Plitvice Lakes

About this spectacle

Plitvice Lakes is a cascading system of sixteen terraced lakes in central Croatia, linked by a series of roaring waterfalls and draped in vivid shades of turquoise, emerald, and deep blue. Visitors walk along wooden boardwalks that hover just centimetres above the water's surface, offering the sensation of floating through a living painting. The lakes owe their extraordinary colour to dissolved minerals and algae that shift with the angle of sunlight, meaning no two visits look quite the same. In autumn, surrounding beech and maple forests ignite in gold and copper, framing the water in warm tones. In spring, snowmelt swells the falls to their most dramatic volume. The soundscape throughout is dominated by the constant rush and tumble of water, punctuated by birdsong. Wildlife including bears, wolves, and deer inhabit the surrounding national park, occasionally glimpsed from the trails.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Sep — May

Getting there

Nearest airport: ZAG. Nearest city: Karlovac.

Booking options

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