If you're heading to continental Croatia, making your way from the coast to Zagreb... Why not stop off at the incredible Plitvice Lakes while it isn't too crowded?

It seems as if everyone is talking about the rather strange and slow tourist season of 2019. While Croatia is usually sizzling under the beating sun and the streets are completely thronged with foreign tourists, this year appears a little different indeed.

It seems, at least according to some sources, that it isn't just Croatia that is suffering a considerable drop on tourists and likely tourism revenue this summer, and that thanks to the return of Mediterranean rivals such as Turkey and even Egypt, even the likes of Greece and Spain have recorded a drop in figures.

One of Croatia's top continental attractions is the absolutely stunning Plitvice Lakes, and according to Poslovni Dnevnik/Radmila Kovacevic/VL on the 17th of July, 2019, there appears to be no overcrowding in Croatia's most famous national park this year. A somewhat unusual situation for this time of year.

During the first half of this year, Plitvice Lakes sold 625,000 tickets, and difference this year is that tickets are sold in advance, and can be purchased online. Those aforementioned 625,000 tickets which have been sold are at the same level as they were last year. As stated, the only real difference is that you can now purchase them online, and the tickts state the exact time that the guest intends to enter the national park. All of that is an attempt to avoid crowds and long waiting times.

The director of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Tomislav Kovačević, has stated that waiting times at the park have been drastically cut when compared to how things used to be. He stated that now a wait is about 15 to 20 minutes, and that is when waiting to board a boat.

He also says that without pre-purchased tickets from online, it's best to avoid the period between 09:00 and 13:00, because at those times things are usually closed for guests who come without having purchased online tickets beforehand.

During the most frequented days at NP Plitvice Lakes, there can be as many as 14,300 visitors. The same as last year, when the number of daily visitors exceeded 14,000 in one week.

Follow our dedicated travel page for much more.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors will not want to miss the wonder that is the Plitvice Lakes National Park in Lika this year. Many of them will enter the park itself through Rakovica, which is the northern entrance, mostly unaware that they are in the centre of what's called the Plitvice Valleys, an amazing destination in and of itself, worth exploring for its beauty alone and the potential for a "green vacation".

That's why the Tourist Board of Rakovica Municipality decided to create a lively promo video which shows the visitors from all over the world how beautiful the Plitvice Valleys are. Their goal is to make the visitors to Plitvice Lakes (which remains the biggest attraction in the region and one of the most significant tourist attractions in Croatia) stay at least one day longer and get to know the region better, not just the National Park.

In Rakovica and smaller places in Plitvice Valleys you can ride horses or bicycles (one of those activities requires you have carrots, the other one doesn't - make sure you come prepared!), investigate the underground world of caves, hang out with deer, enjoy adrenaline sports and home-made food, visit numerous historic attractions and the beautiful Korana River. You can do all that while staying at one of many amazing accommodations that have been built in Plitvice Valleys over the past several years.

Mira Špoljarić, Rakovica Tourist board director said that the promotional video was the final product of their promotional activities, and that now they're working hard at branding Plitvice Valleys as a place you should not just go through on your way to the Lakes, rather stay for a couple of days. The visitors seem to recognize those efforts, and for many years Rakovica has been the most popular tourist destination in Karlovac county, all thanks to the hard work on the quality and activities, which is what the video shows too.

The extraordinary natural beauty of Plitvice Lakes have always attracted nature lovers, and on April 8, 1949, it was proclaimed the first national park in Croatia. Thanks to its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tufa) through chemical and biological action”, Plitvice Lakes was recognized by UNESCO on October 26, 1979, and this year, will also celebrate 40 years since its entry into the World Heritage List, reports Poslovni.hr on April 4, 2019. 

The park lies between the mountain range of Mala Kapela and Plješevica, in the Lika-Senj County (90.7 percent) and Karlovac County (9.3 percent). In 1997, the area of the park expanded and the surface area was slightly smaller than 300 square kilometers. The park is mostly covered with forest vegetation, a smaller part of grasslands, and the most interesting and attractive part of the lakes for tourists occupy just under one percent of the surface. The system consists of 16 named and several smaller, cascading lakes.

The system is divided into Upper and Lower Lakes. The lakes end with the stunning Sastavci waterfall, at the foot of which begins the flow of the Korana River. The National Park offers visitors lake tours and four hiking trails and is open throughout the year. For the park’s 70th birthday, many activities and benefits for visitors have been organized - four thematic weeks (geology and forest, cultural heritage and history, flora and fauna, water and sedge) and a series of 70 stories about the values and park's attractions that will be published throughout the year.

From April 22 to 28, 2019, there will be promotional prices on tickets, which are considerably cheaper than usual. Namely, adult tickets will cost 50 kuna; students can get in for 30 kuna, and children from 7 to 18 years of age for 20 kuna. And better yet? For this special birthday year, the famous park has also launched online ticket sales. 

