Tag Archives: Croatia

Return To Nature: Krka National Park in Croatia

Are you a nature lover who wants to experience something unique and beautiful? Do you love waterfalls, long walks, or cycling in nature? If your answer is Yes, then it is time for Krka National Park in Croatia which is known for its series of 7 waterfalls.

If you are planning to visit Croatia, one of the places you must see is this national park.

One of the waterfalls

How To Get Here

Krka National Park is located in central Dalmatia. It consists of almost the entire course of the famous River Krka and the lower course of the river Cikola.

The northern part of national park Krka is near the town of Knin and the Dinara mountain, where the river springs. The southern part of the park, near the town of Sibenik, is where the river flows into the sea.

River Krka

Nearby are the towns of Skradin and Lozovac. There are at-least eight entrances into the Krka National Park located around the park’s various attractions.

Bike & Hike Friendly

You can visit the park by car, hiking trails, or bicycle routes. The roads to the park are well marked and connected to the main highways. Since the tourist locations are far from each other, some of them you can only visit by excursion boats.

Things To Do In Krka National Park

With a large number of sunny hours, unusual beauty of the waterfall, plenty of green areas, Krka makes for a real natural phenomenon. The National Park includes a large number of attractions that tourists visit, such as:

  • Hiking trails
  • Bike routes
  • Roman military camp
  • Waterfalls
  • Ethno Village
  • Monasteries
  • Medieval fortifications
  • Caves

Skradinski Buk

The first stop from Skradin is Skradinski Buk. You can get there by footpath, bicycle or excursion boat. This ride is in the ticket price and lasts about half an hour. The ship departs every 20 minutes. It is possible to take a dog with you to the National Park if it has protection. Also, you can visit Skradinski Buk on foot from Lozovac, but there is also a bus.

Skradinski Buk is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in this national park. It got the name Buk because of the big noise, created by the water that descends through the rocks. Visitors are also allowed to swim, but only in marked places.

The characteristic of this part of the National Park is a pedestrian, one-way path almost 2 km long. The trail is circular and leads through beautiful landscapes of water and greenery.

On this trail, there are plenty of places to rest. Also, there are beautiful viewpoints that are great for photography. This road leads us over many wooden bridges. There are many mills in this part. You can also visit an ethnic village that presents old crafts.

A large number of souvenir shops and there are also restaurants. The whole footpath is well marked. There are also educational boards with useful information.

From Skradinski Buk you can go further towards the Island Visovac, or a little further Roški slap. The price of these boat trips is additionally charged.

Island Visovac

On this island, there is a monastery with the church of Our Lady of Mercy and a museum. An island rich in greenery and gardens. First of all, it is a place of prayer. You need to be decently dressed when visiting the island.

Roski Slap

Another magnificent waterfall! You can visit it by boat from the island of Visovac and Skradinski Buk, but also by car. This part of the park is known for the rocks that line one another, which is why they were named Necklaces.

From the waterfall, the road leads to a lookout point that gives a beautiful view of the Necklaces.

Krka Monastery

Photo by Sonjabgd CCBYSA3.0

A special place is known as the home of the monks. It is an Orthodox monastery. You can come here by car or boat from Roški slap. The boat ride takes about 1 hour and is extra cost (not included in your park ticket). You can visit the church and the museum.

Manojlovack Slap

Represents the most beautiful viewpoint of the National park. It is also the highest waterfall in the Krka National Park. You can visit this waterfall by car to the parking lot, and then on foot to the viewpoint.

Burnum

Photo by Carole Raddato CCBYSA2.0

A characteristic of this part of the national park is the ancient Roman amphitheatre. It can be reached by car and continue with a walking tour. You can visit alone or accompanied by a guide. This amphitheatre shows the military past of this part of
the country.

Explore Skradin Town

Skradin town, Croatia

One of the entrances to the national park, as mentioned above, is Skradin. The small Mediterranean town is a great starting to visit the national park. During the season, it is very crowded due to tourists, and out of season, you will find a quiet place and a peaceful life of the locals.

With its narrow and long streets, it conquers this place. The colored tall houses, olive trees, old bicycles in front of the door make us peek into every corner. In the main street, there are many wineries. This area is known for its excellent local wine.

Besides to wineries, there are also restaurants, souvenir shops with handmade products. The donkey is an animal that represents the symbol of this area. Old stone steps lead to the landscape with a beautiful view of the marina and the river.

After this part of the city, we come to the promenade along the river. A large number of cafes and the port of boats during the season are the reason why you should walk through this part. Luxury ships sailing through this part of Europe come to Skradin for a break. They provide an unusual sight.

