Natural beauties nearby
National Park Plitvice Lakes
National Park Plitvice Lakes is a specific geological and hydrological karst. The lakes were declared national park in 1949. The Park is a complex of 16 crystal blue lakes in the highlands area. Their water comes from numerous rivers and brooks, and they are all connected with foamy cascades and murmuring waterfalls. The barriers between the lakes over which the waterfalls fall, have been created in a special, natural way.
Vast forrests, the beauties of the lakes and the waterfalls, the richness of flora and fauna, clear mountain air, colour contrasts, pathways and wooden bridges are all part of the Park, which was declared the World's natural inheritance by UNESCO.
The Plitvice Lakes are situated between Mala Kapela and Plješivica in Lika. This whole area is named Vražji vrt (The Devil's Garden) in some maps, due to its position and history. The legend has it that the Lakes were created after a long drought. People, animals and lakes craved for some water. The people prayed. Then appeared the Black Queen in the valley, with her magnificent escort; she pitied the people and gave them rain. It was raining for so long that the lakes were formed.
Senj is 80 km away from the Plitvice Lakes. The fastest way to reach them is to take the road for Zagreb until Žute Lokve and then the A1 highway to Otočac and finally the local road to the national park.
But, no matter how much we try, we can not describe the Plitvice Lakes. They have to be experienced!
National Park Northern Velebit
Each people has their own sacred mountain: Greeks have the Olympus, mid-European peoples have the Alps, the Japanese have Fuji. Croatian cult mountain, its sacred hill is Velebit. National Park Northern Velebit was declared in 1999. It was declared national park because of the diversities of its karstic phenomenon, richness of flora and fauna and exceptional natural beauties in a relatively small area. The area of the park is 109 km2, within which there are strict reservations Hajdučki and Rožanski kuk, specific geomorphological phenomenon with more than 150 caves discovered. The most famous one is Luka's cave, one of the world's deepest caves, discovered in 1999.
Visitors to the Park are allowed to walk along the Premužićeva path. In the area of the Park, there are also a botanical reservation «Visibaba», with the world's largest habitat of the endemic Croatian sibbirhaea (Sibiraea altaiensis ssp. croatica), and the botanical reservation Zavižan-Balinovac-Velika kosa, very rich in flora. The famous Velebit botanical garden is also in the park.
There are numerous hiking trails in the park, the most famous being the mentioned Premužićeva path, named after its constructor Ante Premužić, who built it from 1930 to 1933. The path follows the the most beautiful and the most interesting parts of Norther Velebit. From the mountain peaks, there is beautiful view of the Adriatic sea and the islands of Pag, Rab, Goli, Prvić and Krk, along with Lika on the continental side.
The cultural heritage of the park offers numerous sights, ruins of the buildings that testify of the past times when there was a bigger population here, of people who had moved away a long time ago.
To reach NP Northern Velebit from Senj, you have to take the Adriatic road extension in Sv. Juraj towards Krasno. In the village Oltari, you have to turn towards Zavižan. By car, you can reach the hiking dome in Zavižan, which is the highest one in Croatia with the altitude of 1594 m.
Natural park Velebit - Krasno
Krasno is situated in the Natural park Velebit at the altitude of 800 m and it is one of the largest and the most beautiful mountain settlements in Croatia. It is constituted of 14 hamlets at the edges of Krasno Polje. Krasno is for those who like active rest in nature. In summer you can enjoy long walks, hiking or bike-riding, while in winter you can ski and slide. Krasno is an excellent destination to plan your visit to the nearby places – Kuterevo, Kosinj, Otočac and river Gacka valley .
Kuterevo is famous for its shelter for young bears. The baby bears, who had lost their mothers due to various tragic reasons (traffic, hunting, etc.), still not capable of living alone in the woods, will either die of starvation or will be given a helping hand from human beings. Volunteers from all over the world come here every summer to help working in the shelter.
You can reach Krasno by taking the Adriatic road extension in Sv. Juraj. Krasno is 32 km away from Senj.
Krasno's yet undiscovered beauties will certainly take your breath away.