Off the beaten track in Otočac

Overview

This little town in rural inland Croatia is full of charm from the yesteryear. It lies in the northwestern part of Lika region, in the Gacka river valley. Otočac has a population of just under 10,000 of whom most are Croats. Importantly, it’s a prime location to arrange accommodation for easy access to Plitvice Lakes National Park and is a quaint and homely place to return to after a long day of hiking at the lakes. We stayed in Otočac as part of our incredible 2 week itinerary around Croatia. For all of my resources on Croatia, click here.

Quick Links

Accommodation
Afternoon walk
Memorial parks
Dinner
Nightlife

Accommodation

Our balcony view at the Hotel Park Exclusive made us feel as if we’d been sent back to a simpler time. We could see the main town clock and the length of the main street. This was lined with fur trees and olde shops such as the local butcher, baker and bric-a-brac stores.

Otočac is a sleepy town during the day but it a mere 20 minute drive from Plitvice Lakes, making it the perfect place to find accommodation for a day trip to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. We had two nights here to allow for a full day at the lakes. The hotel had a large buffet breakfast option which was included and makes for a great start before a long day of walking.

Afternoon walk

On our first afternoon we went for an exploration walk before dinner on our first afternoon. This was the perfect chance to stretch our legs after traveling for much of the day! To add to the beauty, we had arrived late in the afternoon on a glorious autumn day, where the tree leaves were aglow in startling yellows, mellow oranges, bright reds and brooding maroons. Furthermore, the sun was streaming through any gaps in the branches it could find leaving intricate patterns on the sidewalk.

Just a few steps off of the main street into some of the back streets and a whole new way of life is revealed. It’s quiet, beautiful and there is a slowness to life.

Memorial Parks

The Church of the Holy Trinity, the rectory and the Gacka Park of Croatian Memory were situated directly across from our hotel. This was another highlight of staying in the centre of Otočac. At this site, thirty stone cubes have been placed outside the church depicting important people, events and cultural facts from the Gacka and Otočac region. On further reading, I discovered that this spanned the beginning of the 9th century through to the 21st century.

Closeby is the Spomenik Hrvatskim braniteljima, a memorial to fallen Croatian defenders in the Croatian War of Independence. It’s a stunning memorial that also reflects the impact of a great earthquake in the region.

Dinner

I’d recommend dinner at Bistro Ribič, a delightful restaurant that is a short drive from the main township. The menu is simple with some meat and fish options and there is a relaxed atmosphere inside. We went with the chef suggestion which turned out to be double fish: trout soup for starters and grilled trout fish for main! In addition to this, there was a complimentary shot of Viljamovka rakija on arrival which definitely relaxed the conversation with our friends. We paired our meal with a traditional Istrian wine called Malvazija, a sweet white varietal made from malvasia grapes. Overall it was pleasant and one of only a few cosy options in the region.

Nightlife

There are few choices when it comes to nightlife in Otočac. Additionally, many of them were closed or closed early. However, we were keen for a nightcap and not to be deterred! Fortunately we found Caffe Bar Pivac which quickly became our new favourite bar and was open on both nights. It had the largest number of liquers I’ve ever seen on a menu: pear, blueberry, herb, juniper, bitters, amaro and šljivovica! Moreover, beware that the neon blue lights inside will have you feeling somewhere in the Arctic!

Final Word…

Otočac is a beautiful but sleepy town in northern Croatia that serves as a perfect accommodation base for quick access to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Moreover, it provides a calm place to recover from a day of hiking, with a small selection of local restaurants and bars.