Best Hikes In Croatia (Islands, Mountains & Walls)

From stunning islands to gorgeous cities – Croatia is full of different adventures for everyone. In this post, we are going to talk about the best hikes in the country – from easy and short loops around city walls to thrilling long-distance hikes through the forests of peninsulas and islands.

Whether you’re a beginner, a casual hiker or an expert with decades of experience we have some of the best hiking in Croatia for you! There’s something all of them have in common – spectacular views no matter where you look. And most of those panoramic views feature the Adriatic sea, which happens to be the main thing that attracts people to this stunning Mediterranean country.

Tips For Hiking In Croatia

Quite a lot of the trails in Croatia we’re going to tell you about are inside national parks or maybe a nature park, most of which have an entrance fee. The prices vary depending on the season – usually, the tickets are most expensive in the summer, with significant discounts in spring and fall and bargain tickets in the winter. If you’re traveling with a group of other hikers, it would probably be best to go in the offseason, since tickets to some of these NPs tend to be quite pricey.

Croatia deals with devastating fires nearly every year and the Pelješac peninsula is particularly susceptible to them, due to the sheer amount of wooded areas. It’s very important that you don’t leave any trash or anything flammable behind, since one single spark is enough to set the massive forested land ablaze. And bear in mind that under the scorching sun, even a small plastic bag is a fire hazard.

The fauna in Croatia is abundant, to say the least. Especially on the islands and peninsulas that are mostly forest – even if it’s very hot outside, you shouldn’t even consider doing the hikes in sandals or any kind of open shoes. You could encounter anything from Black Widow spiders to wild boars on the tracks, so it’s very important to be fully prepared for the animal kingdom that awaits.

It’s also a great place to find stunning campsites, if you want to combine hiking and camping, or just save a little money.

Plitvice Lakes Loop

Plitvice Lakes is Croatia’s most popular national park. As you might have guessed, this trail is a loop around the national park that allows you to see all the best sights in the NP! And it’s a very easy trail that anyone can do, but we wouldn’t expect anything less from a trail around the country’s best known national park.

The trail begins immediately near Entrance 1, and it takes you around all of the bigger lakes, into the Šupljara cave and by some magnificent waterfalls. This loop also passes by Gustav Janeček memorial and near the park’s swimming area – on a hot day, a refreshing swim in the lake is a perfect detour from the hike.

Bear in mind that this isn’t the only hike you can do in the area – the national park actually boasts some proper hiking trails that pose a challenge even to the more experienced hikers. But this one is definitely the loop you should do first if you’ve never visited Plitvice Lakes before, as it’s the perfect opportunity to explore all the best sights of Croatia’s most famous n