Apartments and private accommodation Lika

Velebit, giant that proudly rises above the Adriatic Sea, is the largest and at the same time the longest mountain in the Republic of Croatia. We can freely say it is also the most attractive and the most interesting. It is therefore not surprising that it is also one of the most popular destination for nature lovers and tourists looking for an active vacation and exciting adventure. It stretches in length of almost 150 kilometers from the town of Senj in the north to the source and canyon of the Zrmanja river in the south.

Due to its exceptional biodiversity, the richness of flora and fauna, as well as the fact that it is one of the rare habitats of all three European beasts - bears, wolves and lynxes, in 1978 was included in the World Biosphere Reserve network under the UNESCO program "Man and biosphere ". In 1981 it was proclaimed nature park. The Velebit Nature Park extends almost 2000 km2, making it the largest protected area in Croatia.

Within the Velebit Nature Park, there are 2 national parks: NP Paklenica and NP Northern Velebit, then the strict reservoir Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi, Velebit botanical garden, Cerovac cave, Lukina pit (one of the deepest in the world), Kuterevo bear shelter, forest vegetation reserve Štirovača, numerous habitats of endemic species ... All this tells us that it really is a real natural jewel, which is really worth visiting and experiencing all its magic. A special attraction on Velebit is a unique mountain route - Premužić's trail, which connects the northern and middle Velebit in a 50 kilometer length, where you can experience unforgettable views of the Adriatic Sea and numerous islands. During beautiful weather view streches all the way to Italy. The specificity of the Velebit is its two completely different faces, the sea which is mostly steep, bare, rocky and continental that is green and woody.
The highest peak is the Vaganski vrh, which is 1757 m above sea level within Paklenica National Park. Velebit offers many activities for walks and hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering and speleology, and all this is a step away from the beautiful beaches and the crystal clear sea in the Velebit channel. During the summer heat, you can look for refreshments in the clear Adriatic Sea or in pure mountain air in the shade of centuries-old forests.

Velebit can be visited from the coast from Starigrad Paklenica, Karlobag or Senj, but also from Otočac, Gospić or Gračac in Lika where the experience will be somewhat different. Accommodation, most often apartments or rooms within family houses, and beautifully decorated holiday homes can be found in many smaller and hidden places where you can enjoy privacy, beautiful views, clean air and active holidays.

The queen of the rivers, the karst beauty or the cleanest river in Europe is just a name for this tiny but beautiful river that slowly flows nearly 60 kilometers in the Gacka valley. This spacious valley is situated between two mountains, Velebit which separates it from the sea and Kapela, which separates it from continental Croatia. In the valley is located Otočac, a beautiful little town that has always been linked to the Gacka River, which meant life throughout history for all its inhabitants.
 
Gacka source is in the valley where its pure waters runs from several strong springs (sources) of which the most significant is Tonković vrilo. The particularity of this river is that it does not flow into the sea, but has underwater form which flows under the Adriatic sea in the Velebit Channel. Gacka is characterized by an extremely pure water rich in oxygen, which is drinkable and which enhances the rich growth of vegetation and the great wealth of flora and fauna. Over 25 plants species and 17 aquatic species have been recorded in this small river, making it a very attractive destination for all sport fishermen, but also for all nature lovers. One of the attractions of this river is that the water temperature does not exceed 10 degrees, even in the summer months, and the trout grows five times faster than in other karst rivers.

In the surrounding villages, recreational and rural tourism has been developed, so except fishing, you can see old mills that have been renovated and decorated in a traditional style. You can find accommodation on the surrounding farms where you will experience a traditional way of life, and how man and river and nature can perfectly co-exist. Apartments and rooms are also offered in the nearby town of Otočac. Adriatic Sea and the town of Senj are only 40 kilometers away from this idyllic mountain valley. Gacka valley can also be your starting point for visiting and exploring the Velebit Nature Park and the youngest Croatian national park, North Velebit.

The mysterious underworld of Cerovac caves and Velebit hides many hidden scenes and beauties that are waiting to be discovered. With almost 7 kilometers of underground channels, passageways and halls, this is the largest underground cave system in Croatia and definitely one of the most beautiful ones. It is located in Lika near Gračac, on the slopes of Velebit, and was named after the nearby Cerovac railway station because it was discovered during the construction of  railroad Zagreb-Split in 1924. Due to its size, uniqueness and archaeological finds in 1961, it was declared a geological monument of nature.

