Hiking

The route begins in watermill settlement Rastoke – one of the most attractive tourist parts of Slunj and Croatia, and leads you towards the Jelvik forest.

Before entering the forest itself, you pass by Napoleon magazine – now a historical landmark, once Napoleon’s grain warehouse for storing wheat and weapons, and the Ambar restaurant, with authentic homemade food. Walking through this natural area, you can enjoy the greenery of the forest, the scent of pine, and the birdsong. Among the pine trees, exercise stations and equipment made of logs and ropes are set up along the trail, offering you the opportunity to try out outdoor strength training, and there’s also the challenge of solving puzzles placed next to every other station.

Continuing the hike, you descend along the path to the lowest point of the route, following the forest trail above Korana river. By walking slowly, you return to the idyllic settlement Rastoke. Explore Rastoke using the circular (or semi-circular) walkway and mills, buy homemade flour and visit some of the catering facilities, in which you can taste dishes prepared according to traditional recipes of the Slunj region.

By following this route, you will tour 5 zones covering the town of Slunj. The route starts in Rastoke – one of the most attractive tourist parts of Slunj and Croatia. Following the route, you cross a bridge and walk along the promenade by Slunjčica river, reaching the very center of Slunj, where you can pause, enjoy the town park and socialize with locals. Visit some of the catering establishments and explore the streets of the town.

If you prefer to stick to the route, you descend through the town center down to Slunjčica river and follow the path to the old hydroelectric power plant, where you can relax next to the sound of water and enjoy natural surroundings. Today, the plant serves as the headquarter of the “Slunjčica” fishing society. Following the route, you walk along the path beside Slunjčica river, which, depending on the season, tries to blend in with the natural environment. Walking brings you to a small wooden bridge, called Moćan bridge. Along winding paths, you ascend past fort from the Frankopan era, built on a rocky elevation above Slunjčica river, believed to have been constructed in the 14th century. Then, you arrive to an asphalt road, where you can spot the Napoleon magazine – once Napoleon’s grain warehouse for storing wheat and weapons, now a historical landmark, and restaurant Ambar, a place where you can taste authentic dishes inspired by the Slunj region. Behind them, you enter Jelvik – a pine forest, a place to enjoy fresh air, peaceful surroundings and the chirping of birds.

While touring the route, you can try your strength at th exercise stations. Jelvik is a perfect space for running or outdoor strength training. There is also a challenge of solving puzzles placed next to every other station. The forest path leads you to Korana river, and above it, you pass by two hidden bathing spots – Pod Oltarom and Kotlac (a place of small pools). At Kotlac bathing spot, during the summer months, when the water level is lower, it is possible to cross the Korana river. Following the route, you also come to the Stara Škrila bathing spot, and then to the town bathing spot, frequented by both locals and numerous tourists. Crossing the pontoon bridge, located beneath the symbolic Tonković bridge, you arrive to Rastoke – the watermill settlement where you can witness the Slunjčica river dissolving over numerous travertine barriers and waterfalls before flowing into the Korana river.

Explore Rastoke using the circular (or semi-circular) walkway and discover the mills, buy homemade flour and visit some of the catering establishments, in which you can taste dishes prepared according to traditional recipes of the Slunj region.

The route begins in Rastoke – one of the most attractive tourist parts of Slunj and Croatia. From Rastoke, you exit onto Strmac, situated above Korana river.

Following the route, you will come across a viewpoint with a breathtaking view of the Jelvik pine forest – a place for relaxation and recreation, and river Korana, which serves as a swimming and socializing spot for locals and tourists during the summer months. Upon reaching Kotlac – a spot with small pools, you cross the river, and then, continuing the journey surrounded by the beauty of the forest, you arrive at the bathing area called Pod oltarom – one of the favorite spots among locals. Continuing along the river, you reach the children’s bathing area Stara škrila, and then the town beach – an attractive place for tourists and locals who, besides swimming, enjoy being at the center of socializing, entertainment, and trying out various water games during the summer months. The beach features a playground, suitable for all lovers of summer sports activities.

By strolling gently across the pontoon bridge (which is set up here during the summer months), you return to the idyllic village of Rastoke. Explore Rastoke using the circular walkway (or semi-circular), visit the mills, buy homemade flour and visit some of the catering facilities, in which you can taste dishes prepared according to traditional recipes from the Slunj region.

