Springtime Magic in Croatia

On April 17, 2027 (Saturday), we depart from Szeged in the early morning. During the morning, we cross into Croatia at the Letenye border crossing. Our first stop is Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, where we explore the city’s main attractions on foot. We visit Zagreb Cathedral, founded by the Hungarian King Saint Ladislaus. We also stop at St Mark’s Square, home to the official residence of the Croatian President, the Parliament building and St Mark’s Church, dedicated to the square’s patron saint. Zagreb’s funicular railway has been carrying passengers for more than 130 years. At just 66 metres long, it is one of the shortest funicular railways in the world. In the city’s main square, we find the impressive equestrian statue of Josip Jelačić, the Croatian ban whose name is also familiar to Hungarians from the victorious Battle of Pákozd. After some free time in the historic city centre, we continue our journey towards Plitvice. Along the way, we make a short stop in Slunj, a picturesque town situated at the confluence of the Korana and Slunjčica rivers. Here, we admire the beautiful waterfalls cascading between the old houses. We then continue to our accommodation near Plitvice Lakes National Park, where a delicious dinner awaits us.

After breakfast, we travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Of Croatia’s eight national parks, it is the largest, covering an area of 294 km². In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a natural heritage site. Across this intricate system of lakes, extending for more than 8 kilometres, the water descends by a total of 133 metres. The Great Waterfall, fed by the Plitvica Stream, is the park’s most famous landmark, with water cascading down from a height of 78 metres in a spectacular display. We begin our guided walk by exploring the Lower Lakes. This is followed by a short break, with opportunities to enjoy a meal and purchase souvenirs. We then board a boat to cross Lake Kozjak. After disembarking, we continue our journey through the Upper Lakes area, admiring the park’s extraordinary natural beauty. At the end of our walk, park shuttle buses take us back to the entrance. We depart for home in the early afternoon, with arrival in Szeged expected late in the evening.