ENKrka National Park
Follow the trace of the karst river
Overview
Departure from Vodice. A drive through the archipelago between Srima and the island of Prvić towards the St Anthony's Channel. Keep sailing through the protected landscape of the St Anthony's Channel and the historic Šibenik Bay. Sightseeing of attractions in the Channel and the bay with a unique panoramic view of the City of Šibenik and two UNESCO monuments, the Cathedral of St James and the St Nicholas' Fortress, the sea guard of the city.
Collection and tasting of mussels from a local farm. Continuation of sailing along the river Krka's estuary, across Prokljansko lake and farther through the canyon to Skradinski Buk, the largest and richest waterfall of the Krka river. Landing in the National Park with free time for sightseeing, visiting attractions and rest. Return to Vodice.
Itinerary
| Info | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | from 08:00 until 09:00 | Vodice |
| Departure | 09:00 | Vodice |
| 09:15 | Toboggan Dock-Hotel Olympia / Hotel Imperial | |
| Arrival | 11:45 | National park Krka-Skradinski Buk |
| Departure | 14:45 | National park Krka-Skradinski Buk |
| Return | 17.00 | Vodice |
Map of the excursion
Welcome to Vodice, the best transition point to start sightseeing the surrounding area. Due to the environment and the beautiful archipelago, the proximity of two national parks and the charming beauty of the city, the tourism here has a long tradition, about fifty years old, and as an industry, it meant tremendous development for the town.
The population once lived in the Vodice fields, which abound with fertile water sources and provide conditions for agriculture and settlement on the coast is associated with a growing fear of the Turkish threat.
The city, named after the water, lies on the sources of drinking water. In the past, its prosperity relied on the abundance of wells and the water trade. Today, two wells have been preserved in the square, below the parish church, as a monument to tradition.
Prvić is the first island to the mainland of Vodice, only 1000 m away. It is inhabited by two picturesque, typical Mediterranean villages with stone houses and alleys, Prvić Šepurine and Prvić Luka, with about two hundred inhabitants in each. Because of their authenticity, they are protected as a cultural entity.
The island abounds in gorgeous natural beaches and the gentle terrain, with the present traces of arable land that testify for the people of Prvić as valuable farmers who cultivated a wide range of overseas lands along with their own.
Nowadays, Srima is a modern tourist resort connected to Vodice, but it was inhabited in prehistoric and ancient times. Archaeological finds of two one-nave basilicas, known among the population as "Prižba", were found at the Srimska Lokva site. They are also called twin churches because they were built next to each other.
It was on Srima that the inhabitants of Prvić had vineyards, so the real jewel of dry-stone heritage remained from that time, hidden from the sea - "Domaćinova bunja" (Host's Shelter) with a height of over 5 m. It was constructed to provide owners with accommodation when they had to stay longer to work in the vineyard, outside the main island of Prvić.
Zlarin is called the Golden Island because it is believed that its name comes from the Latin word golden.
It is also called Green Island because of its wooded appearance, the absence of cars, and cause it is the first "island without plastic" in Croatia.
However, Zlarin is best known as a coral island due to the long tradition of hunting and processing corals dating back to the 14th century. The Museum of Corals at the island shows that tradition, and the ecosystem of the Šibenik archipelago.
Jadrija is the first beach in Šibenik, a city district and a monument of cultural heritage. It is placed at the Šibenik Channel entrance, on a peninsula formed by an embankment in 1922 to connect St Andrew's islet with the mainland.
The dominant view of Jadrija is the lighthouse, still in function, whose construction began in 1816 during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was built as part of a lighthouse system on the Adriatic's east coast, intended to ensure trade sea routes' safety.
It was completed in 1871.
St Anthony's Channel is the only sea route to Šibenik. It was protected in 1974 as a natural phenomenon due to its landscape value.
The Channel is characterized by Aleppo pine and holm oak forests, the vegetation of about 600 plant species, and an underwater world of 56 shellfish species and an abundance of fish. The dominant feature of the relief is karst.
It is a little more than 2000 m long, 220 m wide and 40 m deep. In the past, it had two towers between which an iron chain stretched and defended the entrance to the city for the enemy ships.
Due to the Channel 's narrow width, the traffic of larger ships is regulated by traffic lights.
Under UNESCO protection, this fortress is one of the essential Venetian fortifications outside Venice, built for defence against the Ottomans. Famous as one of the most beautiful forts on the Adriatic. It was built on the islet of Ljuljevac, to which people eventually paved the way, and access to the fortress is now possible by land.
At the time of its construction, in 1540, it cost as much as half of Dalmatia, 40,000 ducats. The builders of the fortress are the distinguished Venetian Sanmicheli family.
There is the Cave of St Anthony, the abbot in the Channel that has served as a chapel since the Middle Ages.