The route begins in Rastoke – one of the most attractive tourist parts of Slunj and Croatia. By crossing the D1 state road, you descend to the town bathing area along Korana river – an attractive spot for tourists and locals, who, during the summer months, enjoy not only swimming, but also being at the center of socializing, entertainment, and trying out various water games.

Following the route, you reach a smaller bathing area called Old škrila, and then, with a leisurely walk along the river, you arrive to the bathing area called Pod oltarom – one of the favorite spots among locals. Further on, the route leads you through forest scenery to Kotlac – a place with small pools, where most of local children learn to swim. The water here is quite shallow and there are many small waterfalls with shallow pools in between them. The route continues along Korana river, through forest scenery and peaceful surroundings, leading you to the final point of the route. Using the same path, you return to a certain point where you turn left uphill onto a trail that leads you to Jelvik – a natural area where you can enjoy the greenery of the forest, the scent of pine trees and the singing of birds. Exercise stations and equipment made from logs and ropes are set up in the forest, offering you the opportunity to try out the outdoor strength training, and there’s also a challenge of solving puzzles placed next to every other station.

Leaving the forest, you pass by Napoleon magazine – a large stone building built in the early 19th century, that served as a grain and weapon storage facility during Napoleon’s time. Nearby is the Ambar restaurant, with authentic homemade food, where you can enjoy a fabolous view of the town. The route ends upon arrival to the milling settlement Rastoke, which you can explore using the circular walkway (or semi-circular), see the mills, buy homemade flour and visit some of the catering facilities in which you can taste dishes prepared according to traditional recipes from the Slunj region.

The route starts in Rastoke – one of the most attractive tourist parts of Slunj and Croatia. By turning left onto the trail (before the bridge of St. John), you descend to the peaceful green area along the Slunjčica river. Following the route, you come under fort from the Frankopan era, which was built on a stone elevation above the Slunjčica river, and is believed to have been constructed in the 14th century. Continuing along the path, you reach a small wooden bridge, called Moćan bridge.

By crossing it, you continue walking along the river, until you reach the old hydroelectric power plant – a place where you can relax by the river and listen to the sound of water. Today, the plant is the headquarter of “Slunjčica” – Slunj Fishing Society. Continuing along the path, you pass by the soccer field of NK Slunj. Following the route, you come to a water pump and an intersection, where you can choose whether you want to continue upstream, towards the source, or to combine the route using a forest path and a mountain path, or whether you want to return to the starting point through the city. The option of using the forest path implies that you go uphill and cross the state road D1. After that, the route takes you to the village of Podmelnica, with narrow streets surrounded by natural scenes, many houses and gardens and through the forest over the Melnica hill (518 m) – the hill with the highest peak in the Slunj area. Following the route, you turn uphill and emerge onto the D1 state road.

After that, the route takes you to Podmelnica – a settlement with narrow streets surrounded by natural scenery, numerous houses, and gardens. Following the route, you cross the D1 state road and then follow the path downhill to the source of the Slunjčica River – an ideal place for nature lovers, with clean air and a peaceful environment. Then, the route takes you along a path following the Slunjčica river, where, at one point, you come to a section of the trail you’ve already passed. Following the same path, you return to the beginning of the trail, and then to the milling settlement of Rastoke. You can explore the settlement using the circular walkway (or semi-circular). In this area, you can see the mills, buy homemade flour and visit some of the catering facilities where you can taste dishes prepared according to traditional recipes from the Slunj region.

The route begins in front of the Tourist agency Rastoke active, located within the Mirjana & Rastoke hotel and restaurant, in Donji Nikšić. This is an excellent place where you can enjoy a rich and diverse selection of dishes and refresh yourself with various drinks and beverages. Passing through Donji Nikšić, you can see the mills called Kos Mills, and visit the nearby viewpoint. In Gornji Nikšić, you have the opportunity to explore the Gržan Ports and, if you wish, visit the Neralić Mill nearby.

Also, in Gornji Nikšć, there is restaurant Pino, so if you haven’t already taken a break, this is a great opportunity to rest and enjoy a diverse selection of dishes and drinks. By visiting this area, you will be delighted by Korana river, which has carved a deep canyon rich in numerous cascading waterfalls with pools and lakes of various depths and colors at this part of its course. In this area, you will feel a touch of history exploring the remains of old mills, bathing at several bathing spots, or drink water from several springs. After touring this area, you return to the starting point in a circular route – in front of the Tourist agency Rastoke active.