Municipality of Starigrad: Paklenica, Velebit and ancient paths
Accommodation in Municipality of Starigrad
In the Municipality of Starigrad, the gorges of Paklenica National Park meet the peaks of Velebit. The area also features ancient paths, traces of different eras and places where regional traditions are brought to life. When choosing a holiday apartment, what matters may therefore be the experiences you want to focus on: climbing and mountain scenery, history and culture, or paths between local places.
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Photo: Luboš Holič via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Velebit scenery and activities in Paklenica
Paklenica National Park covers 95 km² on the southern slopes of Velebit. It includes the Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica gorges, as well as the highest peaks of the mountain range: Vaganski vrh at 1,757 m and Sveto brdo at 1,753 m. These dimensions give the area its distinctive mountain character.
The Paklenica climbing area also offers a practical point of reference for planning your trip. It comprises around 600 equipped and secured routes, graded from 3 to 8b+. Around 1 May, Paklenica traditionally hosts the International Climbing Meeting, with accompanying events and competitions.
For a different kind of visit to the park, there is Manita peć: it is the only cave in the national park open to visitors. Its entrance is at an altitude of 570 m; the climb from the car park in Velika Paklenica takes about an hour and a half. Allow for this walking time when planning your day. Paklarić Fortress is also close to the park entrance, at an altitude of 100 m. A marked educational trail leads up to it, where you can enjoy views across the entire Velebit Channel.
Paths, history and Mirila
An eight-kilometre cycling and walking path leads from the centre of Starigrad-Paklenica through old villages to Seline. The “A Short Journey through History” educational trail is part of the cycling and walking path and explains the area’s history on five panels, from prehistoric times to the present day. The “Pjeskarica” educational trail, in turn, runs for 1.5 km along the eastern bank of the Velika Paklenica stream. Information panels and rest areas are among its features. The specific trail lengths help you factor different excursions into your travel plans, without indicating how long it takes to walk them.
The Mirila are among the area’s distinctive cultural traces and are protected cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia. Preserved Mirila are located at Grabova dolina within the national park boundaries and are connected with nearby hamlets. An educational trail from Ljubotić leads to the Bristovačka Mirila, the largest preserved site, with more than 300 Mirila. Those interested in local history and tradition will find a distinct focus alongside the natural attractions.
Other traces of the past range from antiquity to the early modern period. Present-day Starigrad-Paklenica was established on the site of the ancient city of Argyruntum, which was granted the status of a municipium under Emperor Tiberius between 31 and 35 AD. Večka kula, on the edge of the so-called Večko Field in Starigrad-Paklenica, is one of a series of Venetian fortifications built along the Velebit Channel in the 16th century to defend against the Turks. Between Starigrad and Seline stands the medieval, pre-Romanesque Church of St Peter, probably built at the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries. Fifteen water mills were built along the Velika Paklenica stream in the first half of the 19th century. The park administration restored the Srednji Marasovića mill in 2000.
Local traditions and choosing the right accommodation
Culinary and craft traditions also give the area its own character. In the hamlet of Ljubotić, visitors can tour the Ethno House at the Vrata Velebita estate by prior arrangement. It features a permanent exhibition on beekeeping; Velebit honey and other local specialities are also available to taste. A circular route starts and ends at the church in the hamlet of Ljubotić. In Starigrad-Paklenica, in the hamlet of Marasovići, the Marasović Ethno House features a traditional tavern and a permanent exhibition about the tradition of building Mirila. The house is close to the entrance to Paklenica National Park.
If you are interested in rural traditions, Ljubotić is another place name to consider when making your choice.
Places in the Municipality of Starigrad
For further orientation, see Starigrad-Paklenica, Vinjerac, Tribanj Šibuljina, Tribanj and Seline.
For the broader travel overview: Zadar County.
More destinations
More places within the same destination:
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