According to the number and variety of protected natural facilities and localities of Lika-Senj rehion one of the leading, and in their share, total surface is the absolute leading place among Croatian regions with 2,368 km2 or 58% of all national parks and nature parks in Croatia.
Among them the middle place takes NP Plitvice Lakes, NP Paklenica and NP North Velebit and Nature Park and world biosphere reserve Velebit.
The area of NP Plitvice Lakes is part of the Dinaric karst area and belongs to one of the most impressive karstic units in the world with specific geological, geomorphological and hydrological characteristics. Gornja Jezera is a system of 12 lakes, separated by rootstocks: Prošćan lake, Ciginovac, Okrug, Batinovac, Veliko Jezero, Malo Jezero, Vir, Galovac, Milino lake, Gradinsko lake and Kozjak lake.
The difference in the altitude between the Proščan lake and the Kozjak lake is slightly more than 100 meters. Malinovac, Gavanovac, Kaluđerovac and Novaković brod combine the system of the lower lakes. The highest rocks are up to 40 meters high.
Because of its extraordinary beauty and diversity of animal wildlife and plants, Plitvice lakes have been under UNESCO world heritage since 1973.
Nacional park Paklenica extends over the southern slope of southern Velebit above the settlement Marasović to the zone of the highest mountain peaks (Vaganski Vrh, Babin Vrh and Sveto Brdo).
It covers the area of the torrent streams of Velika and Male Paklenica respectively their recognizable canyons vertically engraved in the southern slopes of Velebit and the wider surrounding area.
In a relatively small area, there is an abundance of geomorphological phenomena and shapes, a variety of wildlife, attractive landscapes and untouched nature.
Velebit is the largest and most complex protected area in Croatia. It stretches along the Velebit Channel, part of the Adriatic Sea from Vratnik pass above Senj, northwest to the canyon of Zrmanja River in the southeast. On the land side it is surrounded by Gacko, Ličko and Gračac fields with rivers Gacka, Lika and Otoč.
Nature park Velebit is the largest protected area of nature in Croatia. It covers the relief and vegetation of the most notable mountain not only of Croatia, but also of the Mediterranean, which, because of its natural values and significance for the conservation of biodiversity of the planet, has been classified into the network of international biosphere reserves by the Man and Biosphere (MAB) scientific program. The area of Velebit is the most important endemic hub of flora and fauna in Croatia. Velebit dances, Croatian bells, Croatian sibiria, long-barreled bat, debris, wolf, linden and brown bear are just some of the endangered species that inhabit this area.
With the surface of 2270 km2 and tallest Vagan peak of 1757m, is the longest mountain in Croatia and offers an unforgatable driving experience through the spheres of countless karst reefs and ponies, hips, mountain hills, valleys and peaks.
Cave park Grabovača is only 2.5 km from the centre of Perušić. There are 6 caves and 3 are protected as nature landmarks. It has a lot of value in the ecological, scientific, aesthetic and educational sense.
Along with Samograd which represents the most well known and most described cave in Croatia with its 345 meters in length, which amazes with its beauty, there are also Medina and cave Amidža.
Velebit associations Kuterevo was found in 1995 with a goal to protect the wild of mountain Croatia. In 2002, in co-operation with the Croatian Center for Environmental Knowledge and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, a unique project was launched – orphanage for young bear cubs.
An integral part of the program of the association is the education of visitors, ie their association with the wild and the bear charisma.
Velebit is the largest and most complex protected area in Croatia. It stretches along the Velebit Channel, part of the Adriatic Sea from Vratnik pass above Senj, northwest to the canyon of Zrmanja River in the southeast. On the land side it is surrounded by Gacko, Ličko and Gračac fields with rivers Gacka, Lika and Otuč.
Nature park Velebit is the largest protected area of nature in Croatia. It covers the relief and vegetation of the most notable mountain not only of Croatia, but also of the Mediterranean, which, because of its natural values and significance for the conservation of biodiversity of the planet, has been classified into the network of international biosphere reserves by the Man and Biosphere (MAB) scientific program. The area of Velebit is the most important endemic hub of flora and fauna in Croatia. Velebit dances, Croatian bells, Croatian sibiria, long-barreled bat, debris, wolf, linden and brown bear are just some of the endangered species that inhabit this area.