For Plitvice Lake’s 70th birthday, a panel discussion on water protection will be held in the Congress Hall of the Lake hotel on Friday.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, March 31, 2019 - A wreath-laying ceremony was held in Plitvice Lakes National Park on Sunday to mark 28 years since the launch of Operation Plitvice and the death of police officer Josip Jović, the first defender of Croatia to be killed in the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

Apart from the Jović family, wreaths were laid by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, the parliament speaker's representative Anđelko Stričak, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mirko Šundov, national chief of police Nikola Milina and representatives of war veterans' organisations.

Jović, 22, was killed and nine other police officers were wounded in a police operation after Serb insurgents occupied Plitvice Lakes National Park and blocked the D1 state road that connects the country's north and south. Jović was a member of the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit.

The operation was launched on the morning of 31 March 1991, Easter Sunday, and is also known as Bloody Easter. According to police reports after the operation, 29 Serb extremists were arrested and 18 were charged with armed rebellion, including Goran Hadžić, a member of the main committee of the Serb Democratic Party, and Borivoje Šavić, secretary of the executive committee of the party's Vukovar branch.

Although the Croatian police regained control of the local police station, they had to withdraw later on and the area remained under rebel control until August 1995 when Operation Storm crushed the Serb insurgency.

Jović has been posthumously promoted to the rank of major and decorated with high state medals.

More news about Homeland War can be found in the Politics section.

March 16, 2019 - Continuing our look at the beautiful nature of Croatia through the active eyes of the one man and dog team from Outdoors Croatia, this week a trip to UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes.

It is one of Croatia's best-known tourist attractions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, and a slice of natural beauty which attracts more than a million visitors a year. 

But how to escape the crowds?

Our favourite active man and dog team from Outdoors Croatia have found a way. Get there early when it opens and rent a rowing boat. More lovely footage from these great promoters of Croatia's Great Outdoors. 

It is not the first time Outdoors Croatia has featured Plitvice Lakes. Their most popular video ever - and possibly one of the most beautiful things I have seen in Croatia - was a morning run on virgin snow. If you missed it first time around, here it is below.

Follow the Outdoors Croatia YouTube channel to experience Croatia as you have never seen it. 

To learn more about Plitvice Lakes whatever the season, check out our comprehensive Total Croatia guide. 

February 4, 2019 - With the spring season a month and a half away and summer hitting us before we know it, we hope we can make these bleak winter days go by a bit quicker with ideas for your 2019 holidays. Like road-tripping from Split to Zagreb, for example. 

Perhaps one of the most popular year-round routes in Croatia, getting from Split to Zagreb doesn’t have to be painful. Sure, you can get there with a 30-minute flight (though it’ll cost you a pretty penny), and then there’s the bus, the far more affordable option, though delayed buses and 5 and a half hour journeys don’t work in favor of all travelers. 

Instead, we suggest you hop in the car and take a road trip from the Dalmatian capital to the Croatian capital, and make a nature pitstop along the way. 

Namely, your journey from Split to Zagreb is best traveled with a stop in what we like to consider the ‘8th Wonder of the World’ - Plitvice Lakes National Park. 

Because we assume that 99% of travelers coming to Croatia are familiar with this natural gem, or better yet, that their trip to Croatia is motivated solely by the fact that you can frolic amongst these mesmerizing waterfalls, why wouldn’t it be a part of the journey from one capital to the next?

Allow us to map it out for you.

You’ll begin in Split, the capital of Dalmatia and once the home of Roman Emperor Diocletian. You’ll spend your days admiring the 1,700-year-old palace of Diocletian, the narrow stone alleyways, the thriving coffee culture you can enjoy from a bustling waterfront, the spirited local restaurant and bar scene, and the vibrant ancient history surrounding you with every step you take. 

After you’ve entirely consumed all that Split has to offer, you’ll hop in the car and head north to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Just under three hours away by car, you’ll be strolling through this mountainous karst area of Croatia in no time. You’ll gawk at its 16 cascading lakes, travertine barriers, flora and fauna, and vivid colors ranging from green to grey and blue. Once you’ve taken enough photos to kill the memory on your smartphones and are ready to depart from this experience in nature with a full heart, Croatia’s capital city awaits. 

Zagreb is just two hours away from Plitvice by car - and just enough time for a solid nap before you head out to explore yet another new city. Zagreb is Croatia’s quirky capital which prides itself on its laidback vibe, lively cafe society, and architecture ranging from Gothic to contemporary. Zagreb is also known for boasting the most museums per capita than anywhere else in the world. You’ll revel in its street art, savor in its international cuisine, and won’t find a minute to spare once you've started your adventure here. 

