South

- Karlovac
- Donja Kupčina
- Ozalj
- Slunj
- Plitvice National Park
- Barać Caves

 

 

Rivers, lakes and waterfalls are among the main attractions south-west of Zagreb, with the Plitvice National Park ranking among the natural wonders of Europe. A healthy sprinkling of historic towns and castles ensures that there’s plenty to see on the way there.

Karlovac

Situated at the confluence of three rivers, Karlovac was founded in the late 16th century by Archduke Karl of Styria to defend Central Europe from the Ottoman Turks. Although the city walls were largely demolished long ago, the muncipal park still follows the star-shaped pattern of the original fortifications. A short stroll from the centre, the grassy banks of the river Korana provide the perfect opportunity to sunbathe - or to feed the local swans.

More information about Karlovac you can find on www.karlovac-tourism.hr

Black storks in Crna Mlaka

Lying just off the main Zagreb - Karlovac highway is Crna Mlaka (literally “Black Marsh”), an area of forested wetland rich in bird life. It is a particularly valued habitat of the elusive black stork – which, unlike the more common white stork, is extremely sensitive to human disruption and only nests in the security of isolated forests.

More information on www.crna-mlaka.htnet.hr

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Donja Kupčina

Many of the villages west of Zagreb preserve tumbledown wooden farmhouses, and some of the best examples are preserved at the village of Donja Kupčina, just southeast of Karlovac. A small museum of local heritage (Zavičajni muzej) contains a lovingly-preserved group of nineteenth-century farm buildings clustered around a glade. A collection of locally-made linen and hand-embroidered costumes addscolour to the display.

More information about Donja Kupčina you can find on www.tzzz.hr

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Ozalj

Northwest of Karlovac, the country town of Ozalj is dominated by its stout castle, perched high above the winding Kupa river. Long associated with two of Croatia’s greatest noble families, the Zrinskis and the Frankopans, the castle museum pays eloquent tribute to the courtly culture of Ozalj’s 17th century heyday. Also looking rather like a medieval castle is the Munjara, a playfully Neo-gothic hydroelectric plant built on the Kupa river in 1908. The Munjara’s Austrian built turbines, installed in 1926, are still in working order.

More information about Ozalj you can find on www.ozalj-tz.hr

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Slunj

If you’re travelling from Zagreb towards the Plitvice Lakes then consider a stop-off in Slunj, a hillside-hugging town positioned high above the Korana river. Down by the river’s edge is the suburb of Rastoke, where the tumbling waters of the Slunjčica stream have been harnessed to power a cluster of watermills. There is a fascinating maze of man-made channels and wooden bridges to explore, while locally-caught trout is available in waterside restaurants.

More informaton about Slunj you can find on www.tz-slunj.hr

Rafting

Many of Croatia’s most exciting white-water rafting destinations are to be found in the vicinity of Karlovac. Nearest at hand is the River Mrežnica, with several stretches of rapids hemmed in by forested hills. Another exciting prospect is the River Korana, which emerges from the northernmost of the Plitvice Lakes before flowing through a dramatic sequence of canyons. Slightly further afield is the Kupa, which rushes its way between the lofty peaks of the Gorski kotar hills.

More information on www.tzkz.hr

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Plitvice National Park

Croatia’s largest protected area and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, the Plitvice National Park embraces the kind of landscape unique enough to stick in a visitor’s memory for a lifetime. At its heart is a string of turquoise lakes, each fed by a sequence of terraced waterfalls. These cascades were created over several millennia by a waterborne limestone sediment known as travertine, picked up by mountain rivers and deposited downstream to form a sequence of natural dams. The process is still very much ongoing, and silverygrey travertine can be seen coating the pebbles and plant stalks of Plitvice’s lakes. The rush and thunder of the rapids contrast markedly with the untroubled calm of the larger lakes, although the silence is frequently broken by the sound of happily croaking frogs. Above the lakes lie forests thick with fir and beech, an ideal habitat for deer, wolves, lynx and brown bears. The park is very well organized for visitors, with a clearly signposted network of footpaths running alongside the lakes and woodenwalkways spanning some of the rapids. The entrance ticket includes free travel both on boats that traverse Plitvice’s largest lake, and the road train that runs along the eastern side of the park, connecting the two main entrances.

For more information you can check at www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr

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Barać Caves

East of the Plitvice Lakes lies an area of porous limestone riddled with caves. Most accessible of these is the Barać Caves (Baraćeve špilje), where visitors can take a 40-minute guided tour through a dramatic subterranean landscape of stalagmites and stalagtites. The caves are a popular nesting area for bats – indeed a huge pile of accumulated bat guano is one of the cave’smore offbeat attractions.

For more information you can check at www.baraceve-spilje.com