From Senj to the Plitvice Lakes
It is only about 80 kilometres from the capital of Lika-Senj county to the most popular Croatian national park. But you will see and experience so much beautiful scenery on the way that it will seem like the two places are much further apart. Senj has good transport links with the rest of Croatia and the Mediterranean, but this isn't the only draw of Senj as a tourist destination for campers: One of its attractions is Nehaj, a historic fortress, with beautiful views over the Croatian coast and the islands of Rab, Cres, Krk, Goli and Prvić. You can also admire the mountainous regions of Gorski Kotar, Učka and Velebit from there. One of the oldest carnivals in Croatia takes place in Senj during August. Plitvice Lakes with their waterfalls were inscribed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. The highest waterfall is 76 metres tall, and the highest lake (Prošćansko) is 134 metres above the lowest lake (Novaković Brod). You can take a break from walking the park's fairytale-like paths and wooden bridges in one of the restaurants or taverns by the largest lake, Kozjak. One of the things contributing to the richness and diversity of the Plitvice Lakes area flora is its geographical position, being only a short distance from the sea, yet located in the Velebit hinterland, and spanning a wide range of altitudes from 418 to 1,279 metres. The park is rich in endemic species, and the species that were first recorded right in this area are particularly valuable. There are also many representatives from the animal kingdom. The bear, the most popular of them, can be seen in Kuterevo, where there is a shelter manned by volunteers from different parts of the world, who look after mainly the young of these large creatures. Lying only an hour's drive from the Plitvice Lakes is Smiljan, the birthplace of Nikola Tesla, one of the world's greatest scientists and innovators, whose discoveries are exhibited here in a well laid-out memorial collection.
Karlovac
Built as a six-pointed, star-shaped Renaissance fortress, Karlovac is now the main city of Karlovac county. It is located 112 metres above sea level, in the heart of Croatia and at the intersection of major roads that link Croatia's coastal and Pannonian basin regions. In addition to the 'Josephina' road, the historic roads 'Louisiana' and 'Carolina' also pass through Karlovac. You can camp along the Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra rivers, refresh yourself in the clear waters, shoot down the rapids or try your hand at fishing. You can find many of Karlovac's restaurants in the same locations, and on their menus you will find specialities prepared from freshwater fish. If you want to explore the area surrounding the city, Karlovac county has the distinction of the greatest number of fortified caves in Croatia and even in Europe. In most cases, these caves are located in the upper streams of Korana and Mrežnica rivers. Also characteristic of this region are some unusual bridges, including the one at Mrežnički Brig, the longest wooden bridge in Croatia. Visitors to Petrova Gora will also be able to enjoy the natural delights of one of the best-preserved forested landscapes in Croatia's mountainous areas. There is also Dubovac castle, a favourite short excursion for Karlovac's citizens. In summer its fortifications become the backdrop to many concerts, theater and dance performances and exhibitions. Apart from Dubovac, there are also some other well-preserved old towns such as Bosiljevo, Ogulin Ribnik and Novigrad. The northernmost part of the Plitvice Lakes is also in Karlovac county, where the virgin forest of Čorkova Uvala is rich in ancient trees and protected animal species, including, in addition to bears, wolves and lynx.
The Northern Part of Pag Island
Pag cheese, Pag lace and Pag salt top the list of world-famous trademarks from the island. But there is more- Divided between Lika-Senj and Zadar counties, the island is characterised by its drystone walls on the natural boundaries between pastures established by Pag farmers. There are about a thousand kilometres of these walls, mostly ruined, which makes Pag the place with the most in the country. Some other metrics garner a few more superlatives for the island: Pag's 270 kilometre-long coast is the longest of all the Adriatic islands, and is amongst the most heavily indented. There are many sandy and pebble beaches, including the hugely popular Zrće beach, which is the destination for visitors from all over the world looking for entertainment and dancing. Pag cheese is produced from the milk of an indigenous breed of sheep, and its unique qualities come from the island's medicinal plants, which are à la carte for the sheep there. This product represents the island of Pag and Croatia at the fairs in the European Union, and is labelled 'Izvorno Hrvatsko' (Original Croatian product). Baškotin, a type of hard sweet toast, has the same label and it is prepared following a special monastic recipe. Once, along with sharing a coffee, it was an important part of the social rituals bonding people together on Pag. Pag lace was first mentioned in the 15th century, and nuns and the Pag schools maintain the tradition of lace-making today. Pag's salt pans are reputedly the oldest on the eastern Adriatic coast.
