Our time in Slunj, the prettiest autumn village in Croatia.
Forget, just for a moment, the Croatia of sun-drenched beaches, packed terraces and endless summer days. Because there is a completely different Croatia too. One where the forests turn every shade of gold and red, the air feels crisp and a chunky jumper suddenly becomes your favourite piece of clothing again. Together with Ellis and Linus, I headed to Lika for a few days of autumn, nature and a little adventure. What I found there, above all? Time. Real time, with my children.
A different Croatia, barely an hour and a half from home
There are some places I always want to go back to when I need to escape the daily rush for a while. For me, the area around Lika is one of them.
Lika lies in Croatia’s mountainous interior, between impressive mountain ranges and wide highland plateaus, towards the Bosnian border. The landscape is completely different from the Dalmatian coast. No olive trees or Mediterranean villages, but endless forests, sweeping landscapes, rivers and here and there a village that seems almost lost in the green.
From our home base in Dalmatia, it takes us about an hour and a half to drive to this region. And yet it feels as if we are hundreds of kilometres away.
The temperature leaves little doubt about that either. It can easily be ten degrees colder here than at home.
In summer that might be a welcome refreshment, but in October it is mostly an excellent excuse to dig out the chunky jumpers and woolly socks.
Because that is exactly what I love so much about Lika in autumn. You don’t have to go looking for that typical autumn feeling. It is everywhere.
Tree Elements: a little house among the treetops
For our stay, we chose Tree Elements, a small-scale retreat deep in the forest near Slunj and Rastoke.
Three wooden treehouses and a larger house together make up a beautiful spot where nature clearly plays the leading role. You don’t just stumble upon this place. You really have to know it exists.
And as soon as you arrive, you understand why you want to be here.
There is an almost tangible calm. No traffic, no crowds, no constant stream of stimuli. Just trees, fresh air and the sounds of nature.
What I found especially special is that from the treehouse you don’t just look at the trees. You are right in the middle of them. High up among the treetops, instead of down between the trunks.
Every house has a terrace with plenty of privacy, so you almost feel as if you have the whole forest to yourself.
Our first activity? Making coffee, putting on thick socks, gathering blankets and sitting outside.
That was all it needed to be.
The houses themselves are small, but surprisingly complete. Downstairs you’ll find a cosy living space with a comfortable sofa that doubles as a proper bed, a well-equipped kitchen, a large fridge, a coffee maker and a lovely bathroom. Upstairs, under the sloping roof, is the snug bedroom.
Everything you need, without any unnecessary excess.
And that fits the philosophy of Tree Elements. The houses are designed with sustainability in mind, including local wood, passive heating and cooling principles and water-saving systems.
I love initiatives like this. Tourism doesn’t have to wear a destination out. It can also help preserve and restore nature and the local environment.
That idea of regenerative tourism becomes beautifully tangible here.
Thick socks, long talks and finally time for each other
Maybe this was my favourite part of the whole trip in the end.
Not the waterfalls. Not the day trips. Not even the treehouse.
But those quiet moments in between.
In summer, travelling is often all about doing things. We want to swim, explore, go on outings, sit on terraces and squeeze as much as possible out of our holiday. Especially in Croatia, where summers are hot and outdoor life flows almost seamlessly into the next activity.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But autumn has a different rhythm.
Because it’s a bit colder, you snuggle up together under a blanket. You linger a little longer over a hot drink. You don’t constantly have to be somewhere.
And then something special happens.
There is room to talk.
Not the quick chats between two activities, but real conversations. About what’s on the children’s minds, about their dreams, their thoughts, or simply about the silliest nonsense you can laugh at together until it hurts.
I notice that those conversations go differently when we are away together like this. There are far fewer distractions. Nobody has to be anywhere. You don’t have to juggle a hundred things at once.
For me as a mum, that is precious too. Because however much you love your children, in everyday life you are often mother, cook, planner, driver and a whole lot more all at the same time.
Here, I could just be mum for a while.
And that might just be one of the best reasons to travel with your children in autumn.
The Korana: autumn walks and an unexpected swim
From Tree Elements, you walk through the forest to the Korana river.
And what a wonderful spot it is!
Little waterfalls, natural pools, gently flowing water and trees everywhere. No big tourist infrastructure, just a piece of nature where you can roam, explore and play.
While I was mostly enjoying the autumn colours, Ellis clearly had other plans.
Because anyone who thinks autumn and swimming don’t go together hasn’t met my daughter.
Clothes off, into the river in your underwear and off you go.
In October.
In an ice-cold Croatian river.
Some children really are a little bit bonkers.
Anyway, she had her swim and we both agreed that we absolutely want to come back here in summer. Those natural pools and little waterfalls seem perfect for playing and cooling off.
Although personally I would pick the second half of August. And even then, I would carefully test the temperature with my toes first.
Plitvice: the famous waterfalls, at their most beautiful
If you visit this region, you can’t skip Plitvice. And rightly so!
It is probably one of the best-known nature areas in Croatia. The combination of turquoise lakes, wooden walkways and countless waterfalls never stops impressing, no matter how often you go.
But autumn gives Plitvice an extra dimension.
