Croatia’s Ultimate Summer Refreshment: Hike Plitvice National Park

Since most of the world is dealing with scorching summer temps, here’s a cooling visual reprieve.

Croatia’s first national park since 1949 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes is the country’s oldest and largest with sixteen lakes and innumerable waterfalls. Located very close to the Croatian border with Bosnia, it’s about a two hour drive from either Zagreb or the Adriatic coast.

The park is broken up into the upper and lower falls, with a boat ride connecting the two. Various hiking loops are available, with a panoramic train ride that goes through lush forest.

One of sixteen and the largest, Prošćansko Lake was the first created according to the Legend of the Black Queen who responded to her people’s pleadings after a long period of drought by giving them this water wonderland.

The park’s famous waterfalls were created by a unique geological phenomenon formed by deposits of calcium carbonate from the waters flowing through the property.

Hikers I met along the trails said the lakes exhibit an amazing spectrum of colors at any time of the day, never looking the same an offering an entire palette of shades, from emerald green to deep blue, turquoise or light gray.

On this sunny day it shown varying shades of azure and turquoise. To see both upper and lower falls and all sixteen lakes, you’ll need about 8 hours and should anticipate a challenging hike. I opted for a tour of the lower falls and a lovely boatride.

Click here for general information, hours of operation, location and ticket purchase.