With the surface of 2270 km2 and tallest Vagan peak of 1757m, is the longest mountain in Croatia and offers an unforgatable driving experience through the spheres of countless karst reefs and ponies, hips, mountain hills, valleys and peaks.
In the rich hunting offer of this region, in almost all te hunting grounds, the most common animal is the wild hog. Hard to reach terrains and quality habitats have enabled the development of trophic specimens of this animal.
On the south side of Velebit by the sea, in the hunting grounds “Sveti Juraj” and “Jablanac” there is a popular hunting for mouflons, deer and deer skerries. From the small animals of the hunting ground of Lika-Senj region, there are of rocks, shots, quails, pheasants and rabbits.
In addition to the mentioned hunting grounds, we suggest visiting the hunting grounds “Vrebac” and “Krivi Javor III” organized in cooperation with the Hunting and Hunting Tourism Agency of Gospić.
The most abundant trout water in the world, the river Gacka, with its beauty and clear waters is a true fishing paradise.
Going through the river Lika you will discover the depths of the karst caves where the beautiful and longest Croatian and the second European pontoon hide and reappear.
We invite you for a bike ride on bicycle paths of nature park Velebit and the city of Gospić.
Nikola Tesla, probably the greatest inventor of the 20th century, was born in 1856 in Smiljan, next to Gospić. He went to elementry school in Smiljan, Gospić and Karlovc, and went to university in Graz, Austria.
His inventions of electronics and physics have left a major impact not just in science but also in the quality of everyday life.
Visit to the Memorial Center of Nikola Tesla and his hometown will leave every visitor a deep impression and represents an indispensable destination in the tourist image gallery of Lika and Croatia in general.
Dr. Ante Starčević is certainly one of the greatest and most prominent people in the entire Croatian political history and is rightly called the Father of the country – „Otac Domovine “. Family House Dr. Ante Starčević is in the village of Veliki Žitnik, only 4 km from Gospić.
Lika museum in Gospić was found in 1958 and since then is keeping all the mobile and static estate of Lika safe.
This museum institution is in the old city center, and in 1965 it moved to today’s building, which was built in late baroque style and belongs to the B culture category monuments.
It is a wonderful suburb of the highest altitude in Croatia (714 m), which includes the Sanctuary of the Mother of God from Krasna, which visits up to 100.000 visitors a year.
In Lika village Kosinj is probably the oldest European printing press. It was founded by the princes of Frankopan and shuts down after the tragedy on the Krbava Field in 1493.
Fortress Nehaj, a symbol of the town Senj, the jewel of the Lika Coast, was built in 1558 under the supervision of Captain and General of the Croatian military border Ivan Lenković and Captain Herbert VIII Auersperg Turjaški.
It is derived from the ruined churches, monasteries and houses, originally located outside the city walls.
From the top of the fortress is a bautiful view of the Croatian coast and islands Krk, Cres, Rab, Goli otok and Prvić, mountains of Gorski kotar, Učka and Velebit.
With the intention of discovering the richness and hidden beauty of Lika, a growing number of tourists visiting this part of Croatia in 1998, an exhibition of traditional and agricultural products called “Autumn in Lika” was conceived.
In the authentic atmosphere, this is a chance to hear the original folk song, the dance of the Lika region and the performances of the cultural and artistic associations of the county, as well as the production of clay, beech, tamburitza, knitting, woolen burial and some other forgotten customs that represent the richness of the Croatian people end.
Also, this event provides the opportunity to taste indigenous lettuce dishes and food products that are presented to all visitors, travelers and tourists who are in Lika during the fall.
They say that the Adriatic sea is one of the most beautiful seas in the world.
For a classic vacation in Croatia, with the usual sea and sunset, the narrow coastline with beaches that only mountain slopes can create is such an extreme must see. Except in the case of the Baltic Shield, such a sight, where the mountain chain directly crosses the coast, is extremely rare, at least in Europe.
The Adriatic Sea, one of the balmiest and the clearest in the Mediterranean, is the perfect place to sail with sailboats, explore the Adriatic’s beauty on motorboats or simply enjoy recreational fishing. Along the Croatian coast long 6278 km are 1244 islands, islets, cliffs waiting for you, and ridges with thousands of wet and dry berths available all year long and modern marine.
