Travel Better: See the linked lakes, waterfalls of Croatia

Eden has been rediscovered among the lush, verdant forests of Croatia.

With more than a million visitors each year, Plitvice Lakes may be the most famous unknown attraction in the world for most American travelers. Plitvice, where 16 inter-connected lakes are formed by the confluence of multiple rivers, is the oldest national park in southeastern Europe and the largest in Croatia.

It is a place where every turn of the head offers a different panoramic vista that is a visual feast. This is Mother Nature at her creative peak, with cascading water from every direction into a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colors and liquid mosaics.

Starting with a basic palette of azure, green, gray and blue, colors constantly change according to the time of day, the angle of the sunlight, cloud cover and the amount of minerals flowing in the water at any given time. No two lakes are ever the same color, creating a natural phenomenon that is like a stained glass window on water.

Twelve upper lakes and four more in the lower cluster are formed by runoff from several small surface and subterranean rivers. The name Plitvice Lakes is a bit misleading because its endless array of cascading waterfalls add another dimension to the breathtaking aquatic tableau.

Plitvice has a primeval quality that creates sensations of being at the birthplace of nature.

Each of the 16 lakes has its own legends and folklore, most of which are based upon actual events. Among the traditions is an annual gathering when thousands of simultaneous weddings are conducted near a series of majestic waterfalls.

The park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register in 1979, making it one of the first natural UNESCO sites in the world.

There are 19 small villages within the region of the park, as well as excellent accommodations within the part itself.

Hotel Bellevue and Hotel Plitvice are two star properties inside the park. Hotel Jezero is the only three star property at Plitvice, but most visitors prefer Hotel Plitvice if given a choice.

Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is an explosion of waterfalls that must be witnessed to comprehend its true magnitude.

Details: www.visit-croatia.co.uk/plitvicelakes; www.visit-croatia.co.uk/accommodation/plitvice.htm

This story was originally published August 21, 2015 at 11:00 AM.