The contrast between the bright blue water and the trees turning yellow, orange and red is simply stunning. And because you are travelling outside the busiest summer season, a visit usually feels a lot calmer.
We chose a walk from the main entrance, past the famous waterfalls, with a boat trip across the lake and a walk through the park.
You could easily spend a whole day here, but with two children I don’t necessarily need to.
After a good walk, a boat trip and a whole lot of waterfalls, all three of us felt we had seen enough. The little train took us back towards the starting point.
And honestly? Perfect.
You don’t have to tick off every trail to really experience a place.
Afterwards we went to eat at restaurant Lička kuća, by the national park.
Restaurants at big tourist attractions aren’t always my first choice. You quickly expect a rather predictable tourist menu.
But this was a pleasant surprise.
Cosy interior, good food and exactly the right atmosphere to warm up after a crisp autumn walk.
So sometimes you really don’t need to look any further.
Dolina Jelena: visiting the deer
A very different, but at least as lovely experience was Dolina Jelena, a deer farm near Plitvice.
We met impressive red deer, the spotted fallow deer we all know as the classic Bambis, and local horses.
And we were allowed to feed the animals too.
But what I liked most was the way the visit was organised.
Not the animals constantly being shut in for the sake of the visitors, but rather the other way round: at certain moments, we as visitors were behind a fence while the animals roamed freely.
An interesting reversal of what you would normally expect.
Afterwards it was really cosy too, with little bites to taste and a relaxed atmosphere.
It wasn’t a spectacular activity where you rush from one attraction to the next. Just a lovely experience where you take your time to watch the animals and learn something together.
And that fits this trip perfectly.
Rastoke: a fairytale village full of waterfalls
If I had to pick one place that perfectly sums up the charm of autumn in Croatia, it might well be Rastoke.
This small, fairytale-like village lies where the Slunjčica river flows into the Korana. Water rushes everywhere, past historic watermills, wooden houses and dozens of little waterfalls.
We had been here in summer and in winter before, but autumn has something extra.
The trees turn beautiful colours, the water is in full flow and on crisp days a light mist hangs above the waterfalls.
That makes it almost unreal.
We had brunch there, visited a museum, strolled through the village and above all enjoyed the atmosphere.
Rastoke is one of those places where you don’t need to do much at all to have a wonderful morning.
If you like walking, there are lovely routes along the river and in the surrounding area as well. We had already explored those on earlier visits, so this time we kept it a bit calmer.
That is another advantage of coming back somewhere. You don’t have to do everything all over again every time.
And then we eat really well: Ambar
For me, a trip is only truly complete when the food is good too.
And for that, I can warmly recommend Ambar.
What appeals to me here is that the traditional cuisine of the region is served in a contemporary way.
No complicated dishes that mainly need to look good on Instagram, but recognisable ingredients, pure flavours and dishes in which you can still taste the region.
For vegetarians and vegans, we found a really nice selection too. And that is not always a given in inland Croatia.
We had a truly delicious meal.
For me, that is also an important part of travelling outside the high season: it is much easier to take your time, sit somewhere at length, discover a new flavour and simply enjoy the meal.
Without thinking about the next beach or the next activity.
Soft adventures, big memories
What I love about this region is that you can really go any direction.
You can enjoy the peace and quiet for days, but you can just as easily fill your holiday with little adventures.
Besides the Plitvice Lakes, Rastoke and the deer farm, the wider area has several museums, beautiful bridle paths and opportunities for horse riding, fishing, quad biking or even ziplining.
You can go on long forest walks or simply spend a few hours exploring with the children.
It is what I like to call a soft adventure.
Getting outdoors. Exploring. Trying new things.
But without having to be ready with a backpack at seven every morning, or the holiday suddenly turning into some kind of military operation.
And autumn may well be the ideal season for it. The temperatures are more pleasant for being active, nature is spectacularly beautiful and you share the best spots with far fewer other visitors.
Of course some outdoor activities depend on the season and the weather, so it is wise to check in advance.
Why I would send you to this region in autumn
I completely understand why so many people associate Croatia with summer.
The Adriatic Sea, the islands, the wonderful climate and that typical Mediterranean way of life are fantastic.
But I also think we sell ourselves a little short by seeing Croatia mainly as a summer destination.
Because the country has so much more to offer.
For me, autumn here has something summer can’t always give: calm, space and a different kind of connection.
With nature, but also with each other.
When you sit together under a blanket on a terrace among the treetops. When you walk through a forest without hurrying. When your child suddenly starts telling a story that might never have come out at home.
It is often exactly those small, unplanned moments you remember best later on.
Not how many waterfalls you saw. Not how many kilometres you walked. But how good it felt to be away together for a while.
And you really don’t need to take two weeks off or travel to the other side of the world for that.
Sometimes a few days, a treehouse in the middle of the forest and two children who enjoy it at least as much as you do are all it takes.
Although personally, I would still skip the swimming in October.
Lika and the area around Slunj in autumn? As far as I’m concerned, one of the loveliest destinations in Croatia for a cosy, gently adventurous holiday.
More photos from our autumn days in Lika
Scroll or swipe, click to enlarge.
Love,
Yentl — JEHOULIGANS Travel
