Wooden boardwalk above a waterfall cascade in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Lika, Croatia

Lika

Plitvice Lakes

Sixteen terraced lakes linked by waterfalls – Croatia’s best-known national park.

Region

Lika

Best time to visit

April–June, September–October

Ideal trip length

1 day

Main highlights

Upper and Lower Lakes, boardwalks

Placeholder introduction – write two or three concrete sentences about Plitvice Lakes: where it is, what it is like and who it suits.

Why visit

A concise editorial overview. Be specific – streets, beaches, distances, seasons – instead of general praise.

Where to stay

Which areas suit which travellers – old town for atmosphere, seafront for swimming, countryside for quiet – with walking distances and the parking situation. See also where to stay in Croatia.

Getting around

How to arrive (nearest airport, bus station, ferry port, motorway exit) and how to move around: walking, cycling, local buses, taxis.

Parking

Where the main car parks are, which zones apply, typical summer prices and whether the old town is closed to cars.

Day trips

Nearby destinations

  • The leafy, rocky entrance to Gornja Baraćeva Cave, with visitor signs beside the path.

    Lika

    Barać Caves

    Show caves near Rakovica with stalactites, underground passages and guided tours, a short drive from Plitvice.

  • A deer stands behind a wooden fence in a grassy, tree-lined enclosure.

    Lika

    Dolina Jelena

    Family ranch near Plitvice where you can see and feed deer, with farm animals, horses and…

  • A stream cascades beneath wooden footbridges in a leafy inland setting in Croatia.

    Lika

    Slunj

    Small town on the Korana and Slunjčica rivers, best known for the watermill village of Rastoke.

Travel guides

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit?

June and September offer warm sea, long days and fewer crowds than July and August.

Do I need a car?

Not in town, but a car makes it much easier to explore beaches and villages nearby.

Is it expensive?

Prices are moderate outside July and August. Eating in konobas away from the seafront saves money.

Photo gallery

Plitvice Lakes in photos

40 photos

  • A wooden boardwalk winds through a lush green forest in Croatia.
  • A weathered wooden boardwalk crosses shallow water and dense green wetland plants in Croatia.
  • Clear shallow water and reeds at the edge of a lake surrounded by autumn-coloured wooded hills
  • Weathered wooden planks frame a still lake bordered by forested hills and reeds.
  • A wooden boardwalk winds through a leafy forest with fallen autumn leaves.
  • A rustic wooden boardwalk crosses a shallow stream beneath a dense green forest canopy.
  • A narrow woodland trail climbs over exposed roots beneath a leafy green canopy.
  • A waterfall spills over a pale limestone cliff into a forest pool, framed by orange autumn leaves.
  • A rocky woodland trail passes the exposed roots of a large tree, with water visible through the foliage.

Explore

Places in Plitvice Lakes

  • Visitors walk a forest path beneath tall waterfalls cascading over a rocky cliff in Croatia.

    Lika

    Veliki Slap

    The tallest waterfall in Croatia, about 78 m high, at the end of the Lower Lakes…

Your practical guide

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