Novalja
The north-western part of the island attracts many visitors, drawn to the beautiful natural beaches and to the biggest tourist center on the island. But as well as the entertainments of Zrće beach, Novalja has excellent cuisine including Pag lamb. Visitors can choose from a range of day trips in the surrounding region, amongst them those to the nearby national parks on the mainland. In the same part of the island there is the so-called 'Pag triangle', which is an unusual imprint on the rocky ground discovered on the Tusto Čelo hill in May 1999. Many people (especially lovers of the supernatural) are trying to work out why the rocks inside the triangle are brighter than outside the triangle, and why they emit a red colour after exposure to ultraviolet light, which is normally indicative of being subjected to very high temperatures. You can also explore the underwater world of Pag's coast if you are interested.
Lika - Karlovac
C A M P I N G
Škver Camping
The campsite is situated in the center of town of Senj right alongside the coast, it offers apartment accommodation, as well as a tavern with national fish specialities.
- ŠKVER Camping
- HR-53270 Senj, Škver b.b. +385 (0)53 885
- 日 +385 (0)53 885 266 [email protected] www.visitsenj.com 44°59'38,321" N, 14°53'58,758" E
The Rača camp is located next to the shore, 1 km from the center of the village Sveti Juraj, on the road between Senj and Prizna. It offers a photo safari on one of the nearby islands.
RAČA Camping HR-53284 Sveti Juraj, Volarice 222 A +385 (0)53 883 209 +385 (0)53 883 209 [email protected] www.moko.hr 44°54'60" N, 14°54'56" E
This campsite is situated in a cove with a pebble beach, about 4 km south of Senj along the Crikvenica-Karlobag road, in the area of the Velebit Nature Park, and it includes a diving center.
UJČA Camping HR-53284 Sveti Juraj, Ujča 146/a +385 (0)53 884 626 [email protected] www.camp-ujca.com 。 44°58'6" N, 14°55'18" E
Terra Park Phalaris Camping
Terra Park Phalaris camp lies on the island of Pag. Its family atmosphere offers guest a quiet and relaxing vacation. The camp has a pebble beach, ideal for families with small children.
TERRA PARK PHALARIS Camping HR-53291 Novalja, Škuncini stani 100 +385 (0)91 151 1956 [email protected] www.terrapark.hr 44°34'45"N, 14°51'9"E
Olea Camping
Located on the north-western side of the island of Pag, a mere 12 kilometres from the town of Novalja, this campsite features centuries-old olive trees and natural slopes that ensure that each and every pitch enjoys an unobstructed view of the sea.
OLEA Camping HR-53291 Novalja, Šonjevi stani 38 b +385 (0)21 770 022 [email protected] www.oleacamping.com 44°37'41"N, 14°47'43"E
Slapić Camping
Slapić Camping lies 5 km from Duga Resa, about 50 km from Zagreb and approx. 10 km from Karlovac. It is located next to the river Mrežnica. Apart from accommodation on campgrounds and in mobile homes, guests can also stay in wooden houses next to the river.
SLAPIĆ Camping HR-47250 Duga Resa, Mrežnički Brig 79b +385 (0)98 860 601 +385 (0)47 854 700 [email protected] www.campslapic.hr 45°25'13" N, 15°28'56" E
Srce Prirode Camping ★★★★
Part of a rural household, the Srce Prirode Srakovčić campsite is located in the municipality of Ribnik, 12 kn from the Slovenian border and 29 km from Karlovac, and offers the tasting of culinary specialities and wines.
SRCE PRIRODE Camping HR-47272 Ribnik, Gorica Lipnička 8 +385 (0)47 609 090 日 +385 (0)47 609 091 [email protected] www.srceprirode.hr 45°33'50" N, 15°23'34" E
Plitvice Holiday Resort
The Plitvice Holiday Resort is situated 10 km from the the Plitvice Lakes National Park. In addition to the pitches, the campsite also offers accommodations in mobile homes, bungalows, teepees, as well as glamping tree and lake houses.
PLITVICE Holiday Resort HR-47245 Rakovica, Grabovac 102 +385 (0)47 784 192 +385 (0)75 802 630 [email protected] www.plitvice.com 44°58'23" N, 15°38'52" E
STRAŠKO Camping HR-53291 Novalja, Zeleni put 7 +385 (0)53 663 381 [email protected] www.campingstrasko.com 44°32'15" N, 14°53'4" E
Straško Camping
The Straško camp is located on the island of Pag, 2 km from the center of Novalja, along a 2-kilometre long pebble beach. The camp offers childcare services so you can leave your children in the safe hands of professionals. Straško has luxuriousmobile homes located along the coast and on other attractive locations, which have been complete furbished and have air-conditioning, while some come with a private pool. Charming glamping tents are also available.The camp offers half-day and day trips, among others, to nearby islands.
