Plitvice lakes

One of the most visited natural attractions in Europe - Plitvice Lakes - situated in the central part of Croatia. This is not surprising: in 1949, the picturesque Plitvice Lakes received the status of a national park, and since 1979 are in the register of UNESCO "World Heritage".


Attraction of foreign tourists to the Plitvice Lakes began in 1983, when a special program to attract tourists to the most beautiful places of the country has been developed. The program was purchased boats for water excursions, paved trails for hikers, are equipped vacation spots, built the first hotel, placed advertisements in the press around the world. This approach proved to be correct: interest flared lakes, the park was visited by the Austrian imperial family, led by Emperor Francis I and Empress Augusta Carolina. What motivates those hundreds of thousands of modern tourists, who are convinced that this is the main attraction of Croatia?

In 1991, the Plitvice Lakes have experienced one of the most tragic events in its history: the national park has become a place of repeated armed clashes during the Yugoslav wars. One of these collisions is called Bloody Easter, it was one of the tragic pages in the modern history of Croatia.

This park is located at an altitude of 400-1200 meters above sea level, so the air is clean, fresh, transparent and imbued with the aroma of virgin forest. According to the park laid a lot of different length routes: the shortest at 2 hours, and the longest of them is designed for 7-8-hour walk, that is, requires a good physical shape. On some of the routes you can drive in the tourist train. Getting lost on the route impossible at every turn of every path is a pointer or a navigation banner.

But, nevertheless, to go deep into the thicket is not recommended: in the park is home to not only plants, but also a variety of animals, and they can be configured not quite peacefully.

Sometimes the big fish in the lake flashed, clear overgrown among the relatives of the lesser known reservoirs - tourists are not greedy people, a piece of bread rolls with trout each is willing to share. In total, the protected park you can see a very beautiful 16 lakes, 140 waterfalls, the real beauty who can not pass even the best picture, more than two dozen caves, beech and pine forest.

The park is a unique self-healing ecosystem. Each year old trees, dying, sink to the bottom of the lake, turn into fine white silt.

Every year there are emerging new waterfalls, lakes are filled with clear water. Until now, scientists argue about the nature of the origin of these lakes, they have not reached a consensus.

Unfortunately all tourists swimming in lakes is prohibited, but it has its advantages: for many years the lake are unsurpassed in purity, brightness and beauty - despite the fact that every day thousands of tourists come to its shores. In addition, we can not put up tents, to kindle bonfires, fishing, and tear the plants: everything is done to preserve this natural beauty for future generations. But you can make great pictures: piercing green light is very soft and beautifully describes the objects of photography.