If we go to the other side of the promenade, we will come to a playground for children. There is also a part of the river where many swans have found their place. During the summer there is a small market, where you can buy local products such
as honey, olive oil, figs.

Note: It takes several days to tour the entire National Park. If this is your plan, the ideal solution is to find accommodation in Skradin. We offer hotel and apartment accommodation of various categories.

Plant & Animal World

Due to its pure nature, the National Park is home to various plants and animals. During the visit, we can see animals like turtles, frogs, lizards. There are more than 30 species of fish and over 200 species of birds. When we talk about plants, the most famous is the pyramidal bell that grows in the rocks and is purple.

It takes a lot of time to visit the whole national park! And after the tour, walking, feeling the freshness of the water on your skin, you will be full of impressions and thoughts.

Everyday lifestyle leaves us little time for us. The best thing today is to know how to plan your time and not forget your needs. That is the secret of love for travel.

Krka National Park is an ideal example of this and should be on your “must-see” list!

Tickets & Prices

You can buy tickets at the entrance to the National Park, at various marked places. If you want to save time, you can also buy tickets online (on the National Park’s website).

Ticket price depends on:

  • the location where you buy tickets
  • how old are you, and
  • whether you visit the park individually or in a group

An important factor that affects the price of the ticket is the period during the year when you visit the park. Prices are lower in the months outside the summer tourist season. During the winter, a large part of the national park is not open for visits.

Note: Children up to the age of seven have FREE admission.

Have you already visited this National Park? If so, what are your impressions?

Author Bio

Dragana Šuša is an economist in tourism and a freelance writer. Currently, lives and works in London. Many years of education and work in tourism she has dedicated to works with small and medium businesses. She works on the promotion and advertising of companies in tourism and hospitality through digital marketing. Her main goal is good textual content, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Social Media Optimization (SMO). You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Game of Thrones Real Filming Locations You Can Visit

With the fantastic progression of season 8 (thus far) of Game of Thrones, we thought of creating this summary page to refresh your memories.

Below are some images of real-life filming locations of Game Of Thrones. Yes, these sites are real and very much as magical as you see on the screen.

Must see: Game Of Thrones World Map of Seven Kingdoms

The Dark Hedges – Kingsroad

The Dark Hedges is a popular Northern Irish tourist attraction. Two lines of stately beech trees planted by the Stuart family in 1775 to line the entrance to their Gracehill House mansion.

But this is better known to Game of Thrones fans as the Kingsroad, as seen when Arya and Gendry first meet.

Photo by The Art of Travel Partners

Bardenas Reales – Dothraki Sea

 

Who would have thought that The Spanish Badlands of clay, chalk, and sandstone would become the favorite of so many viewers!

This out of the world location is the Bardenas Reales near the Town of Tudela, Spain, where the Khaleesi meets another Dothraki Tribe in the sixth season. One of the stunning real-life locations of Game of Thrones.

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Seville – Arena of Meeren

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The most expensive scene shot in the entire series of The Game of Thrones as well as the history of Television is in Plaza de Toros, Osuna, Spain.

Photo by The Art of Travel Partners

It is the set for the first meeting of Tyrion and Daenerys. Aside from the vibrant shrines, you can enjoy the first GoT themed Restaurant in Osuna Cassa Curro.

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Essaouira & Marrakech – Astapor

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This city is 100 Km west of Marrakech (Morocco), and its Red Walls make it a believable Red City of Astapor, one of the breathtaking real-life locations of Game of Thrones.

It is here that Daenerys buys the army of world-famous unsullied soldiers, “Slay the masters, Slay every man who holds a whip, but harm no Child.”  These are the exact words of the Dragon Queen when she frees the slaves.

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Grjotagja – Jon & Ygritte’s Love Nest

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In North Eastern Ireland lies the Love cave of Jon Snow and Ygritte. The small volcanic cave has a spring where the temperature escalates till 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is no doubt that Jon Snow and Ygritte were getting hot in this cave. *Winks*

If you wanna get as hot as them, then you can visit this sizzling real-life filming site of Game of Thrones.

If you wanna get as hot as them, then you can visit this sizzling real-life filming site of Game of Thrones.

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Vatnajokull – North of the Wall

Wonder what lies beyond the wall (except the White Walkers of course!) The largest glacier in Europe sweeps across this frozen landscape in Iceland. You can play dress up as a GoT fan and snap some “really cool” pictures here.

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Dubrovnik – King’s Landing

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King’s Landing is shot in the Old Town, Dubrovnik, Croatia. We all know that Cersei had that walk of shame a long time coming, but if you would like to know her path of Walk of Shame, then take the steps of Church of St. Ignatius Loyola.