Hermits also lived in it, including the Zadar nobleman Jeronim Detrico, buried there in 1615. One stone has been preserved from the church equipment, into which water drips from the rock. During the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, cannons were located there, and in the SFRY the cave continued to be used for military purposes.
During the Second World War, Germany began digging a sea tunnel in the living rock that was supposed to accommodate the "Schnellboots." People, therefore, popularly called the tunnel "Hitler's eyes." When only the excavated rock remained after the war, the post-war Yugoslavia army took over the tunnel, concreted it and used it for patrol boats.
Šibenik, as one of the historical Croatian cities, was first mentioned in the middle of the 11th century in a document of King Petar Krešimir IV.
The view is dominated by its four fortifications: St Nicholas, St Michael, St John and Barone.
Of the sacred monuments, of which the city has 24 churches and six monasteries, from a distance, the Cathedral of St James, a unique monument of European sacral culture attracts the eye's attention. The cathedral was constructed entirely of stone, without any other materials and is the work of Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac, placed under the care of UNESCO World Heritage.
On the way to Krka, we will stop to collect mussels at one of the shellfish farms, which we call "pidoče" in this area. You will taste fresh, freshly picked mussels, prepared on board as a speciality of this area. Mussels are prepared on "buzara" in a simple, traditional Dalmatian way that best expresses their exceptional taste.
In terms of construction features, it is one of the top ranges in the world of bridge construction.
It is notable because of the reinforced concrete arch, which was the first in the world to be entirely made by the cantilever approach, without scaffolding resting on the ground.
Concreting sections made the arch of 28 m on a steel scaffold hung over the top of the pillar above the heel of the arch anchored in the abutment at the end of the bridge.
Until the bridge was opened to traffic in the 1960s, traffic between the places took place by the sea.
Zaton is a village on the edge of the bay of the same name that connects the brackish Prokljansko Lake with the Šibenik Bay. In this area, there are freshwater sources along the coast, so the salinity of the sea is not felt, and the proximity of the river is already noticeable in the landscape. Until the Šibenik Bridge construction in the 1960s, Zaton was connected to Šibenik by a regular ferry line.
The Prokljan Channel stretches from Šibenik to the entrance to Lake Prokljan. Its biggest depth is precisely below the Šibenik bridge and is 36 m. There are white fish farms (goldfish and sea bass) at two locations, and about ten sites of mussel farms ("pidoća") which are among the most excellent quality due to the mixing of fresh and salt water and plant plankton in Croatia.
Lake Prokljan, with an area of 11 square kilometres, is the second-largest in Croatia and formed in the lower course of the river Krka which there encounters the mouth of the Guduča River. Due to the sea's contact, the water is salty in the lower layers and sweet on the surface. That is why it is also called the Prokljan Sea.
In the northern part, the lake is very shallow, 1-2 m, and in the southern region, it reaches a depth of 25 meters. It is a natural phenomenon of crypto depression which means that the lake surface is above sea level and its bottom is below sea level.
Gavan's Court is the name of a place on Lake Prokljan, where, in addition to the historical remains of the walls, according to locals, fragments of marble, decorated stones, Roman bricks, lead pipes and jewellery were found. According to the legend, a haughty rich woman, a "gavanuša", rudely chased off an angel disguised as a beggar for three times, and when the angel flooded her court, the Lake Prokljan was created.
* (gavan = rich, arrogant, haughty man)
The Krka Bridge is an arched reinforced concrete bridge over the Krka, 391 m long, intended for road traffic. As it is positioned near the National Park, it was constructed with a completely closed drainage system to preserve the environment. Precipitation polluted by traffic is drained in a controlled manner, and only after treatment in specialized techniques, they get released into the environment.
Skradin is the oldest settlement in Šibenik-Knin County, on the edge of Prokljansko Lake. It was inhabited early in prehistoric, Liburnian and Roman times. In the Croatian Middle Ages, it was associated with the Bribir dukes Šubić. Later it came under the rule of Venice and the Turks.
Today's outlines the city in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a favourite destination of sailors and lovers of romantic places where you can feel the comfort of the water-rich region and the river Krka's refreshing proximity.
The Skradinski Bridge was built in 1953 and marked the National Park's southwestern border and the beginning of the Park entrance. In its place once was an iron bridge, demolished in World War II. Passing under the bridge, you enter the canyon that was formerly used for the traffic of ships from all over Dalmatia that transported grain ground in the mills on Skradinski Buk. Currently, it is a magnificent path of greenery that leads to Skradinski Buk.
Skradinski Buk is the last, seventh and longest travertine barrier on the Krka. The deposition of limestone and the growth of travertine layers here caused the watering of the Krka River to Roški Waterfall and three kilometres of the lower course of the Čikola River and created one of the most impressive landscapes of the National Park. The water of the rivers Krka and Čikola flows together over 17 steps of Skradinski Buk, spread over 800 meters in length. The waterfall width is from 200 to 400 meters, and the total height difference is 45.7 m.
