Dalmatia-Sibenik Region -Unique and magical world of water, stone and sea

From Zadar southwards the well indented archipelago of Northern Dalmatia grows ever more fragmented, until it turns into the spell-binding intricacy of the Kornati islands of stone, strewn across the blue expanse of the sea, and instead of the River Zrmanja it is the River Krka that weaves its green magic in the rock-bound bleakness of the Dalmatian hinterland. In other words, in the two national parks, Kornati and Krka, thought by many to be the most precious natural jewels of the whole of Dalmatia, located in the small region of Dalmatia-Šibenik. Comprising just one county, the County of Šibenik-Knin, it has been named after its two largest towns, one at the source and the other at the confluence of the River Krka.

The beneficence of nature in these parts is equally evident in the relatively small but numerous islands of the so richly indented Šibenik archipelago . Apart from the best known of these islands, the Kornati and their sheer cliffs there is Murter, the island of its keepers and famous fi shermen, Zlarin and its renowned coral hunters; tiny Krapanj, and its equally well known sponge harvesters, and Kaprije, a yachtsman’s Mecca. Šibenik, the capital of the county, is reached through the labyrinth of the narrow Sveti Ante channel and from there, onwards through the canyon of the River Krka towards its waterfalls . Theeyes of those travelling through the littoral of Dalmatia’s Šibenik region are also drawn to the vineyards of Primošten, which represent a unique example of what diligent humans can wrest from harsh, unyielding stone ,so much so that a photograph of them can be seen hanging in the UNESCO building. And the beauty of the hinterland to this wondrous place is no less alluring, for in addition to the River Krka there are the peaks of the Dinara, the highest Croatian mountain, and numerous ruins in the rocky desolation of the karstic interior. However, the favourite destination in the Šibenik area for nature lovers is the RIVER KRKA National Park, located next to Plitvice Lakes, the country’s most popular national park. The Krka waterfalls, just like those of the Plitvice Lakes, result from travertine sedimentation.

The national park covers the major part of the course of this amazing river, and in addition to natural monuments it abounds with cultural and historical monuments. The most outstanding of these is the Franciscan monastery on the tiny isle of Visovac, set like a precious stone in the middle of a lake-like widening in the river. Within the monastery there is a picture gallery, and a church whose origins can be traced back to the 14th century. In the middle of the canyon, upstream of the river, is the interesting Krka Orthodox monastery; while on the high ground above the river sit several old ruins. A magnet for visitors are the old mills which have been transformed into small ethnographic museums where one can see how wheat was ground in olden days .

Demonstrations are given by interpreters of history, attired in traditional folk costumes , which is particularly interesting and entertaining for children, who are frequent visitors to this park . The main attraction of the Krka National Park is its seven waterfalls. The widest of these is Roški slap, although Skradinski buk is the biggest and most well known. Roški slap is further enhanced by its impressive ambiance, the lofty canyon cliff s in its immediate vicinity and the lush greenery of its surroundings . Still more imposing is Skradinski buk whose seventeen steps extend to a length of 800 metres, with a total altitude diff erence of 46 metres. It is small wonder that most visitors gather around those two waterfalls for, in addition to being able to enjoy the magic and roar of the water, one can also enjoy walks through a myriad of paths which, for the most part, follow ancient trails, testifi ed to by the numerous little old bridges. All around Roški slap and Skradinski buk is any number of rest places, the most favoured being in front of old stone houses set in the shade of surrounding trees .

Of the seventy-two kilometres of the River Krka’s course, about two-thirds run through acanyon, and the remainder in lake-like widenings , the largest of which surrounds the isle of Visovac . The blue hues of the river and the greenery of her banks seem like a mirage against the surrounding waterless limestone plateau, watched over by ancient ruins . Beyond the charming little town of Skradin , which happens to be the favourite starting point for boat trips to the park, the River Krka gradually widens, first into Prokljansko jezero (Prokljansko Lake) and then into a deep sea bay, towards the city of Šibenik. The beauty of the Kornati, the other crown jewel of the Dalmatian region of Šibenik and the most richly indented archipelago in the Mediterranean, is in no way overshadowed by the River Krka. The only reason that the Kornati do not attract as many visitors lies in the fact that they can be reached only by water, after a relatively long boat journey. The KORNATI archipelago consists of 140 uninhabited islands, isles and reefs with a total area of only 70 km2. They are famous for the peculiar shapes of reefs and crags, and particularly for their high cliff s . Th ere are those who claim that the number of the isles is greater, since an old saying goes: “As is the number of days in a year, so is the number of the Kornati islands” .