Croatia is one of the most popular tourist destinations; with its long coastline, numerous beautiful cities, and eight most amazing Croatian National Parks which provides an ideal vacation experience for travelers.

Visiting National Parks in Croatia provides you anabundant array of scenery from forested islands to sun-baked islands, rocky mountaintops, lakes, and waterfalls. You can do everything that you want including scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, swimming and spelunking!

Here is a Summary of Croatia’s 8 Most Amazing National Parks:

1. Plitvice Lakes National Park

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest and most popular national park in Croatia, located between mountains of Mala Kapela and Ljesevica.

Plitvice consists of 16 gorgeous interconnected lakes and waterfalls, all of outstanding beauty.The various trails offer 2 to 8 hours of hiking.

Pro Tip: Plan your visit early in the morning or in late afternoon to avoid summer crowds.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

2. Krka National Park

Located nearSibenik, the Krka National Park, is like a smaller version of Plitvice.

Main sites include Skradinski Buk, Bilušić Buk, Manojlovac, Brljan, Rošnjak, Miljacka waterfall and Roški slap. These seven are the sloping waterfalls of Krka.The area is beautiful, walking paths easy to navigate, and you can actually swim in the lakes.

Krka National Park

3. Brijuni Islands National Park

With spectacular coastlines, beaches, safari park,and charming landscapes, The Brijuni Islands National Park is a joy to visit. Moreover, there are a wealth of diverse fauna and flora for you to explore.

Brijuni Archipelago is a wonderful archipelago, consisting of two islands (VelikiBrijun and Mali Brijun), and 12 islets.

Pro Tip: The national park Brijuni is easily reachable from anywhere in Istria.You can plan to swim and just chill by the sea.

Brijuni Islands National Park

4. Mljet National Park

Located on the Island of Mljet in the deep south of Croatia, This Mljet National Park provides ample possibilities for swimming, snorkeling, hiking, and cycling.

The main attractions include the Great and Small Lakes, two sea bays, and the island of St. Mary, featuring the Benedictine Monastery.

Mljet National Park

5. Risnjak National Park

Risnjak National Park is home to a range of mountains and wild forests, located in a hilly area of Gorski Kotar. It is a perfect place to enjoy beautiful intact nature, panoramic mountain views, dense forest, and various mountain trails.

Risnjak National Park

6. Paklenica National Park

Situated close to the Velebit Mountains and Zadar, Paklenica National Park is a must-visit site which provides an awesome mountaineering opportunities and climbing, stunning vistas, diverse wildlife, and an abundance of flora.

Paklenica National Park

7. Sjeverni Velebit — Northern Velebit National Park

Sjeverni Velebit National Park, also known as Northern Velebit National Park, located over the northern part of the Velebit Mountain.

Velebit Botanical Garden is the main attractions in this Croatian national park.

Pro Tip: For a unique holiday experience, the park offers an evening stargazing program called Stars above Zavizan.

Northern Velebit National Park

8. Kornati National Park

Consisting of 89 islands, islets, and reefs make Kornati island a heaven! This islands offers a stunning experience for sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming.

Kornati National Park

If you have visited any of these national parks, please share your experience below in comment.