading waterfalls, rivers and deep blue lakes. Four of the parks are in the mountainous region, which are Risnjak, Sjeverni Velebit, Paklenica and Plitvice Lakes, and four are in the coastal region, which are Kornati, Mljet, Brijuni and Krka. There are about 450,000 hectares of protected natural assets.

Included in this figure are reservations, natural monuments & nature parks. There are too many Nature Parks to list here but two, among many, which are not part of National Parks are: Biokovo, a botanical garden on the mountain with spectacular views, and Vransko Jezero, Croatia's largest lake, whose brackish water attracts many bird species. In Croatia over 44 herbal and 381 animal species are protected

Istria

Brijuni Islands

Kvarner & Highlands

North Dalmatia

South Dalmatia

Mljet

Nature parks

Today, from around 10 nature parks in Croatia, 5 are situated on the coast. We will enumerate all of them, so as to help you to plan your route depending on what direction you are coming from. On the other hand those situated on the coast will be described more in detail.

The nature park Biokovo, which dominates the homonymous Mountain above the Makarska Riviera, is the perfect destination for botanists, cyclist and climbers.

The nature park Telašćica (Bay), a deeply indented bay situated at the entrance to the national park of Kornati, features a 100m high sheer rock with a saltwater lake on its top.

The Velebit Range nature park next to the Zadar Riviera attracts cavers and lovers of an active holiday. In proximity to Zadar is Vransko jezero, the biggest Croatian Lake, known as ornithological reserve.

The Učka Mountain, a mountain and a nature park, located above the Kvarner's riviera and the beautiful town of Opatija, is known for its favorable climatic and curative characteristics. Nature parks in Croatia's inland are Papuk, the greatest hill of the Croatian granary - Slavonia, then Kopački rit, flooded lowlands and bird sanctuary between the Danube River and the Drava River, and Lonjsko polje, one of the greatest marshes in Europe. But there are also the Medvednica Mountain, a mountain massif above Zagreb, and west, the region of Žumberak with the hills of Samoborsko Gorje, known for its medieval castles and acropolis.

 

Special reserves

Since Croatia has around hundred special reserves, we will name only the most famous ones, stressing in particular those situated on the coast and on the islands. If you are going on holiday on the Zadar's Riviera, visit Lun and Kolansko blato (the island of Pag), make an excursion to Zavižan and Štirovača (on the Velebit Mountain) or pay a visit to the olive-grove Saljsko polje on Dugi Otok. To visitors of the Šibenik's Riviera we recommend visiting the island of Prvić and the nearby Grgurov Canalu and Zeleni (Green) Vir, the Vražji prolaz (Devil's Passage) and the reserves in proximity of Skrad, the city near the Krka national park. Those who go to Istria and the Kvarner can visit the reserve Fojiška on the Cres Island, Limski Bay and Motovun Forest in Istria, the Dundo Forest on the island of Rab or the Islet of Košljun near Punat on the Krk Island.

If you are going to the south of Croatia, visit the islands of Mrkan, Bobara and Lokrum near Dubrovnik, walk through the cypress lined street "Pod Gospu" (Under Our Lady) near Orebić and taste the trout in a restaurant on the delta of Neretva or the oyster farmed in the reserve of Malostonski Zaljev (Bay) near Ston.