Gorski Kotar is the forested highland between Rijeka and Karlovac, often called the green heart of Croatia. Dense fir and beech forests, mountain lakes, gorges and small villages stay pleasantly cool in summer and snowy in winter – and the region is less than an hour from the Kvarner coast.
Risnjak National Park
Risnjak, a national park since 1953, protects the mountain of the same name and the forests around it. The easy Leska trail near Crni Lug is a good introduction, and on the park’s eastern edge you can see the spring of the Kupa river, a deep, clear pool at the foot of a cliff. Brown bears, lynx and wolves all live in Gorski Kotar’s forests, although they are rarely seen.
Lakes and villages
- Fužine – the region’s prettiest village, on Lake Bajer, with walking paths around the water and the Vrelo cave.
- Lokve – Lake Lokvarsko and quiet forest walks.
- Delnice – the largest town and a practical base, with shops, restaurants and train and motorway connections.
- Skrad – the Zeleni Vir waterfall and the narrow Vražji Prolaz gorge, one of the region’s best short hikes.
- Čabar and the Kupa valley – remote villages along the river that forms the border with Slovenia.
Things to do
Gorski Kotar is made for the outdoors: hiking and cycling on forest roads, canoeing and gentle rafting on the Kupa, fishing, and in winter skiing at Platak above Rijeka and cross-country trails around the region. Local food is hearty – game, trout, mushrooms and bilberries in season.
When to go
Summer is the most popular time, when people escape the heat of the coast. Autumn brings beautiful colours and mushroom season, and winter usually brings snow, which turns the villages into a small ski and sledging destination.
Getting there
The A6 motorway between Rijeka and Zagreb runs through Gorski Kotar, with exits for Delnice and Fužine. Trains on the Zagreb–Rijeka line stop at Skrad, Delnice, Lokve and Fužine. Fužine is an easy half-day or day trip from Rijeka or Opatija. See also Kvarner.
Experiences
Experiences in Gorski Kotar
All experiences
Destinations, NatureGorski Kotar, Croatia: Complete Travel Guide to Forests, Lakes, Villages and Risnjak
Plan Gorski Kotar with Risnjak, Fužine, Delnice, lakes, caves, hiking, mountain food, seasons and practical travel tips.