By the etymology, Lika got its name in the Croatian stokavian dialect for the word „medicine “. By the second interpretation, the name comes from the Greek word likos, meaning „wolf “.
In the prehistoric and antique times, the area is inhabited by the Illyrian tribe Japodi. In the first century BC, the Roman army was conquered by them, but they still maintained their tribal autonomy by dealing with nomadic cattle breeding. The Romanization of this area was only superficial because it was the most important thing for the Romans to provide road communications. Major changes come along after the disintegration of the empire, and the separation of peoples occurs when the Croats are moving into the Lika region. They set up their administrative organization, establishing tribal parishes Gacka, Krbava and Lika.
There are theories that after the uprising of Ljudevit Posavski in the poorly inhabited Lika, the Franconian rulers moved a considerable number of Avars, who later merged with the Croats.
With the development and strengthening of the Croatian state, there is a growth of the population and a greater degree of social organization. Thus, new parishes of Bužane, Hotuča, Lapac, Plase and others are formed. The rise of the meaning of Lika within the Croatian and later Hungarian – Croatian kingdom also speaks of belonging to the southern part of the Nineveh diocese, ie the founding of the Krbavska bishopric in 1160, headquartered first on Mrsinji above Korenica and then on Udbina. The important national nobles in this area were the princes of Krbavski (Kurjakovići or Gusići). The foundations of the economy were a traditional agro-economy based mostly on the connection of the catchment areas in the coastal area (Ravni kotari, Bukovica) and in Lika. Material remains from that period are unknown because most of the churches and forts destroyed the Ottomans. Evidence of the stage of development at tht time is also the existence of printers in Kosice in the late 15th century.
The Ottoman penetrations to this area begin after the fall of Bosnia (1463), to culminate the Krbava battle in 1493, in which the Croatian feudal army was destroyed. Between 1522 and 1524, the Turkish army occupied the entire area of Lika, except for Gacka dolina and Brinja. The indigenous Croat population partly accepted Islamic faith, and the first Orthodox Vlach appeared. The Ottoman Empire in this area was founded in 1580 by Lički (Krčki) sandžak with headquarters in Knin and the main lynchic stronghold in Udbina. This continued until the great Austrian-Turkish war (1683-1699), under which the rest of the Catholic population participated massively under the leadership of the Catholic priest Marcus Mesić and whole Lika was liberated except Ličko Pounja.
After the expulsion of the Ottomans, the return of Lika expected under the rule of the Croatian ban was expected. However, the Habsburg Monarchy placed it under the direct authority of its Chamber of Commons, then in 1714 under the leadership of Karlovac General. Thus, Lika came to form the Military Cross, whose composition will remain until her withdrawal in 1881. As Ličani initially resisted the strict military regime, in 1746 a special military-administrative territory of the Lička regimente (regiment) was established in order to strengthen the control of this region. Along with the creation of a new administrative structure, a new population, Croats Bunjevci and Orthodox Vlachs (later Serbs) settled in the Lika area, who were supposed to serve as a permanent army for the Vienna court.
This general militarization of Lika, in which everything was subordinated to the needs of constant warfare, will greatly affect the mentality of its population. From 1941 to 1945, within the Independent States of Croatia from the beginning of the Great Serbian aggression (1991), Serb forces were partially occupied (1992-1995 UN-protected area). Released in the “Medački džep” and “Oluja” actions in 1995 during the defense Homeland War.
The area of Gospić and its surroundings has been inhabited since prehistoric times (in the ancient Stone Age, and in continuity in the Bronze and Iron Age). Proof of this is the numerous archeological finds, which particularly refer to the Iron Age; Japoda tribe.
In the ancient times, this area was marked by one of the most important traffic communications, which from the interior (Siscia), led by the continental route to the south and the seacoast (Salona).
Indicators of the period of Croatian national rulers and the creation of the Croatian state are fragments of old Croatian braiding, found in several stylistic and temporal determinants at several sites near Gospić. They also refer to the numerous sacral buildings and Christianity of the population of this area in the Middle Ages.
Gospic is situated on the western edge of one of the largest karstic fields in Croatia, Lika Field, at the foot of the largest and most beautiful Croatian mountain Velebit, at the intersection of the roads from the north to the south and on the banks of the three rivers, Lika, Novčica and Bogdanica.