Lika (Croatia)

A historic region of Croatia, Lika is associated with all the big events and dramas of the country's national history: the first great migration from "White Croatia" (bijelohrvati), the establishment of the first Croatian kingdom under Tomislav, or—more recently—during the Croatian War of Independence, the region traditionally having been home to a large community of Serbs.

A rural, mountainous region that is scarcely populated and quite conservative, Lika is a good example of the differences in landscape and culture that can exist within such a little country. I would not recommend an extended stay in this region, however. Despite its natural beauty, it has few tourist facilities, apart from around the magnificent Plitvice Lakes National Park, a must-see during a holiday in Croatia.