Korana Camping
- KORANA Camping
- HR-47245 Rakovica, Čatrnja
- +385 (0)53 751 888 +385 (0)53 751 882 [email protected] www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr 44°57'1" N, 15°38'29" E
The camp lies on a plateau above the canyon of the river Korana, in the immediate vicinity of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, only 6 km from its entrance. Guests are offered a bus ride from the camp to the entrance of the national park and back. Located on the bank of the river Korana, you can enjoy the sun and go swimming in the river. The whole campsite has been well forested and richly landscaped.
Camping Plitvice
Borje Camping
Camping Plitvice 5*, located just a few minutes by car from the Plitvice Lakes National Park and the Caves of Barać, is open year-round, thrilling guests with its high-quality accommodation options, not to mention its wealth of amenities and things to do.
CAMPING PLITVICE Camping HR-53231 Plitvička jezera, Smoljanac 67 +385 (0)53 652 484 [email protected] www.campingplitvice.hr 45°56'00"N, 15°37'50"E
The closest camp to the southern entrance of Plitvice Lakes National Park which can be reached by bus, making it the ideal starting point for a trip around this unique natural phenomenon.
BORJE Camping HR-53230 Korenica / Borje, Vrelo Koreničko 3 +385 (0)53 751 790 @ [email protected] www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr 44°45'55" N, 15°41'17" E
Big Bear Camping
Situated in the very center of the Lika region, near the Plitvice Lakes National Park, this campsite offers accommodations on fully equipped pitches and in comfortable mobile homes that will keep you warm even on cold Lika nights.
- BIG BEAR Camping
- HR-53223 Vrhovine, Donji Babin Potok 107b +385 (0)53 652
- 日 +385 (0)53 652 589 [email protected] www.plitvice-resort.com 44°50'38.8" N, 15°28'58.3" E
Dalmatia occupies the area from the Zrmanja River in the north to the Oštro promontory in the south, and it is divided into four administrative counties: Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva. In their capital cities, Zadar, Šibenik, Split and Dubrovnik, you will discover interesting and indelible traces of the distant past, which are not only of great historical significance for Croatia and the wider region, but are also of ongoing vital importance today in this part of Europe. They have been the inspiration for a number of cultural and artistic projects that are already widely acclaimed. The historic ambience perfectly complements the outstanding natural beauty, ranging from a thousand inhabited and uninhabited islands to numerous national parks, which all also showcase a unique gastronomic experience.
Zadar Region
This is the largest of Croatia's historical regions and is located in the northernmost part of Dalmatia, with Zadar as the main center. Visitors choose the Zadar region for its picturesque coastline of over one thousand kilometres, encompassing the coastlines of three hundred islands and islets that belong to it. Among the larger and more famous islands are Pag, Dugi Otok, Ugljan and Pašman. This region also borders the Kornati islands and the national park of the same name. A large part of this 'paradise', by which it is referred by regular visitors to the Zadar region, is located in the hinterland. Above all, the Paklenica National Park is to be found there, where Mother Nature carves out one of her great spectacles through the majestic canyons. More adventurous campers can try out canyoning here - travelling through the canyons using various modes of transport: walking, climbing and swimming. This kind of exploration will allow them to get up close to the phenomena that make this part of Croatia completely different from others. In the vicinity of this national park, there is a place called Modrić, with a cave of the same name, 840 metres long and full of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. The Plitvice Lakes, Northern Velebit and the Krka National Parks are all also easily accessible from the Zadar region. This part of Croatia is also home to numerous nature parks: Telaščica on Dugi Otok ('Long Island'), Lake Vrana, the largest natural lake in Croatia, and the Velebit mountain range. If you are looking to spend at least a part of your holiday in solitude on some sandy or pebble beaches far from the main tourist destinations, you can, with the help of your host, go to one of the uninhabited islands to seek that real 'Robinson Crusoe' style of tourism. You will find some of the natural bounty on the menus too. Thus, for example, in the Zadar region, the tradition of using lavender flowers in cooking has been revived, mostly in desserts, so you can sample ice creams, mousses, biscuits or sorbet made with lavender. Zadar's Maraschino (maraskino), a liqueur that is well-known throughout the world and whose recipes are documented in the Dominican monastery in Zadar from as early as the 16th century, is made of bitter Dalmatian Marasca cherries, which grow at their best in the immediate vicinity of Zadar. Šokol, a cured dry-meat product made out of pork neck, and various specialities of fish, shellfish and seafood, seasoned with olive oil, will precede a lavender-scented dessert and a glass of the liqueur made of Zadar's cherries. The choices available are extensive and it's up to you to enjoy selecting from amongst them.
You can find additional information about Zadar county and individual destinations at www.zadar.hr.