The 16 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Croatia - with Map

Masses of water crash down from dizzying heights. Fine droplets swirl around, coolly settling on your skin. It rushes, thunders, rumbles, and splashes. It's clear: Waterfalls are among the most spectacular natural phenomena - and therefore top attractions when traveling!

In case you are planning a vacation in Croatia and are looking for some highlights, you can simply scroll down. We have compiled the country's most beautiful waterfalls for you. Water ahoy!

Why is the Veliki Slap at the top of our list? Well, because it's the tallest waterfall in Croatia! Water plunges from a height of 78 meters. You might even recognize the giant: Several scenes for the Karl May films were shot in this national park in the 1960s.

The Veliki Slap is the most spectacular, but not the only waterfall in Plitvice Lakes National Park. The 16 cascade-like lakes of this 300-square-kilometer park are connected by numerous waterfalls - a true hotspot for waterfalls and perfect for hiking from fall to fall.

The karst river Zrmanja is a paddler's paradise! Surrounded by mighty rocks up to 200 meters high, its emerald water flows past historic forts, mills, fields, through narrow gorges, and into calmer arms. And again and again, millions of liters of water thunder into the depths, as the river landscape offers several waterfalls.

Below the reservoir on the Zrmanja is the 13-meter Visoki Buk, the largest waterfall in the area and a highlight of many canoe tours. But the Ogarov Waterfall is also worth seeing: It is located in one of the river's perhaps most spectacular canyons.

The 40-meter-high Gubavica Waterfall on the Cetina River is somewhat hidden, but with our map, you should find it. You can see it from a viewpoint in the village of Zvadvarje or explore it on a canyoning tour - if you dare to descend the narrow gorge. But once there, you can discover underground tunnels and natural pools with crystal-clear water.

If you're into adventure, the Cetina is the place to be. The 101-kilometer-long river (one of the longest in the Dalmatia region) has several rapids - perfect for a rafting adventure!

Time for a swim parade at the cascade: Skradinski Buk is one of the few waterfalls in Croatia where swimming is permitted. Over 17 steps and a length of 800 meters, water flows down from a total height of almost 46 meters. No wonder that many people enthusiastically plunge into the waves in this wonderful setting. However, note that swimming is only allowed in designated areas.

In addition, entry to Krka National Park is fee-based. However, besides Skradinski Buk, you can expect six other large and several small waterfalls there.

Rastoke is built so close to water that sometimes a waterfall crashes down just a few meters from a house. In the mountain village 33 kilometers north of the Plitvice Lakes, the rivers Slunjčica and Korana meet. This results in rapids and waterfalls.

The locals already capitalized on the water in the 17th century. The water mills from that time can still be admired today. Many small houses have also survived through the centuries. This picturesque village with its narrow lanes is very popular with travelers.

The waterfalls and turquoise pools of the Mirna River regularly attract many visitors to Kotli. The village itself is largely abandoned - another reason why the northern Istrian location captivates so many people.

Walking through the streets, you pass by many empty homes that are gradually decaying. In the past, locals built mills powered by water here. But with the advent of electricity, they literally became obsolete, and many families left in the 1960s. Today, the old watermill in the Mirna Valley is considered a symbol of Kotli. In spring and fall, a significant amount of water not only flows down the waterfall but also over the mill's wooden slides, breathing life into the 'ghost village.'

Looking for more inspiration?Find tips for all top travel destinations at bettercities.net.