Krka River National Park

By the peculiar beauty of its long canyon, its cascades, spectacular lime forms, caves, green valleys and rich vegetation, Krka River is one of the most beautiful and most popular excursion areas in Croatia. For centuries, this unique waterway has carved its way to the Adriatic Sea through a karst terrain creating a beautiful canyon with seven travertine waterfalls. The most famous waterfalls are Skradinski Buk (44 m) and Roski Waterfall with its numerous mills, streams and cascades. The jewel of the National Park is definitely the islet of Visovac situated in the middle of the Visovac lake. The Franciscan monastery on the islet is a valuable cultural and historical monument. Krka River is famous for being the location of the first hydroelectric power plant in Europe which was open in 1895, at the same time as Tesla’s famous power plant at Niagara Falls!

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Skradinski Buk waterfall is one of the most attractive parts of the Krka River National Park. It is a massive, clear, natural pool with high waterfalls at one end and cascades at the other. Due to the wealth and variety of geomorphological forms, vegetation, and the various effects caused by the play of light on the whirlpools, Skradinski Buk is considered to be one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Croatia and even Europe. In the sunny days a rainbow above the waterfall shows the spectacular colours in the spectrum so, instead of running underneath it, you can take a bath under the rainbow and enjoy a cooling swim.

The living world of Krka River National Park is very rich and diverse, with numerous endemic, rare and threatened species. The diversity of the plant life, with 860 recorded species, attracts both experts and visitors. Among eighteen species of fish, ten are endemic, making the Krka River a natural landmark of the highest category. The abundance of various bird species (222), the structure of the bird communities and the great significance of the Krka River for spring and autumn migrations make it among the ornithologically most valuable regions of Europe.

The unique natural assets are complemented by the vast choice of the gastronomic delicacies like grilled fish and meat, local products and souvenirs and the old and renewed watermills which are opened for tourists to see the local people in their national costumes at the traditional craft of weaving - just like they used to do it centuries ago in Croatia. There are also several archeological remains of unpreserved fortresses in the park's vicinity dating back to as far as the roman times. The Krka River National Park offers various footpaths, sightseeing tours, presentations and boat trips.