While we know that driving in Croatia may not be for everyone, we do have one solution we think you’ll like - Solo Transfers. Croatia’s reliable private transfers company, Solo Transfers is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to book your travels - and did we mention the most stress-free? Because all road trips should be made easy, you can find everything you need to know about booking with Solo Transfers on their website. 

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

As the Croatian demographic crisis continues, many Croatian towns, cities and municipalities have suggested and enforced their own measures to encourage people not only to stay where they are, but to bring new life into the country. What better way to do that than offer cash for each newborn baby? Plitvice Lakes Municipality (Općina Plitvička Jezera) has raised its amount by 2,000 kuna.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 11th of January, 2019, the right to a one-time cash sum is realised when at least one of the parents of a newborn child has a permanent place of residence in the area of ​​the Plitvice Lakes Municipality.

This very welcome news comes from the Plitvice Lakes Municipality itself and as Likaclub.eu writes, the amount of one-off cash sums paid directly by the Plitvice Lakes Municipality to the parents of newborn children from the area covered by that municipality has now been increased.

The amount given to new parents in the Plitvice Lakes Municipality has so far been 3,000 kuna for the first-born child, and then 500 kuna more for each child after that.

By the decision of Mayor Ante Kovač on January the 2nd, 2019, the Plitvice Lakes Municipality will now pay parents a sum of 5,000 kuna for every newborn this year, which is 2,000 kuna more than it has been so far.

The birth of the second child will see new parents receive 5,500 kuna, while for the third newborn child, the parents have the right to assistance in the amount of 6,000 kuna, or for each subsequent child born, 500 kuna more.

Make sure to stay up to date with our dedicated lifestyle and politics pages for more on the Croatian demographic crisis and the measures being put in place by towns, cities and municipalities across the country to help combat the continuing negative effects.

December 4, 2018 - Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979, the Plitvice Lakes are Croatia's biggest, oldest and most visited national park.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Plitvice Lakes each year, and the vast majority flocks to the park during summer. Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that – au contraire! – it is an amazing place to visit during all four seasons. However, if you happen to be nearby sometime between January and March, you definitely don't want to miss out on winter wonderland at Plitvice.

The best part of visiting Croatia's most frequented national park during wintertime is, obviously, very few visitors and no crowds. No waiting in lines at the ticket counter. No slow-walkers ahead of you, and no one breathing down your neck. And just imagine having the park nearly all to yourself? Such bliss!

Then there's the magnificent winter scenery: landscapes blanketed by freshly fallen snow, flaunting the frigid beauty of winter. Because spring, summer, and fall are beautiful and all... but Plitvice under the snow? So silent and serene – truly a sight to behold.

And let's not forget the diverse wildlife, as the Plitvice lakes are home to bears, wolves, lynxes, otters and other lake dwelling creatures, numerous rare bird species, etc. Okay, to be honest, I didn't really see that much of Plitvice's feathered and furry residents, but I saw some ducks, and they were pretty (and) wild.

If you're still not quite convinced, please enjoy the Outdoors Croatia video below, and for more related content, make sure you follow our dedicated travel page.

A little Croatian humour on Twitter to break up the TCN politics and business stories - Plitvice Lakes as you have never seen them on November 9, 2018.

I sometimes get told that TCN has become a little too serious these days. Having started out an irreverent travel blog about the island of Hvar, the focus these days is more on business and politics. But we haven't forgotten the lighter side of life... 

One Twitter post - and more especially the ensuing comments - had me laughing for much of the day, as Twitter user @bestanimal posted a rather unusual photograph of Plitvice Lakes, full of a herd of elephants, which is obviously not something you will ever see in Croatia - the only elephants are to be found in zoos - well, apart from one on Brijuni that Indira Ghandi gave to Tito back in 1984. 

Croats and their neighbours were quick to react: 

While Plitvice Lakes may have elephants, over at Kopacki Rit... 

Dinosaurs in Gorski Kotar. Or was it Bosnia. 

And it didn't take long before the exotic animal theme became political, which reminded me of a recent TCN editorial - Instead of Being Counted as Sheep, Will Croatians Ever Stand Up to Be Counted?

This being the Internet, it was not long before someone actually thought photos of dinosaurs roaming through Bosnia and elephants in Plitvice Lakes may not be someone messing around. THESE are the real Plivice Lakes, with no elephants, according to one poster. 

This despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, came an immediate reply from another poster with elephant experience to share.

It didn't take long for some of Croatia's neighbours to comment - a commentary on customer service in Macedinia. 

So are there elephants in Plitvice? There is only one way to find out - visit Plitvice, one of the great natural beauties of Europe, with or without elephants  

If you have time to go through all the comments on the original Twitter post, they are gold.

October 21, 2018 - Continuing our look back at Croatia as it once through online videos, a look at three gems of Croatian tourism before the crowds - Plitvice Lakes, Dubrovnik and Split.