It is where one of the most hated characters of GoT suffered humiliation. That is how close you get to find real-life Game of Thrones Locations.

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Minceta Tower – House of the Undying

Every Game of Thrones fan remembers how the tiny Drogon and his siblings fried the Undead who tried to lure and trap Daenerys and her dragons.

The House of the Undying is nothing other than the highest point of the Dubrovnik City Walls in this old Croatian City. Or to be precise, it is called the Minceta Tower.

No better Real Life Game of Thrones location than the place where the Mother of Dragons fried her enemies, is there?

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Lokrum – Qarth

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In the season 2, we see a lot of Daenerys in Qarth. The real-life locations of the Game of Thrones’ Qarth is Lokrum (also in Croatia).

It is a small island just a 10 Minutes boat ride from the coast of Dubrovnik. The fortress in which Daenerys stays is one of the highest on the Island which gives you a panoramic view of the Protected National Park.

Sibenik  – Braavos

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All Arya’s fans know well that her internship at the House of Black and White wasn’t a child’s game. But Braavos is such a city which brings to life the inner wildness of Arya’s character.

Even though most of the House of Black and White scenes were shot on a made-up stage, nevertheless, the real-life locations of The Game of Thrones’s Braavos is Sibenik, Croatia.

It is here, in the alleys and plazas of the old town of Sibenik that Arya does most of her wanderings.

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Castle Ward – Winterfell

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It is in Castle Ward that Robert Baratheon made his entry to Winterfell. The real-life location of Game of Thrones, Winterfell is Castle Ward in Ireland which is a sprawling land of 820 acres.

This gothic and classical architecture, the woodlands, and sunken gardens make you think that you are seriously in the North.

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Also, the Doune Castle, a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune in central Scotland, was used as the set for Winterfell in the pilot (pictured below).

Photo by Otter CC BY-SA 3.0

Dragon Skull – Jurassic coast

A spectacular dragon skull the size of a double-decker bus appeared to have been washed up on Charmouth beach on Dorset’s Jurassic coast in England.

Photo by TaylorHerring CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Azure Window – Dothraki Wedding

The Azure Window at Ras-id-Dwerja, on Gozo (in Malta), was the site of the Dothraki wedding in season one of Game of Thrones.

Photo by Felix König CC 3.0

Any fan theories you have got on how the Game of Thrones might end? If so, let us know in the comments! You have one month to figure this out!

Game of Thrones Maps of Westeros & Seven Kingdoms

Beautiful maps of Westeros and the rest of the known world as shown in Game of Thrones. Below you have Game of Thrones Westeros map of all the Houses: Stark, Lannister, Tyrell, Martell, Baratheon, Arryn, Mormons, Tully, Targaryen, and Greyjoy.

Map by guydouglasdesign from Tumblr

Photo by twipzdeeauxilia CC BY SA 2.0

Game of Thrones Maps

The world of Game of Thrones is divided into four major landmasses divided into seven kingdoms.

Dubrovnik, Croatia / Photo by Hans Permana CC BY-NC 2.0

Credit: https://fuckyeahfictionalmaps.tumblr.com (Tumblr)

The Seven Kingdoms

The story’s main focus is on Westeros and King’s Landing (pictured above). Everybody and every kingdom and city-states are fighting everyone else to gain control of the entire Westeros and the seven kingdoms.

Everyone wants to either sit on the Iron Throne or be in a good relationship with the person sitting on the Iron Throne.

At the very bottom of Westeros, you have Dorne. It is separated from the rest of Westeros by Red Hills. To the west, you have The Reach. It is the most fertile region in the continent.

Above Dorne, you have the Stormlands. This one is a rocky and marshy land and also contains many forests. Above it is Crownlands (Waters), the seat of the Iron Throne. The capital city of Westeros, King’s Landing, is in the Waters region.

To the west, you have the Westerland, a mountainous region with gold and silver mines. They are the richest household. The region in the center of the continent is called Riverlands, a medley of plains, hills, forests, and numerous rivers.

The islands to the west are called the Iron Islands. The seas around the islands are very stormy and destructive and have also destroyed and eroded most of the Pyke castle.

To the islands’ diametric right, we have The Vale, a high mountainous region.  Lastly, the North is the largest of the seven kingdoms, and it is called Winterfell. 

Another continent, Essos is further south and the weather is hotter and it is a region made up of several free city-states.

Credit: The Huffington Post

Photo by TaylorHerring CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Bonus: A spectacular dragon skull the size of a double-decker bus appeared to have been washed up on Charmouth beach on Dorset’s Jurassic coast in the United Kingdom.

Hope you enjoyed this collection of Game of Thrones maps! Many thanks!