Vransko Lake Nature Park

Vransko Lake, Vransko jezero, is the largest natural lake in Croatia, a long, shallow freshwater lake sitting in a karst depression just inland of the coast between Zadar and Šibenik, and the nature park around it is one of the country’s most important bird reserves. The lake is separated from the sea only by a narrow strip of land, and its position on the Adriatic flyway makes it a major stop for migrating birds.

The park holds more than 230 bird species, including the purple heron, the pygmy cormorant and a large colony of egrets, and it is one of the few places in Croatia where you can watch marsh birds in any number. There is a birdwatching hide at Kamenjak above the lake, and a network of trails and a cycle path along the lake shore.

The lake was once a royal hunting reserve, and the Kamenjak viewpoint above it holds the ruins of a medieval observation tower, with a view over the whole lake and across the narrow coastal strip to the sea and the islands. Freshwater fish, including eels, are still taken from the lake and served locally.

For photographers, the birdlife from the Kamenjak hide and the view over the lake to the sea are the shots. Bring binoculars and go in spring or autumn for the migration, and take the cycle path for the long view along the shore.

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