Croatia Online - Krka and Skradin

In our previous posting we referred to the joys of exploring Croatia off season. Krka National Park is one of the places that can get overloaded in July and August, but if that's the only time you can visit, it's still worth it. However if you can get there away from the crowds then the experience is so much better.

Skradin is the focal point of the park, the testimony to which is the new National Park centre which opened last June and is equipped with all the latest technology - touch screen computers, lcd displays and a vast array of information, all neatly tucked away in a modern and functional building just out of sight from the lovely old town itself.

All credit to Skradin for keeping its main facilities open all year round - its one very charming hotel, at least three of its most notable restaurants, the tourist office and the National Park Centre, more details later. Skradin also has a very popular ACI marina (ACI = the state owned marina network). Apart from being a delightful town, a mooring in fresh river water is much easier on the hull than the Adriatic's salt water. For more details, see our sister site Croatia Cruising Companion - Skradin

From Skradin we decided to visit Roški Slap, a good twenty minute drive away along a country road, through the narrow streets of Rupe, past a few steep drops, and, on this occasion, past a few bemused workmen who were improving the road and thought that the route was closed. The waterfalls at Roški Slap are less dramatic than those that the boat from Skradin will take you to, and have less interlinking walkways (just one wood bridge in fact) but are none the less impressive in perhaps a more unspoilt way. At this time of year it just seems to be a wildlife playground, particularly for mallards.

Croatia clearly takes its natural heritage very seriously indeed and it's extremely refreshing to see money invested wisely in increasing the facilities and information available to allow enjoyment of Krka and its surrounds without spoiling them.

Todays photo is of the mallards enjoying themselves at Roški Slap after a busy tourist season.

Information
Krka National Park tel 022 771 688, fax 022 771 689
Tourist centre opening hours: 1.11 - 28.2: 9am-4pm; 1.3-31.10 8am-7/8pm (8pm when the clocks change!)

Hotel Skradinski Buk tel 022 771 771, fax 022 771 770

Skradin Restaurants:
There are many good restaurants in Skradin and we've mentioned just two below - one we know and the other one we like the look of.

Zlatne Skoljke, in the centre, has a strong reputation, was good when we ate there a year or so ago and we continue to get positive feedback - prices just a little above Dalmatian average.

Konoba Cantinetta, is on the "outskirts" of the town but such is Skradin's compactness that it will take less than 5 minutes to walk there from the centre. It's terrace, open fire and exterior look very inviting even when it's closed on a cold day!

The other good news is that a new hotel opened last year in the National Park and that's open all year round too. Hotel Vrata Krke is about a 10 minute drive from Skradin and is purpose built and self contained, so there's no longer any excuse not to visit the Šibenik area out of season - all the delights of nature at its best and one of Croatia's best unspoilt cities to explore.