The whole complex consists of the upper, middle and lower caves, which are mostly suitable for visitors. Temperature within the cave is constant throughout the year and does not exceed 8 degrees, so we recommend taking warm clothes and shoes, especially in the summer months when the temperature difference inside and out of the cave is greater than 20 degrees. The whole system abounds in beautiful cave jewelery (stalagmites and stalactites), which form impressive structures of various shapes and sizes. Some of them reach a height of several feet, which is very impressive given the fact that they grow very slowly, only 10 centimeters every 1000 years, with a constant drop of water and dissolving calcium carbonate. One of the most famous of these is a rock that irresistibly reminiscent of Santa Claus, so he got that name. You can also see the remains of an extinct cave bear and traces of man (human bones and bronze ax).

We certainly recommend on travel to the Adriatic sea to stop here and visit this mysterious underground world filled with various colors, shapes and beauty. Caves are open to visitors every day from 10am to 4pm, and in the winter months a prior announcement is required. The tour takes about 1 hour, and for larger groups a prior announcement is required. You can also spend the night in the nearby Gračac, which offers comfortable private accommodation in rooms or apartments, and besides the caves you can hike to Crnopac on Velebit, located above the cave at 1400 meters above sea level. This entire area is one large wilderness, untouched nature, a colander of ancient forests and high rocks, which is very little visited, but it has preserved its originality.

Kuterevo is a picturesque small village located in Lika, in a wooded valley on the slopes of northern Velebit. It is only 14 kilometers away from Otočac, to which it belongs administratively. This small village is widely known thanks to the unique bear haven, which was founded in 2002. The shelter provides a shelter for bears, especially the young orphan bear that either the mother left or was killed in the hunt. However, in addition to providing shelters for young bears, the refuge promotes the protection of nature, forests and bear habitats, sustainable living in harmony with nature, and the preservation of local traditions of the mountain community.

Croatia is one of the few European countries where a stable bears population has more than 1,000 live animals. However, bears, besides hunting, are also injured on the roads, rails, poaching, poisoning, and leaving young bears behind them, who would surely die without shelter in Kuterevo. They find their new home in Kuterevo, where they stay for a lifetime. The charm of this heaven is to attract a group of volunteers from all over the world. They are mostly young people from foreign countries who want to help but also get close to nature and learn more about the bear life. Another interesting thing is that all bears staying in the shelter have their own name and surname. An integral part of the program run by volunteers and their mentors is the education of visitors, which includes visiting the campsite and getting acquainted with the character, habits and bear life.

The sanctuary can be visited in spring, summer and fall, while the winter is closed so as not to interfere with bears while sleeping in the winter. Visitors should come to the volunteer station upon arrival and tourist visits are possible throughout the day. The tickets are symbolic and are charged at 15 - 20 Kn, and all profit is going to improve the living conditions of the bears. For all animal and nature lovers, Kuterevo will be an unavoidable destination for a holiday because Adriatic sea is really close (50 km). If you want to spend your vacation surrounded by nature and Velebit nature park, you can find accommodation in Kuterevo, nearby Otočac or in rural farms across the Gacka valley.

We all know or we heared about the famous inventor and visionary Nikola Tesla, but it is less known fact that he was born in Lika in a small village Smiljan, near Gospić on July 10, 1856. On celebration of the 150 anniversary of Tesla birth, on July 10, 2006, the Memorial Center "Nikola Tesla", a museum that unites science, art and tourism was open.

Nikola Tesla certainly deserved such a museum because with his genius, numerous inventions, ideas and visions, he contributed to the great progress of humanity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of its inventions are: AC electric motor, Tesla transformer, Tesla turbine, wireless signal and energy transmission, wireless control and many others. His primary field was in the field of electrical engineering, where he worked on and reported hundreds of different patents and inventions of which most of them are still in use today. It is probably best known for building a hydroelectric power plant on Niagara Falls, which was the first in the world to use high-voltage power lines and alternating current (Tesla's invention) to supply power to the nearby Buffalo, but also to the distant New York.

The Memorial Center consists of house, where he was born and where is a permanent exhibition of the documentary material. Next to the house is the church of St. Peter and Paul, in which Tesla's father, the Orthodox priest did his ministry. Within the center there are numerous prototypes of Tesla's inventions, such as Tesla's turbine, Tesla's ship, which can be operated with radio waves and a multimedia center. It is designed for all ages, from children, students, to families and tourists, where all of them can learn a lot of information about Tesla's life, his inventions and the influence he has had in a modern way of life.

The center is open every day from 08:00 to 20:00, except Monday, and ticket prices range from 20 - 50 Kn. Due to its proximity to Gospić and the Zagreb - Split motorway, we recommend that you come for a visit to this interesting museum, and if you want to relax and spend a night in the fresh air of Lika, you can find cozy rooms and apartments in Gospić or in the surrounding countryside farms.