It goes without saying that most won't be happy about the increase for Plitvice Lakes ticket prices, but the park's administration have offered an explanation...

The gorgeous Plitvice Lakes National Park is and always has been one of the main draws of continental Croatia for foreign visitors who are otherwise traditionally inclined only to the glorious Adriatic sea. This truly stunning national park, has, however, always found itself the subject of a certain level of controversy when it comes to ticket prices.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 5th of March, 2020, Plitvice Lakes ticket prices for an adult at the peak of the 2018 summer season was 180 kuna. Last year, the price of that same ticket jumped to 250, and this summer, Plitvice Lake ticket prices are to increase significantly - to 300 kuna. Tickets for children aged between 7 to 18 cost 120 kuna during the busiest months, according to Dnevnik.hr

A family of four who wishes to go on a trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park this summer will need to pay 840 kuna to enter.

These prices have been allocated for the period between the 1st of June to the 30th of September, 2020. However, these Plitvice Lakes ticket prices do drop slightly if you're visiting in the afternoon. For adults, it drops down to 200 kuna and for children to 70 kuna.

The park has explained that their goal is to increase the number of visitors throughout the year, adding that their prices are lower in the post-season and pre-season. For example, from the beginning of the year to the end of March, the price of an adult ticket is 80 kuna, and jumps up to 180 kuna in April and May.

"We'd also like to remind people that children under the age of seven and persons with special needs with disabilities (of more than 50 percent) are entitled to free entry throughout the year," explained Plitvice Lakes spokesman Ognjen Borcic.

He noted that 2018 was a record year for visitors, as the park counted a massive 1.8 million of them. With the increase in Plitvice Lakes ticket prices, that number dropped slightly last year, but, according to the spokesman, visitors were more ''spread out'' over the course of the year.

"That's why several years ago we introduced online maps to limit the number of visitors per day," Borcic added.

When asked if 300 kuna is too much for the average Croatian tourist, he replied: ''Personally, this would be a problem for me as well, but I recommend that they come in spring and winter when it's at its most beautiful. In the summer, nature is already at its most vulnerable due to high temperatures and low water levels,'' Borcic said, adding that these new prices will remain as they are now for some time.

Make sure to follow our travel page for much more.

As part of the activities aimed at reducing pressure on Plitvice Lakes National Park, representatives of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - who conduct expert evaluations of UNESCO - were part of a reactive monitoring mission initiated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy in Croatia. The purpose of the mission was to form opinions on the state of the park, as well as to present optimal solutions. 

When we think of Dalmatia we usually think of the sun, the sea, and temperatures often not cold enough to make snow. One thing Splićani are lucky to have are options, and if we ever feel the need to ski (or play in some snow), there are a plethora of ski resorts just a short drive away. Here are some of the top ski resorts in the region just a hop, skip, and jump away from Split.