ohh caroline

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*originally posted 10/11/2016 on ohcaroline.weebly.com*

Spotlight: Plitvička jezera, Croatia

We’ve all seen it plastered across Pinterest and lists declaring the “most beautiful places in the world,” but are the pictures too good to be true? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I cannot recommend making a trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park enough- because wow. The scenery is nothing short of stunning, and truly makes for some seriously gorgeous #nofilter moments. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming popularity of the park,
visiting can be a little overwhelming for those of us that are spoiled by open space (looking at you Rocky Mountains). However, there are plenty of ways to alleviate these worries- check out my top 5 tips on how to make your Plitvice Parks visit as picture perfect as possible!

My friend Lizzy and I decided to visit Plitvice as a day trip from Split, which made for a long but definitely incredible day. We took a bus via getbybus.com and in total spent about 40 Euro to get there and back, which was a bit steep, but one of the only options if you do not have a rental car. If you’re leaving from Split, be careful: there are two “main” bus stations and you definitely want to make sure you are at the correct one (attached to the train station across from the ferries)! Lizzy and I got there 15 minutes early and still barely made the bus since we were waiting in the wrong spot-oops.

#1: Take the bus & enjoy the views.

#2: Start at Entrance #2: Hladovina

At the second entrance, you can buy your ticket from two different offices. The office with the huge line is where everyone is paying for parking and are paying with card. Make your way to the “INFO” office where you can buy your ticket in Kuna (Croatian currency) in about two seconds and save yourself a good hour of standing in line. PLUS, there’s a student discount which saves you a good 70 Kuna (~$10) during the summer months, so whip out that ID. Tip #3:

#3: Pay for your ticket in cash, and use your student ID.

Another huge perk to starting your day at the second entrance is the abundance of little stands selling wild berries near the info office. The little wild strawberries gave me such a throwback to picking berries with my sisters when we were kids in Germany, and were definitely worth buying not just for nostalgia but for the taste. Since the national park is a full day kicker, definitely make sure you bring plenty of snacks, water, and a pack lunch as well! (there are places to buy lunch inside the park, but just like in the U.S. it will be severely overpriced and extra mediocre) Tip #4:

#4: Try the berries & bring all the snacks & all the water.

The best part about starting at Entrance #2 however, is that it forces you to make your way through the park backwards. Lizzy and I were so nervous that the day was going to be crowded and overwhelming, negating the beauty of the park. By working backwards, we avoided the majority of the crowds and actually had quite a few times where we were the

only people on our section of boardwalk! Also, by taking route H rather than the more popular and shorter routes A or B, it was easier to take our time in the park and not feel as rushed by the crowds. Tip #5:

Bonus tip: Bring a buddy! There’s nothing better than sharing beautiful places with wonderful people!