Nature Park Vransko Jezero

Travelling along the Adriatic main road towards the northern Dalmatia between two historical cities of Zadar and Šibenik, you will come across a natural phenomenon - the two equally beautiful and yet so very different azures. On one side you will see the well indented Adriatic coast, famous for its inviting beauty and clean sea, and on the other side you will see the largest natural lake in Croatia.

Because it is one of the rare natural habitats of waterbirds as well as because of its fresh water springs and biodiversity, the Vrana Lake and its surroundings have been declared a Nature park on July 21st, 1999. The park's limits are between Pirovac and Pakoštane. The park stretches across 57 km2, 30,02km2 of that being the lake area itself, which stretches in the direction from the North-West to the South-East paralelly to the sea coast, from which it is in some places less than a kilometer apart. The lake is unique for its postition and characteristics not only in Croatia but also in other parts of Europe. It is in fact a karst valley filled with brackish water and is below sea-level.

The predominating characteristic of the park is its special Ornithological reserve, which received its title for its well preserved huge reed-patch in the north-western part of the lake, with its immense biodiversity, and for its extraordinary scientific and ecological value ever since 1983. The reserve has been included to the list of Important Bird Areas in Europe.