Krka is significantly smaller than Plitvice lakes however, still beautiful. I would say it is less crowded, a blessing as there is only one walking trail around the national park compared to Plitvices Lakes having multiple trails of varying lengths.
The Krka National Park is home to 7 stunning waterfalls with the largest one being the Skradinski Buk. Krka is not just about nature, it also has remnants of history as a reminder of its industrial past, powered by the waterfalls. With its mighty stone mills, local farmers use to grind grain since ancient times. The poor, who lived with no water, use to come with their laundry and wash their bedclothes and blankets up until the 1980’s. The powerful waterfalls of Krka power the mills all year round.
Today the renovated 13th century houses form a small village, a museum demonstrating how life use to be before the industrial revolution. Home to a 19th century watermill, a blacksmiths and you can watch people dressed in traditional Dalmatian clothing creating colourful patterned carpets and wall art on a weaving loom. Also within the borders of the park are the ruins of a Roman military town.
The waterways around the small village and watermill, gather in pools with the water cascading around moss covered rocks down the rugged terrain. We sat having a coffee watching the many ducks bathing and congregating in the sunshine, an idyllic settling and so peaceful.
The park is home to a tiny island called Visovac and this is home to a 18th century Franciscan Monastery. You can visit, restricted to half an hour, to view the treasures of the monastery museum, however dogs are not allowed therefore we were unable to see this part of the park.
Bathing use to be allowed in this park however to protect nature there has been a ban on swimming since January 2021.
We visited the park twice, the second day our friends Dee and Jim with their dog Ozzy came to join us in the park. Ended up quite a drinking and eating session and not much walking and exploring done. Jim and Dee then headed off to Split to take the ferry crossing to Italy and then on to Spain their next travel chapter. All arranged to meet up in April in Dorset for our rock climbing and coastal experience.
Travel adventures 