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What is useful to know if you want to visit the National Park Plitvice Lakes?

Entrance fee

• Adults 110 Kuna (app. 15 Euro) / winter (01.11-31-03) 70 Kuna
• Children over 7 years 55 Kuna (app.7.5 Euro) winter / 40 Kuna

Entrance and Parking:

The park has two entrances with large parking areas (fee 7 kuna/hour), at the entrances you find maps with predefined tour/routes which you can follow:

Entrance 1 is starting point for program A, B, C, G2 and K (which is the largest tour).

• A (2-3h) is lower parts of national park, only walking
• B (3-4h) is lower part of national park including sailing on lake Kozjak
• C (4-6h) Walking, bus to upper parts of national park and sailing on lake Kozjak
• K (6-8h) Walking around Whole national park.
• G2 (3-4h) Walking Sailing and bus, lower and mid part of park.

Entrance 2 is starting point for program E, H, F, GI, and K.

• E (2-3h) Upper parts of national park, only walking
• F (3-4h) Like B tour. Only different starting point
• H (4-6h) Like C tour. Only different starting point
• K (6-8h) Walking around Whole national park.
• G1 (3-4h) Walking Sailing and bus, Upper and mid part of national park.

When is the best time to visit park:

National Park Plitvice Lakes is a beautiful sight whole year, so I can’t really recommend best time to visit, in the summer the park has around 11.000 visitors a day so I can get a bit crowded, so I personally prefer to visit the park at other times of the year.

Here you can see our summer photos of the park: Plitvice Summer photos

Here you can see some autumn photos of the Park Plitvice Autumn

Staying overnight at Plitvice:

HOTELS:

The following hotels are inside the park area, so by staying overnight here you have the National park at your “doorstep”. – But you also pay for that!!

Hotel Bellevue - 60 rooms (38 double, 16 triple, 6 single)
Hotel Jezero - 210 rooms + 7 suites + 5 disability
Hotel Plitvice - 51 rooms + 1 senior suite
Hotel Grabovac - 31 rooms (23 double, 8 triple)

CAMPSITE:

6 km north of entrance in the city/area Korana you have a large campsite. With 42 “bungalows”, 550 camping units on a land plot of 35 hectares.

PRIVATE ACCOMODATIONS:

The cheapest option for an overnight stay is private accommodation, in the area around National Park Plitvice Lakes, there are plenty of private accommodations to choose between; personally I like to stay in Korona which is beautiful area 6 km from entrance nr.1, here you have pure nature, small waterfalls outside the window and here you might ending up looking first hand at a bear!!!

Here is where we stayed at our last visit to National Park Plitvice Lakes:

You can contact owner at info(at)sankorana.com, his name is Ivica.

Other thinks which might be useful to know.

• No need to say you need to bring some good walking shoes, around the park you will walk on wooden paths, with lots of short steps, so good footwear is a must.
• Bring plenty of water and consider bringing your own lunch; you can buy food and drinks at the park, but prices are relatively high and in summer I can get crowded at the park restaurants.
• Notice the park is very clean, so do yours to keep it that way, there are plenty of garbage dumpsters.
• Stay at that marked paths, mind you are in park with wild animals, like bears, wolves and 19 different kinds of snakes.

Hope this was helpfull, Enjoy Plitvice!!

With close to a million visitors the National Park Plitvice lakes is one of the most visited tourist sites in Croatia, since 1949 the area has been declared as a national park and has during they years been expanded several times, so that the national park now covers and area of more than 300 km2, which makes it one of the largest nature parks in Europe.

The parks unique flora and fauna, was one of the main reason why UNESCO in 1979 appointed the National park as a World nature heritage site. On the official homepage of the National park you find detailed information about plants and animals in the park Plitvice homepage

At our last visit here in the beginning of October, the national part was “dressed” in the autumn colors, green, yellow and brown, I think it was quite beautiful?

What do you think?

If you plan to visit National Park Plitvice, maybe you should have look at our  guide to National Park Plitvice

One of our absolute favourite cities here in Croatia is Dubrovnik, we have visited the city numerous times, both privately as well as professionally, and every time we have had a great time in this historical pearl.

Historically Dubrovnik has always been very special, as the city was a republic it had a very interesting political system, the major / governor was elected for a period of only one month, this was done to avoid corruption and keep focus on working in the interest of the republic. – I am sure a few citizens around the world could benefit from a similar system in their country.

See more pictures from Dubrovnik here: Dubrovnik Pictures

Before the Balkan war Dubrovnik was the absolute top destination in Croatia, the war, where large parts of the old town was damaged, was of course a major set back for the city, but meanwhile the city has regained its position as one of the major tourist spots in Croatia. The old town of Dubrovnik has been completely rebuild, only visible evidence left from the Balkan war is the many new red roof tops in the old town.

