Krka National Park
This morning the sun welcomed us through the narrow channel called Kanal Sveti Ante (St. Anthony) into the medieval port of Sibenik. Photographers started the day early, taking shots of the Venetian fortress on our starboard side while maneuvering through the channel.
After breakfast we boarded the bus for a 20-minute drive to Krka National Park. The temperature was perfect for strolling the boardwalks in one of Croatia's most beautiful and unique national parks. It was established to protect the middle and lower stretches of the River Krka, which flows into the bay of Sibenik. The river begins its journey of 75km inside a canyon on the limestone plateau behind Sibenik and finally spills over into the spectacular Roski Slap and Skradinski Buk waterfalls, forming a series of the lakes and rapids surrounded by vegetation.
Our target was Skradinski Buk. From a height of 45m this impressive waterfall cascades down 17 steps over a distance of 800m. We walked the park paths, sprayed by the falls, surrounded by the sound of rushing water and noisy frogs, finishing at one of the most spectacular natural displays in Croatia. Some of us were brave enough to take a plunge in the refreshing waters of Krka River while the others were strolling over the bridge, trying to find the best spot for photos of this incredible natural spectacle. Because it was Saturday, the park had many little visitors so we had also an opportunity to see Croatian kids happily playing on the grassy plateau near the fall or feeding the family of swans.
As we returned to Sibenik our guide Ante took us for a nice short walk though the center of this medieval city with its narrow alleys surrounded by beautiful architectural delights. From the beginning of the 15th till the end of 18th century Sibenik was ruled by Venetians. It was a prosperous time; the arts flourished and Sibenik became one of the liveliest cultural centers in Renaissance Croatia. During that time was built “the pearl” of the city– Cathedral of St. James. It was damaged during shelling in 1991 and today is protected by UNESCO. The cathedral took over 100 years to finish, due, in part, to financing difficulties. One of Croatia’s finest architects, Juraj Dalmatinac, was involved in the design and construction of this beautiful church, with its frieze of 71 stone heads.
In the late afternoon we stopped for a short swim. Then the wind picked up so we enjoyed sailing for the rest of the day. Sharon, our naturalist and photographer, presented a fascinating slide show on the history of the olive and its cultivation since ancient times in this region. Under sail and with the sun setting, we sampled home-pressed olive oil from Greece, Croatia, Albania and Montenegro and tasted some local wine, cheese and other delicacies in the lounge.