You can visit Skradinski Buk on wooden, winding paths with an easy hour-long walk through the refreshing shade of lush Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean vegetation. It is a peaceful and relaxing experience of absorbing the sounds, smells and sight of this unique ecosystem.
The travertine forms that we can see on Skradinski Buk are thresholds, travertine islets, curtains, barriers, semi-caves, caves and beards. Observing the Krka tufa's face from the direct vicinity is possible thanks to the pleasant wooden hiking trails that lead across the river.
You can perceive what the traditional life on the Krka used to be like in a complex of restored mills from the 19th century, which contain a grain mill, hammer steps for softening wool and blankets, a smithy and a traditional "kitchen." They are a significant monument of the Šibenik region as one of the leading sources of the economic strength of the city of Šibenik. The grain from numerous towns along the entire Adriatic coast ground here.
The Jaruga hydroelectric power plant is the second oldest hydroelectric power plant globally and the first in Europe. It was made according to the designs of Nikola Tesla. Thanks to its construction in 1895, Šibenik received public lighting and alternating current in homes above all in the world. It was built under the waterfall, and today one of the turbines of the first hydroelectric power plant is on display at Skradinski Buk. Next to the first, ten years later, the second hydroelectric power plant Jaruga II was built, which is still operating today.
Book an experience to remember
1.6. do 30.09.
Adults 79.00 €
Children 7-18y.
49.00 €
April, May, and October
Adults 64.00 €
Children 7-18y.
39.00 €
Included
- Welcome drink
- Licensed tour guide and audio guidance
- Tasting of fresh mussels
- Ticket for National Park Krka
5% ONLINE DISCOUNT!
Code:89AC41
1.06. do 30.09.
Adults 99.00 €
Children 7-18y.
74.00 €
April, May, and October
Adults 84.00 €
Children 7-18y.
59.00 €
Included
- All-inclusive beverage offer
- Licensed tour guide and audio guidance
- Tasting of fresh mussels
- Ticket for National Park Krka
5% ONLINE DISCOUNT!
Code: 89AC41
This excursion is for individual and group visitors.
- First-minute purchase tickets (for individual visitors), 15 days before the excursion, an additional 10% discount is realized.
- First-minute purchase tickets (for groups), 90 days before the excursion, a 10% discount is realized.
- For 12+ people (children up to 7 years are not included) there is a 10% discount.
- For groups (more than 25 people), price on request.
- For children up to 7 years of age, the tour is free.
- For booking two excursions, you get a 10% discount.
* Note:
The price is defined depending on the price of tickets to the National Park Krka. The price includes VAT.
Sail through Krka River with Destina's experiences
Visiting Krka with a departure from Vodice port makes more profound sense because the town that was named after the water lies on the sources of drinking water, and in the past, its prosperity relied on the abundance of wells and water trade.
With this trip, you will immerse yourself in a romantic experience of the Šibenik region, where the power of this river was the driving force of all life. Šibenik, one of the few Croatian and world cities with two UNESCO monuments, as a whole, is best offered to the eye by a panoramic boat tour.
On the way to the Krka National Park, you will experience the magnificent river estuary's unique view and the beauty of the St Anthony's Channel, which his sea guard dominates, the St Nicholas' Fortress from the reign of Venice. As you approach the city from the sea, you will enjoy the view of the old town surrounded by fortresses and the magnificent, entirely stone-built cathedral.
Stopping next to a local shellfish farm, you will experience the extraction and tasting of traditionally prepared mussels, given a unique taste by the brackish water and the richness of plant plankton.
Upon arrival in the Park, you will disembark directly at Skradinski Buk's entrance, one of the longest and most visited waterfalls of the Krka and get to know the phenomenon of the interdependence of the karst river and its travertine barriers. You will get to know the river, waterfalls, rich flora and fauna by walking along attractive wooden paths and bridges that lead through the entire park.
In the Park, you can experience the traditional way of life in the restored whole of the historic mills from the 19th century where you can see a stone mill for grinding grain, traditional woollen weaving and cloth on looms and poles, and a smithy with an ethnographic fund of tools and implements.
In the immediate vicinity, you will see the remains of the Jaruga hydroelectric power plant's turbines, the second oldest hydroelectric power plant in the world, made according to Tesla's designs. This National Park gives you the most beautiful tones of green and blue, the magical sound of waterfalls, and the landscape's richness.
Gallery
Reviews
Kornati are fascinating surrounding, to explore them with Destina travel was an unforgettable experience.
I went with my family this summer for a trip and we had a great time. The boat ride to the National Park Krka is interesting and you can se a lot, and the Krka Watrfalls are wonderful. On the boat we ate shells which are freshly cought and cooked and they were delicious.
Really great boat trip, nice brunch ( mussels) and lots of time in national Park Krka.