A GUIDE ON HOW TO GET TO PLITVICE AND ENJOY THE BEST PARK IN CROATIA

Plitvice Park is a top thing to do in Croatia, one of the best nature attractions in Europe

It’s no wonder that it became the first UNESCO World Heritage site when Croatia was still part of the former republic of Yugoslavia back in 1970’s years ago, with its 16 lakes and 90 waterfalls spread in a huge forested area, boasting an incredible combination of different shades of blue light green, some aquamarine and turquoise tones. So when I got to see this park, I could barely believe it could be real: a kind of Caribbean-like attraction in the middle of Europe!

HOW TO GET THERE

As you can see by the map, Plitvice is nested between Zagreb and the Dalmatian coastline from Croatia. The best way to get to Plitvice is by car, either driving from Zagreb or from any of the main coastal cities like Split. The driving time from Zagreb to Split is 2 hours and from Split to Plitibvuce is 2h30 minutes. Going by bus is also an options as buses depart either from Zagreb or Split, it will take a slight longer but is cheaper

BEST TIME TO GO

The best time to go to Plitvice is from May to September, as you have sunnier days and warmer temperatures. It also attracts more crowds obviously, so do book in advance. Try to avoid August though as temperatures soar above 30 degrees celsius

WHY ARE PLITVICE LAKES SO BLUE

The Plitvice lakes are so blue because of he number of micro organisms and minerals present in these waters, that once the sun hits the water become blue and green. That’s why in cloudy days, they don’t look so shiny.

HOW MUCH TIME TO VISIT PLITVICE AND WHAT TO DO

You should plan a minimum of 3 hours to visit Plitvice. You have 4 different itineraries in Plitvice to choose from.

Plitvice Itinerary A has a route around the Lower Lakes, covering the most scenic waterfalls and cascades. It lasts for almost 3 hours.

Plitvice Itinerary B that includes also the Lower Lakes as route A plus a scenic boat trip and a train ride (or if you prefer walk). It will take approximately 4 hours to complete. This is the itinerary I have chosen and would recommend you to do. Both route A and B cover the Lower Lakes with the most scenic waterfalls and cascades. Route There is a very clear route to follow, very well marked through forest paths and walkways over the lakes.

Plitvice Itinerary C & E cover the Upper Lakes, that you can see partially from the viewpoint. You can combine them with A or B trails. The Plitvice Upper lakes are also beautiful, steeper in terms of hiking and are less crowded, but don’t have so many waterfalls and cascades like the Plitvice Lower

Have a look to the official route map of Plitvice National Park (all rights reserved from the national park entity) below for a notion of the top things to see in Plitvice:

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TRAVEL TIPS FOR A BETTER EXPERIENCE IN PLITVICE

Visit ideally after 2pm as the biggest tour buses arrive at 9am and will be there until 2pm.

Tickets can only be booked online and at least one day before your visit. You should purchase the tickets well in advance to choose your preferred visit schedule. The Plitvice park entrance tickets can be bought at thw official website of the national park in this link here https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/

Ideally enter through entrance 1, that is walking slightly uphill but you have great views always on the direction of the waterfalls on the Lower Lakes. 

Bring light clothing and walking shoes plus plenty of water and some snacks. No need to bring a swimsuit here as it’s forbidden to swim in any lake, in order to avoid the local ecosystem to be damaged.

That’s it for my travel guide for Plitvice! Hope you enjoy it and send me any questions you might have!