Bus from PLITVICE LAKES to MUNICH

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park is world-famous for its lakes arranged in cascades, and 16 lakes can be seen from the surface.

The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.

The Plitvice Lakes originate in the south of the park area at the confluence of Bijela Rijeka (English White River) and Crna Rijeka (English Black River). These rivers originate south of the municipality of Plitvički Ljeskovac and unite at one of the bridges in this village.

In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register.

The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,350 acres). About 90% of this area is part of Lika-Senj County, while the remaining 10% is part of Karlovac County. The lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,087 to 1,650 ft) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two square kilometres (0.77 square miles), with the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.

The name Plitvice was first mentioned in a written document in 1777 by Dominik Vukasović, the priest of Otočac. This name was designated due to natural phenomena that have created the lakes. Nature formed shallow basins (Croatian pličina or plitvak, plitko means shallow), which have been filled with water. For centuries, water has changed the limestone and thus the landscape of this area.

The overall water body area of the national park is about 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi). The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak, cover about 80 percent of the overall water body area. These lakes are also the deepest, with a depth of 37 and 47 metres (121 and 154 ft) respectively. On Lake Kozjak, low-noise and ecologically-friendly electric boats are being used. None of the other lakes in the park exceeds 25 metres (82 feet) in depth. The altitude drop from the first lake to the last is 133 metres (436 feet).

The 16 lakes that can be seen from the surface are grouped into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera).

The Plitvice Lakes national park is heavily forested, mainly with beech, spruce, and fir trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude.

Scientists have so far listed 1,267 different plants out of 109 species that can be found within the area of the national park. 75 plants are endemic, which means that they have first been defined and classified in this area of the world or not far from it.

For reasons of the poor industrial development of this region and early introduced protection measures, a nearly untouched landscape has been preserved. In the partially primeval beech and fir forests various rare species, such as the brown bear have survived. At the Plitvice Lakes, all species continue to exist that have already existed before the coming of man. This is a rare case worldwide.

Munich is the state capital of the Free State of Bavaria. With about 1.5 million inhabitants, it is the most populous city in Bavaria and (after Berlin and Hamburg) the third largest municipality in Germany. The gastronomy in Munich offers numerous specialties of the Bavarian cuisine. The white sausage was invented in 1857 in Munich and is probably the most famous culinary specialty of the city. Furthermore, the Brezn, the Auszogne (a round dumpling), the Prinzregententorte and the Münchner beer are also a must-try.

While in Munich, you should visit the following attractions:

The Marienplatz - The heart of Munich is the famous Marienplatz, which is located in the middle of the Old Town. Since 1158 it has served as an urban center and a traffic hub for the Bavarian capital. The square has additional sights to offer, such as the New and Old Town Hall. The Mary’s Column (Mariensäule) and the Fish Fountain (Fischbrunnen) are popular meeting places. The Bell tower of the New Town Hall attracts over 5 million tourists every year. In winter, the Marienplatz is the site of the well-known Christkindlmarkt, one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, with 140 stalls.

If you’re looking for sports and relaxation. then the English garden in Munich is the right place for you. On the green area of around 375 hectares there are lawns, jogging tracks, cycling paths, beer gardens and streams. For Munichers, the garden is a green oasis in the middle of the city, where tourists can discover the large park area including the Chinese Tower, a Japanese tea house and the Monopteros built in 1831.

There is a number of churches dedicated to women in Germany. The Frauenkirche with its distinctive towers is one of the most famous landmarks of the city and is also called by its inhabitants also Cathedral to Our Dear Lady in Munich. The church owes its name to her patron, the Mother of God Maria.

When visiting the Autocity in Munich, a trip to the BMW Welt can not be missed. The combination of exhibitions, museum and event venue was opened to the public in October 2007 and welcomes fans of the brand from all over the world to an unforgetable tour. The exhibition was conceived not only for buyers, who can buy their own BMW here, but also for all interested parties which want to enjoy in this futuristic ambient. With the extraordinary design and the integration of ecological innovations, this car heaven is attractive for all people regardless of their age and interests.

The Olympiapark was the venue of the Olympic Games in 1972. Even today, the 850,000 m² site is the venue for sporting events such as the European and World Championships. In addition to the stadium of the same name, the Olympiapark also includes the Olympic Stadium, the Park and the Olympic Press Center. The former Olympiadorf is now a popular residential area for students and young Munichers. From the Olympia Tower  you can gaze upon the whole area and the city.

The Nymphenburg Palace is located in the western part of Munich, in the Neuhausen-Nymphenburg district. In order to celebrate the birth of the successor to the throne, the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria gave the castle to his wife Henriette Adelaide, which was completed in 1679. Up to 300,000 guests from all over the world visit the main castle and the associated castle grounds annually. Since 2004 the Nymphenburger Castle Concert is held here, which has established itself as a permanent part of Munich's music and culture scene.

The Oktoberfest is a festival of superlatives - as the largest folk festival in the world it can only take place in the beer metropolis Munich. Millions of guests from all over the world enjoy the unique atmosphere every year. For this occasion, Hofbräu Munich brews a beer of particularly good taste and smell, which goes very well with the traditional Bavarian cuisine. With an alcohol content of more than 6% vol. and a refined taste, the Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer is as unique as the Oktoberfest.

Munich has more to offer than just the Oktoberfest. Hardly any other city is as diverse as the Bavarian capital. Green oases and numerous sights can make your stay in Munich a memorable and special experience. After Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is the most popular destination among German city dwellers and foreigners.