Rastoke is a village of ambiance value and authentic heritage when it comes to architecture. Because of its extraordinary natural beauties and historical tradition, in 1962, Rastoke village fell under the protection of the State Directorate for Cultural and Historical Heritage. Rastoke village is often referred to as the “Small Lakes of Plitvice,” as it has the same occurring natural phenomena as Plitvice Lakes National Park, namely, water rushing through, over, and around porous limestone in the form of 23 waterfalls. As a result of its isolation, Rastoke remained a well-kept secret for centuries. It wasn’t until 1860 that Rastoke was “discovered.” Rastoke was then described as follows: “The surroundings of Slunj are downright romantic. They are crowned by the magnificent waterfalls of the Slunjica river, by which even unoutspoken nature lovers will be captivated.”  You will be able to walk through the village and take a rest before continuing to Plitvice Lakes.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s best-known national park and is listed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. It is a popular visiting destination all year round and a must-see for every visitor to Croatia. It is well known for its system of cascading lakes, whereby sixteen lovely lakes are interconnected by cascades and waterfalls. The park is simply beautiful. The main focus of the park's beauty are sixteen lakes, divided into two parts: Gornja jezera (upper lakes) and Donja jezera (lower lakes), as well as numerous waterfalls and cascades. The National Park extends over an area of just under 30 thousand hectares (about 300 square kilometers), including forests (14 thousand hectares), water, meadows, pastures, and scattered hamlets in between (Rastovača, Poljanak, Jezerce,Plitvica). It is the habitat of eleven forest communities, including beech, fir, spruce, and pine species.