When we go to Dubrovnik we normally take the coastal road from Split, which takes about 4 to 4.5 hours by car, the trips offers a magnificent view on the coast and the Dalmatian islands. If you follow the coastal road you will have to pass through Bosnia and Herzegovina about 60 km north of Dubrovnik, so please remember the following.

• Passport
• Not to bring any items, which are applicable to custom?
• It is wise not to speed in Bosnia, as you most likely will meet the police with a “laser pistol” checking your speed.

Alternative to going by car (or bus) is taking the local ferry line, which goes from Split, via Hvar and Korcula to Dubrovnik; we tried this once and can absolutely recommend it, although the trip takes around 9 hours.

Here is a fee tips which might be useful for a trip to Dubrovnik:

1. Parking

• Parking in Dubrovnik is relative expensive (1.5-2 Euro/hour) there are 3 parking spaces close to the wall, but before you decide to park on one of those you might read below where to find the no charge parking space, just 500 meters from Pile Gate.

This is how you find the no charge parking space:

• Follow the signs direction centre and later direction Hotel Hilton, when you pas Hilton on your right hand side, continue for about 150 meters, on your left hand you will see some green containers, here you have to turn left, follow the small road up hill and you are there (The best time to find a free space is early morning and late in the afternoon).

2. What to see or do while you are in Dubrovnik?

• The e wall which is the absolute highlight.
• The many churches inside the wall and the Cathedral.
• Visit the city part Gruz where you find the green market and lots of small streets with the most beautiful private gardens in Dubrovnik, (In this part of town you also find the largest supermarket – Konzum).
• Take a daytrip to National Park Mljet.
• Drive to Mline and Cavtat which is south of Dubrovnik.
• Rafting trip in Montenegro.

3. Prices and other useful stuff

• Dubrovnik is much more expensive then e.g. Split, but still 20-30% cheaper then e.g. Copenhagen
• The city beaches can be quite crowded, so get there early or go to the city part Babin Kuk instead.
• In main season June – September, you should book accommodation before you arrive, otherwise you risk ending up far away from the city centre.
• Ask your land lord for a pick up in the Airport, as it is quite expensive with a taxi.

Hope these few tips will be helpful on your trip, and I of course would be delighted of any feedback, which could be helpful for other travellers.

Here you can see a list of other interesting thinks we right about: Croatia Travel stories

And here you can see our 3000 pictures from Places we visited in Croatia: Pictures Croatia

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Sibenik cathedral is not only a unique building in between cathedrals, she is also a unique building in between Christians churches in whole Europe.

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The world first time heard about the Sibenik cathedral in 1991, when the Yugoslavian army bombed the Cathedral from boats, which caused heavy damages to the building.

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After the war the cathedral was renovated with help of foreign experts, by the renovation works, it was discovered how unique this cathedral actually is, the building is the first montage building in Europe, and it is build completely in stone without use of any other material, even the roof has been build with out the use of wood.

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As the historical and architectural value of this monument became clear, the ministry of culture started action to put the cathedral of Sv. Jakov/ St. Jacob at UNESCO register of world heritage list. The approval is still in progress.

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The Cathedral was built in the 15th century by the architect 1441. Juraj Matejev Dalmatinac. The Cathedral is original building combination of gothic and renaissance style, inside it is a unique example of some kind culmination of humanistic spirit and early renaissance art/paint directions.

Here you find all our favorit links from Croatian - Links about Croatia

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Split is the biggest Croatian town at the Adriatic coast. Thanks to high mountains, this area is protected from impact of continental climate. What to see there?
Old heart of Split, Diocletians Palace, It derives between 295-305 ages. Diocletians really name was Gaius Auerlius Valerius Diocletianus.

He was born in poor family and he came along from the common soldier to main commander.During domination he led wars against Persians and Germans, as an emperor he chases Christians. The most known victim was Bishop Saint Duje (he is the patron saint of Split).

Saint Duje was tortured and murdered in the year 304 in city’s amphitheater. Cathedral of Saint Duje and Peristil in front of it are very valuable to see. From them, many authentic streets are leading you to beautiful stone houses and restaurants with Dalmatian food. Trough the centuries, Split celebrate his memorial day which is 7.of May (day of town Split).
That day in Split is big liturgy celebration, and many others celebrations economics, cultures, sports … most of these events are placed on new build Riva, that was made through the centuries. Architectural historians consider it one of the best preserved late Roman villas. From the 1979 Diocletian Palace is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.