National parks in Croatia PLUS detailed visitor guides

UPDATED: 11.1.2023.

Croatia is a nature-lover’s paradise. Vast swathes of the country are completely untouched and preserved, which is why its national parks are so glorious. Their landscapes are incredibly diverse and give you a taste of everything: sea, forest, mountains, lakes, rivers, and islands.

Croatia has 8 national parks spread out across the country. In this post, we will give you a quick hit-list of what makes each park special, where you can find them, when to go, available activities, approximate ticket costs, and a link to a more detailed visitor’s guide with everything you need to know.

Jump to a national park:

• Brijuni
• Krka
• Kornati
• Mljet
• Northern Velebit
• Paklenica
• Plitvice
• Risnjak

The facts are these…

All the national parks in Croatia

#1 Brijuni National Park (Nacionalni park Brijuni)

Brijuni National Park is an archipelago off the western coast of Croatia containing 14 islands and islets (including that island that looks like a fish from above).

Brijuni was the official residence of the former Yugoslavian president Josip Broz Tito for more than 30 years. It is thanks to him that the wildlife and nature of these islands were so strongly preserved.

Closest major city: Pula – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, visiting the animals, swimming, sailing, diving, music festival
Landscapes: Adriatic sea, rocky islands, parks, meadows, pastures
Best time to visit: Summer

Highlights:

• Safari park where exotic animals run free
• Tito’s parrot Koki
• Dinosaur footprints
• 1600-year-old olive tree

View the full visitor guide for Brijuni National Park here.

#2 Krka National Park (Nacionalni park Krka)

Near the town of Šibenik, the Krka and Čikola rivers merge at the site of Krka National Park.

The park is filled with lakes and waterfalls that filter through tree roots under shaded canopies. Skradinski buk (Skradin waterfall) is known as one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe.

Closest major city: Split – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking (swimming under the falls is no longer allowed)
Landscapes: Lakes, waterfalls, forest
Best time to visit: Late spring or early fall

Highlights:

• Krka waterfalls
• 860+ species
• Boat excursions to Visovac Island, Roški slap, and Krka Monastery

View the full visitor guide for Krka National Park here.

#3 Kornati National Park (Nacionalni park Kornati)

Kornati National Park is an archipelago made up of 89 islands, islets, and reefs spread out over the Adriatic sea. The park is comprised of both the islands and their surrounding waters.

The islands, which can only be visited by boat, have very sparse vegetation giving them an almost extraterrestrial look. Nobody lives on the islands, so they truly have a wild, frontier atmosphere.

Closest major city: Zadar – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, swimming, sailing, diving
Landscapes: Adriatic sea, bushy and rocky islands
Best time to visit: Spring or autumn

Highlights:

• Spomen-križevi (Memorial crosses)
• Kornati pastures
• Eagle owl
• Underwater world around Kornati

View the full visitor guide for Kornati National Park here.

#4 Mljet National Park (Nacionalni park Mljet)

Mljet is unique for many reasons. It is located on an island and includes part of the sea. Mljet is the greenest island in Croatia, which is why it is dubbed Zeleni otok, meaning Green island.

Over time, Mljet’s landscape has evolved. Freshwater sinkholes on the island were flooded due to rising sea levels. As a result, the sinkholes became inland seawater lakes perfect for a cool dip after hiking around the island park.

Closest major city: Dubrovnik – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, hiking, swimming, sailing, organized tours, diving
Landscapes: Adriatic sea, islands, submerged bays, sea caves, beaches, forest
Best time to visit: During summer, so you can swim in the submerged bays

Highlights:

• Mljet’s dense forests
• Veliko and malo jezero (Big and small lake)
• Native species
• Otok Sveta Marija (Isle of Saint Mary)
• Solar-powered boats

View the full visitor guide for Mljet National Park here.

#5 Northern Velebit National Park (Nacionalni park Sjeverni Velebit)

Northern Velebit national park lies on the northern end of Croatia’s largest mountain range called Velebit. Northern Velebit is dense with mountain trails that weave through various landscapes.

It is easy to get lost in Velebit’s rich nature and not see another soul all day, just plants and animals. If you want to stay longer, you can stay a night or two over at the mountain lodge located within the park.

Closest major city: Rijeka – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, hiking, biking, guided tours, educational programs
Landscapes: Forests, grasslands, caves, mountains, valley
Best time to visit: Spring

Highlights:

• Hajdučki i Rožanski kukovi (strict nature reserve)
• Mountain lodge Zavižan
• Kuća Velebita
• 950+ plant species and subspecies
• Bears, wolves, and lynxes
• Štirovača valley

[Read: Strict nature reserves of Croatia: Hajdučki i Rožanski kukovi and Bijele i Samarske stijene]

View the full visitor guide for Northern Velebit National Park here.

#6 Paklenica National Park (Nacionalni park Paklenica)

Paklenica National Park is Croatia’s second oldest national park. Paklenica is quite a rocky and mountainous park with two of Velebit’s highest peaks, including Vaganski vrh (1.757 m) and Sveto brdo (1.753 m).

Closest major city: Zadar – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, hiking, rock climbing, organized tours, historical trails
Landscapes: Streams, canyons, caves, mountains
Best time to visit: Early spring or late summer

Highlights:

• Manita peć (cavern)
• Paklenica mill
• Educational trails
• Ethno-house Marasović

View the full visitor guide for Paklenica National Park here.

#7 Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera)

Plitvice Lakes National Park is by far the most famous of Croatia’s 8 national parks. The park is made up of 16 interconnected lakes, each cascading into another through a seemingly endless series of jaw-dropping waterfalls.

You can weave through the forest and over the lakes, and beside the waterfalls all day using wooden plank paths. Plitvice Lakes was named Croatia’s first national park in 1949. It’s also been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1979.

[Read: UNESCO monuments of culture and nature in Croatia, including Plitvice Lakes]

Closest major city: Zadar – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, hiking, guided tours, boat rides
Landscapes: Streams, lakes, forests, waterfalls, mountains
Best time to visit: Fall or mid-winter

Highlights:

• Bright blue, green, and azure lakes
• Veliki slap (The big waterfall)
• Tufa sediment barriers from the Pleistocene epoch
• Lake tour programs
• Hiking trails
• Panorama train ride

View the full visitor guide for Plitvice Lakes National Park here.

#8 Risnjak National Park (Nacionalni park Risnjak)

Risnjak is a richly-forested national park located in the mountainous region of Gorski kotar. The park takes its name from the lynx (ris in Croatian), the rarest and most elusive beast in Europe.

Risnjak offers a smorgasbord of activities compared to the other national parks in Croatia. It’s also less famous than the others, meaning you’ve got a good chance of exploring Risnjak’s woods on your own.

Closest major city: Rijeka – airport guide; public transport guide
Activities: Walking, hiking, guided tours, biking, adventure park, sports fishing, game observation, photography, movie presentation, carriage rides
Landscapes: River, mountains, forests, grasslands, valleys
Best time to visit: Whenever it is sunny

Highlights:

• 15 types of forest communities
• Veliki Risnjak mountain peak
• Snježnik mountain peak
• Source of the Kupa river

View the full visitor guide for Risnjak National Park here.

View our Croatian national park posts

• Brijuni National Park
• Kornati National Park
• Krka National Park
• Mljet National Park
• Northern Velebit National Park
• Paklenica National Park
• Plitvice National Park
• Risnjak National Park
• Strict nature reserves of Croatia: Hajdučki i Rožanski kukovi and Bijele i Samarske stijene