The eight national parks

Waterfalls, archipelagos and mountains: the full tour of Croatia's protected areas, with the time to allow and the right gateway for each.

Published 6 August 2026 · By Patrick Faust

For a country Croatia's size, eight national parks is a rare density — two freshwater kingdoms, two archipelagos, three mountain massifs and one garden island. None requires an expedition: all can be visited in a day or two from the coast or Zagreb. Here is the full tour, from the most famous to the most secret.

The two water kingdoms

Plitvice, the monument

Sixteen terraced lakes linked by waterfalls, in a UNESCO-listed forest: Plitvice is the country's most visited natural site, and deserves it. The anti-crowd strategy fits in one sentence: enter at opening through Entrance 1, start with the upper lakes, use the Lake Kozjak boat to close the loop without doubling back. Allow a full day, two hours' drive from Zagreb or Zadar.

Krka, the waterfalls you linger at

More intimate, closer to the coast: Krka is reached by boat from Skradin, and the river approach is already part of the visit. Skradinski Buk, the great terraced fall, takes half a day; add the island monastery of Visovac and Roški Slap if you have the full day. One hour from Split — the obvious nature day of any Dalmatian trip.

The two archipelagos

Kornati, the stone labyrinth

Eighty-nine near-bare islands and islets, without running water or permanent villages: the Kornati are a sea desert, striking in their austerity. Visit on a day trip by boat from Zadar or Murter — or better, by sailboat. The seaward cliffs (the “crowns”) and a swim in a deserted cove make the day.

Mljet, the island of salt lakes

The western third of Mljet island is a park: two saltwater lakes connected to the sea, dense forest, and a twelfth-century monastery on an islet in the larger lake. Everything is done by bike or on foot, swims included. Reached by catamaran from Dubrovnik — the perfect antidote to the old town's crowds.

The three massifs

Paklenica, the vertical one

Two canyons cut into the southern Velebit and all but drop into the sea: Paklenica is a paradise for climbers and hikers, twenty minutes from the beach. The classic: walk up Velika Paklenica to the mountain hut, beneath 400-metre walls. Practical base: Starigrad, between Zadar and the north.

Northern Velebit, the balcony over the sea

The high plateau of the northern Velebit, its limestone karrens, its forests and the Premužić trail — a masterpiece of dry-stone path that unrolls kilometres of balcony facing the Adriatic and its islands. Wilder, far less visited: the walkers' park.

Risnjak, the deep forest

In the Gorski Kotar, between Zagreb and Rijeka, Risnjak is the most discreet park: beech and fir forests, and the lynx that gives it its name (ris). The summit is a day's walk, with guaranteed coolness at the height of summer — the hiker's refuge when the coast bakes.

The garden island

Brijuni, the presidential archipelago

Off the Istrian coast, fifteen minutes by boat from Fažana (near Rovinj and Pula), Brijuni was Tito's summer residence: cycling avenues, Roman ruins, a safari park descended from diplomatic gifts and a century-old golf course. A park you can visit in loafers — curious, manicured, unique.

Summary table

Frequently asked questions

Plitvice or Krka, if I must choose?

From Split or Dalmatia: Krka, without hesitation — one hour's drive versus four round-trip. From Zagreb, or travelling towards the coast: Plitvice, which remains above everything else in scale. Doing both in one trip is not redundant: the landscapes are genuinely different.

Can you swim in the parks?

At Plitvice, no — strictly forbidden. At Krka, swimming at Skradinski Buk has not been allowed since 2021, but the river downstream and Skradin bay are fine. At Mljet, Kornati and Brijuni, swimming is part of the visit.

Should tickets be bought in advance?

For Plitvice in summer, yes — entry slots sell out several days ahead. For Krka in August, it's prudent. Everywhere else, tickets are easily bought on the spot.