CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Introduction
Geography and geology
History
Architecture, art and culture
Wildlife and plants
Climate
Getting to Croatia
Visas
Getting around
Accommodation
Food and drink
Language
Money
Postal services and telecommunications
Equipment
Maps
Walking and trekking in Croatia
What to do in an emergency
Using this guide
Part 1 Walks around Zagreb
Route 1 Grafičar, Sljeme
Route 2 Vrh Sljeme
Route 3 Veternica Cave
Route 4 Samoborsko gorje
Part 2 Istria and the Opatija Riviera
Route 5 Vrh Učka
Route 6 Pazinska jama
Part 3 Gorski kotar
Risnjak National Park
Route 7 Vrh Risnjak
Route 8 River Kupa source
Route 9 Risnjak, Snježnik and Hahlić trek
Skrad and Fužine
Route 10 Vražji prolaz (‘the devil’s throat’) and Zeleni vir
Route 11 Burnji Bitoraj
Route 12 Bajersko jezero and Vrelo cave
Velika kapela
Route 13 Bjelolasica, Bijele stijene and Samarske stijene trek
Route 14 Klek
Part 4 Velebit
Northern Velebit National Park and Central Velebit
Route 15 Mali Rajinac, Veliki Zavižan and Botanički vrt
Route 16 Northern Velebit and Central Velebit trek
Paklenica National Park and Southern Velebit
Route 17 Anica kuk
Route 18 Manita peć
Route 19 Južni Velebit (southern Velebit) and Paklenica trek
Part 5 The Dalmatian Hinterland
Route 20 Dinara trek
Route 21 Krka National Park
Route 22 Plitvice Lakes National Park
Part 6 Central Dalmatia
Route 23 Mosor trek
Route 24 Kozjak
Route 25 Biokovo traverse trek
Part 7 Southern Dalmatia
Route 26 Sniježnica (Ilijin vrh)
Route 27 Sveti Ilija (Pelješac)
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Gateway cities – Zagreb, Rijeka, Zadar, Split
Appendix C Useful contacts
Appendix D Croatian language notes and glossary
Appendix E Other hiking areas in Croatia
Appendix F Further reading
Maps
Croatia’s major mountain areas are covered by two detailed (1:25,000 or 1:30,000) series of maps, one published by the mountain rescue service, HGSS (www.hgss.hr), and the other by SMAND (www.smand.hr). They give accurate topographical detail (with contour lines drawn to 25m), and mark both paths and huts. The relevant sheet number is given at the beginning of each route in this guide.
These maps are available in the UK from The Map Shop (www.themapshop.co.uk), and can be ordered online. The maps are also readily available from bookshops in Zagreb, and from hiking clubs and huts, and usually retail at about 45–55Kn.
Some of the national parks and nature parks produce their own maps, including Plitvička jezera, Paklenica, Risnjak, Lonjsko polje, Papuk and Medvednica. More general maps include the Freytag & Berndt series covering the coast in a number of sheets (1:100,000), but note that while OK for planning trips around the islands, these are definitely not suitable for hiking. These maps do not accurately locate paths, while the inclusion of huts and springs is frequently highly misleading or inaccurate, because a number of the huts have been closed for a number of years (or require advance booking if you are to find them open at all), and a number of springs dry up over the summer.
Tourist information offices generally do not carry maps suitable for hiking – a notable exception being the map available free from the tourist information centre in Orebić.
Finally, a number of Croatian language hiking guides include fairly detailed maps.