Spring time in Rastoke is very watery with lots of droplets and waterfalls, first green leaves and spring flowers. The colors and smell of spring are the colors and smell of new life in Rastoke that leads to green, blooming and a happy summer. And in the fall, you can feed your soul and body with fruits of hip, elderberry, apple, blackberry, corn and chestnut, and enjoy in the mix of colors and sounds. Imagine autumn walk in the woods, on the big natural carpet made of leaves with different colors and collecting natural treasures in coexistence with squirrels and deers. Who would've wanted more?
In the white winter, leaf carpet is replaced with snowflakes, while waterfalls relentlessly create new icy shapes. In the fireplace you hear wood cracking and in the night streetlamps create fairy tales. Snow delights are guaranteed.

The Caves of Barać are located some six kilometres to the east of Rakovica (on the highway Zagreb-Split), just over half a kilometre to the west from the centre of the village of Nova Kršlja. Entrances to all three caves from the north are called Baraćeve Brine. At the bottom of Brine, between the entrances to the caves, there is the Baraćevac spring, which, together with two smaller springs (without a name) forms the Kršlja stream that merges with the Suvaja stream some twenty meters further. The Kršlja flows several kilometres through the field, and at its eastern part, through a series of pits, enters the Varićak Cave, where it accounts for the greatest amount of water in its channels.
The Caves of Barać were once known as Radaković Caves. The surname Barać no longer exists in this region – this is a toponym dating back from the times before or during the Turkish invasions. According to a local legend, the caves were named after a person called Barać who defeated the furious Turkish giant in the battlefield and earned himself such honour. We know that there are three caves. Some call them Large and Small, Upper and Lower, and the third one simply – the Third, which allegedly has nothing to do with the two former ones. After rediscovering its entrance and position, along with some new channels, the third cave was named – the New Barać Cave.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest among the eight national parks in Croatia (294.82 km2 in area). It was founded in 1949 and it is the oldest national park in the country. In 1979 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register. The national park is a phenomenon of karst hydrography. The lakes are famous for travertine waterfalls and a continuous biodynamic process of travertine creation under specific ecological conditions. Travertine is a porous limestone rock formed by the deposition of calcium carbonate in the water which can create barriers, thresholds and other forms in karst rivers and streams. The ongoing process of travertine creation is especially noticeable in the waterfalls. While the visitors enjoy the walk through the national park, continuous travertine growth creates magnificent waterfalls. Over time the water changes its course, thus leaving some barriers dry, but enticing the growth of travertine elsewhere. The described phenomenon provides a sense that the Plitvice Lakes never stay the same.
The wider area of the national park is a rich forest and meadow habitat with diverse and numerous species of plants and animals. The forest community is mostly comprised of beech and fir. The most distinguished beech and fir forest is called Čorkova uvala and it is considered to be one of the most beautiful forests in the world. 1,267 plant species have been listed so far, 75 of them being endemic, and 55 being different species of orchids. The rich fauna includes 321 species of butterflies, 161 species of birds and 21 species of bats, which were discovered in previous research of the park area.
Among large predators, the most attractive resident of the park forest is the brown bear (Ursus arctos).
One of the first researchers of this natural phenomenon, academician Ivo Pevalek, said the following in 1937: “There are waters, lakes, waterfalls and forests in other places, but there are only one Plitvice Lakes in the world. You have to see them!
Source: TZ Slunj

Besides Rastoke that are story for themselves, Slunj has a lot of corners equally valuable to study and explore. One of them is so called, Slunj circle that spreads from Neralic street, beside old town Slovin, Napoleon's magazin, all the way to main city beach on the river Korana with ending in Rastoke.
To those who decide to go on a little longer adventure, awaits the path after Napoleon's magazin, that leads deep into the woods (Jelvik). From there, you can walk into many directions, all of them leading you to Korana river where you can continue walking to main city beach and Rastoke. Everything is surrounded with leaves and natural forest decorations.
Neralic was the first Croatian Olimpic winner in Paris and his house is the first thing you can see when starting the circle. This path leads to bridge of Moćan and the old town Slovin. Nature here leaves you breathless. The old town is under construction, waterfalls are rippling, watermill is working, life literally blooms in spring and summer, but over the winter has it's charm aswell. Photographers would enjoy this one.
Heading uphill, you continue walking beside the old fort towards Napoleon's magazine that is your star leader towards other beautiful areas of Slunj. Turn left and then after one or two minutes, uphill right. This is the beginning of Jelvik. After magazine, you can choose to go left on the road that leads to main city beach and Rastoke, or continue exploring the forest paths. Make sure you equip yourself with enough water. Jelvik is very interesting so it seems spending one day there is not enough but surely this depends on an individual. One way leads you to the deep center of woods, where you can see the small wooden "house". This is where the Scout school held place recently. If you're looking for a picnic place or some rest between pine trees, you have found it here, and only 3-4 minutes separates you from the first beach.
Very near is the all known Kotlac, a place that's being regularly cleaned and prepared for everyone, but most of all, for the children and young ones. During the summer, it's very easy to get accross the other side of the river and refresh yourself with real natural spring water, or enjoy the relaxing massage in waterfalls and fast currents. The other side also has one uphill way that can bring you to the main road and Rastoke. This path is called Krš (Krsh) and it has an amazing view on everything you've recently walked through: Korana canyon, Jelvik, Kotlac and the rest of Slunj as far as your eye sight can reach. Keep in mind that you take this walk at your own risk. Be responsible and take care of yourself, as you would usually.
Source: TZ Slunj