I’ve always had a soft spot for waterfalls, so visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park has been on my travel list for years. I had hoped this trip to Croatia would finally be the moment to see it, but with Plitvice sitting inland and well north of Split, it just wasn’t feasible for this trip. Luckily, we found a beautiful alternative in Krka National Park, which is Croatia’s second most visited park.
Getting there
After landing and meeting at the Split airport (Mark from Germany and I from Canada), we picked up our rental car for the day and drove straight to the town of Skradin. Our journey from the airport was about 65 km, a 1-hour drive, mostly on the highway. We paid the small toll and cruised with no other traffic. The distance from Split is about 90 km, a 1.5-hour drive. There are also buses from Split to Skradin. These leave multiple times per day, take a similar amount of time, and cost about 10 euros.
Skradin is one of four entry points to Krka National Park. The other three are: Lozovac, Roški slap/Laškovica, and Burnum/Puljane. Lozovac is the most popular option, as it offers ample parking and a shuttle to the Skradinski Buk waterfall. We chose Skradin because we wanted the scenic arrival by boat. The boat ride up the Krka River is included in the entry ticket (20 euros each; prices increase to 40 euros in high season). Watching the banks slip by as we slowly wound down from a week of long tradeshow days and woke up from jetlag was perfect.
What to see & do
After a short walk in, we were greeted by Skradinski Buk waterfall. This is the most visited attraction and usually the busiest area. It was a stunning welcome to Croatia, with its tumbling cascades and clear green pools surrounded by lush forest. And everything I want in a waterfall. We spent the late morning wandering the floating wooden pathways in the dappled sunlight, past old watermills and through quiet pockets. Being shoulder season, it was not too busy, allowing us space to move and enjoy the peace of this natural gem. The loop was approximately 2 km long. After a few hours, we boarded the boat again and headed back to Skradin.
Krka offers many hiking trails, seven waterfalls in total, and historic sites. Aside from being tired and seeking a slow day, we had not done detailed research beyond the area of Skradinski Buk waterfall. I am sad to have missed out on the larger park, but I thoroughly enjoyed our experience nonetheless. For more information on the other waterfalls, hikes and sights at Krka, please visit this link.
Skradin
Before heading to Split, we stopped for a wander through Skradin. It appears quite touristy at first glance, but once we were past the waterfront, we were met with an adorable town. We stopped at a little wine bar called Wine Garden. It was the end of the season, so we got to try a few leftover wines. The seating is in their peaceful, shaded garden- the perfect slow pause before hitting the road again. After wine, we had an early dinner at Pizza Paulonija before hitting the road. We took a more scenic route to Split, skipping the highway and opting for local roads. After a slightly longer drive, dropping off the rental car and finding our way to the Airbnb, we officially started our Croatian adventure in Split.
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