A 57-kilometre high-altitude trail and a 600-metre stone loop trail show how differently you can explore Lika-Senj. In between are stories of Tesla, traces of old crafts and caves that offer insights into the landscape. The county is well suited to travellers who want to focus on nature, culture and coastal trails in different ways.
Velebit: Trails on different scales
Velebit is Croatia’s largest mountain range, about 145 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide. The 57-kilometre Premužić Trail connects the peaks of the northern and central Velebit, from Zavižan to Baške Oštarije. The Theresiana educational trail offers a different approach: it includes a three-kilometre section of the old Austro-Hungarian Teresiana road, which connects Gospić with the port of Karlobag. From the trail, there are views of the Oštarije plateau, surrounded by rocks, the Adriatic Sea and the islands of the Zadar and Kvarner archipelagos.
Shorter trail details are useful for comparison, too: Velebit Botanical Garden is a 15-minute walk from the Zavižan mountain hut and has a 600-metre stone loop trail. In Northern Velebit National Park, two trails lead to Veliki Zavižan, the park’s highest peak at 1,676 metres. Trail conditions may vary by season.
Velebit House, the visitor and information centre for Northern Velebit National Park, is located in Krasno. Its exhibits cover climate, species and habitats, as well as cultural heritage, geology and the underground of northern Velebit. One of the special experiences is access to caves by a dedicated lift. The visitor centre therefore brings together nature topics and the exploration of the underground.
Caves, springs and memories of traditional work
Samograd Cave is the largest and most attractive cave in Grabovača Cave Park, a geomorphological natural monument and one of Croatia’s oldest show caves. Grabovača Cave Park presents itself as Europe’s only cave park. For visitors interested in caves and geological formations, it offers another distinctive nature-focused attraction in the region, alongside Velebit House.
Today, only a few of the approximately sixty mills that operated along the Gacka River and its tributaries in the 20th century remain at the Gacka springs. They preserve the memory of an old, extinct craft. From motorway exit 10 near OtoÄŤac, you can reach Majerovo vrilo by taking the road towards Vrhovine, Korenica and Plitvice, then turning off towards Sinac. Road conditions may change; take this into account when planning your route.
The Kuterevo Bear Refuge offers another perspective on the landscape: it provides shelter for bear orphans and includes educating visitors about wildlife and bears’ habitat. Its focus is therefore both on protecting the animals and raising awareness of their habitat.
Tesla, Senj and regional products
The “Nikola Tesla” Memorial Centre in Smiljan opened on 10 July 2006. It comprises Tesla’s restored birth house, a new museum exhibition, the surrounding area, outdoor monuments and newly built facilities. The presentation tells the story of Tesla’s life and the village of Smiljan, to which Tesla was closely connected and where he was born. Here, history connects the inventor’s life with the history of the village at the very place where it unfolded.
Another chapter in the past awaits in Senj: Nehaj Fortress was built in 1558, when Senj was resisting numerous attacks by the Turks and Venice. Every year from 13 to 16 July, Kuterevo hosts a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the current arrangements in advance, as the details may change.
Cheese and dairy products are also part of the region’s discoveries. The Lika-Senj County cheese route takes you to large and small dairies and several dozen family-run businesses that produce cheese and dairy products in the county. Participation and individual producers may change, so check the current listings before planning your route.
Coastal trail and visitor information
From Jablanac, a 30-minute trail runs along the coast to Zavratnica. As trail conditions may vary, it is worth taking them into account before your visit. A large part of Plitvice Lakes National Park is also located in the county: 90.7 percent of the park falls within Lika-Senj’s administrative boundaries. The national park offers seven different routes and four hiking trails for exploring the lake system. This choice of routes and trails adds another natural area to the options around Velebit.
Discover more destinations: Municipality of Karlobag, Municipality of Senj, Municipality of Gospić, Municipality of Otočac, Municipality of Plitvička Jezera, Municipality of Brinje, Municipality of Rakovica, Municipality of Donji Lapac, Municipality of Lovinac, Municipality of Perušić, Municipality of Udbina.
For the broader travel overview: Croatia.
