PHOTO: ALAN GRUBELIĆ
Top Coastal Settings to Explore

Top Coastal Settings to Explore

Lake Vrana Nature Park

Lake Vrana Nature Park represents a unique wetland area of the Croatian coast. Its vast reed beds and narrow belt of floodplain grasslands that spread throughout the ornithological reserve are most valuable in terms of biodiversity and present very important bird habitats. A total of 234 species of birds have been recorded and 102 species nest within the park boundaries, so the area is of international importance as a resting and feeding ground for migratory birds. According to some estimates, each day during the autumn migration 200,000 migratory birds inhabit the park area, while occasionally this figure increases up to 400,000!

St. Anthony's Channel

The stunning landscape of the Channel of St. Anthony, publicly protected since 1974, encompasses the area from the Šibenik Bridge to the Venetian Fortress of St. Nicholas and the surrounding sea. No one has yet passed through the Channel of St. Anthony without experiencing awe at this rare sight of beauty. The channel is just over 2000 m in length, 220 m in width and 40 m in depth. During earlier times the channel had strategic importance, so an iron chain was strung up from one side of the strait to the other to prevent enemy boats from entering large Škar Harbour.

Lake Prokljan and Zaton Bay

The splendidly placid waters of Lake Prokljan and Zaton Bay merge into a magnificent mixture of fresh and salt water, and together with Krka National Park to the east, as well as Šibenik Bay and St. Anthony's Channel to the southwest, create one grand continuous body of water. The brackish waters of these two amazing waterways are an incredibly rich habitat of many endemic species, and the surrounding area is renowned for its natural diversity, lush coastal vegetation and the abundant sources of seafood.