About Rastoke
In destination Slunj Rastoke you may choose from a handful of cultural, sports and educational
events throughout the year.
Rastoke, a watermill pearl of the Slunj area, created by a whim of nature where the green and blue
Slunjčica river flows over the travertine barriers into the Korana river, thereby creating a multitude of
waterfalls, rapids, small lakes and cascades.
For thousands of years, the Korana and Slunjčica rivers resisted the laws of nature and, as a result of
that battle, they carved an immense natural wealth for the man in the limestone plateaux. Just in
that dissolved terrain, elevations in the form of water flows and waterfalls, man created the Rastoke
settlement.
According to records, the settlement has an ambient value and an authentic construction heritage
dating back to the 17th century, however, it is believed that it had existed even earlier.
Among other things, Rastoke witness of the impressive harmony between the nature and human
achievements whereby the power of the water was used as the main and only mill drive. This is the
first time that primitive machines were not powered by human or animal power. Apart from grinding
wheat, the power of the water was used to wash the laundry. Long before the washing machine was
invented, laundry in Rastoke was ‘basketed’ (‘košalo’) in baskets beside the mills. Baskets were deep
wooden barrels with drilled holes in which water tossed and turned the laundry until it was entirely
clean.
The largest number of settlements was built at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th
century and, due to the extraordinary natural beauties and history, in 1962 Rastoke were put on the
State Administration List for the Protection of Cultural and Historic Heritage. In Rastoke at that point,
there were 22 water mills, 4 fulling mills, 7 baskets for rinsing whites and coloured laundry and 28
houses with appertaining farm buildings.
Due to the harmonious construction, historic and ethnographic heritage, in 1969 Rastoke were
entered in the Register of Immovable Cultural Monuments at the Regional Institute for the
Protection of Cultural Monuments in Zagreb.
Our stories:
Rastoke – ticket and parking information
The must-see in Slunj is definitely the neighbourhood Rastoke. It forms the lively tourist center of the
town.
Strolling along the lively promenade in Rastoke, you will discover some of the most magnificent
places where the Slunjčica river splits and flows over many travertine waterfalls into the river Korana,
and where mills were built in harmonious coexistence with nature, moreover, you will enjoy in
restaurants, cafés and small shops in addition to beautiful surroundings to relax in nature.
RASTOKE PROMENADE
Public infrastructure
Promenade in Rastoke can be used every day, all year round and it is open to the public. Partly the
walk in Rastoke (returing along the promenade not making one way circle) is free of charge. A
circular walk in one part, when you using the path Vodene Tajne, is possible with an entrance fee.
Entrance fee is 3 euros and it includes crossing the new the bridge (Novi most-under the Jareb mill)
and visiting Korana river canyon and its waterfalls, as well as all accessible land sites. Tickets can be
purchased every day from 00:00 to 24:00 hour via the web shop or on the spot at web kiosks with
credit cards. At web kiosks customers can use only credit cards. Cash payments is not possible.
Private estates
All houses and estates in Rastoke are private properties.
Some of them opened their doors for visitors, as OPG Jarebovi mlinovi and Slovin Unique Rastoke.
At mill, OPG Jarebovi mlinovi, you may purchase flour directly from miller. For visiting this mill you
may send e-mail inquiry at email hidden; JavaScript is required
Private estate Slovin Unique Rastoke , you may visit with entrance fee. It is closed on Tuesday (all
year) and in winter. For visiting Slovin Unique Rastoke it is possible to pay entrance fee on the spot
with cash or credit card. You also may purchase tickets in advance by sending inquiry e-mail at
email hidden; JavaScript is required
Things to see:
Visit zones:
– Zone 1- Life bustle:
Rastoke are a fantastic show of nature and a home for people living there. Act responsibly
and respect the privacy of the people living there and be an active participant of the
processes that this town depends upon.
Rastoke is a fantastic show of nature and a home to the locals. Let your responsible
behaviour make you an active participant to the processes this place depends on.
Things to explore: Tufa phenomenon, mills, bridges, waterfalls and learn about Life of a miller.
– Zone 2- Land of eternal soldiers:
Slunj and Rastoke geologically belong to the shallow karst area and rest on a huge travertine
deposit of dissolved limestone in Croatian also called ‘bigar’ or ‘travertine’, and locally also
tufa. Through such a soil base passes the Slunjčica river carrying with it the dissolved
limestone rocks and with its flow impacting the tufa plateau becoming bigger, while at the
bend of the river there is the mediaeval town of Slunj. The water fortress was built in order
to defend against the Tatars back in the mid-13th century serving for a long time as a
somewhat efficient defence against the Ottoman conquerors. Within the kernel of the burg
having a shape of a polygonal seven-angled structure, there was a palace, possibly also with
auxiliary rooms. At the end of the 16th century, the town was additionally fortified from the
eastern side with an external defence wall ring with semi-towers and protective moat.
The sights you can see in this zone are: Statue of Milan Neralić, The church of Saint Trinity,
Old Town Slunj and Napoleon’s warehouse.
– Zone 3- Games for a longer life:
Physical activity was never interesting. Make it interesting by exercising among the trees of
the lush Jelvik pine forest and with a casual game concealed on the tables hiding interesting
information on the zone in which you find yourself. Enjoy this unforgettable blend of nature,
activity and culture on the way to your final goal – the Korana river. Find the pace that fits
you the most, breathe deeply and fill your lungs. Indulge in your senses and enjoy the
pristine nature. The forest that you will pass here is encompassed with the largest
coordinated Natura 2000 network including natural types of habitat and habitats of wild
species of interest for the European Union.
– Zone 4- A path where time is measured with a different unit:
The flow of Slunjčica, just like the flows of other karst underground rivers, lives a parallel,
double life. For a while, it flows on the surface, making travertine barriers and waterfalls, and
then, in another instant, it delves into a deep abyss of inhospitable karst renewing its power
for new roles. Each of them is vital for biodiversity, geodiversity and ecological balance of the
karst area, while its flow, or better to say flows, create an area of nature of immense
landscape value. The underwater flow of Slunjčica is called Lička Jesenica and has a flow of
16.5 km with several tributaries deep beneath the surface of the earth creating cascade lakes
that never see daylight. The source of Slunjčica has the shape of a small lake located in a
natural amphitheatre from where, with its entire flow, it cuts a canyon of an impressive
depth of 50 m, while at the Rastoke settlement, it creates a branched waterfall pouring into
the 30 m lower Korana river.
The duality of its nature as a karst river is the creation of a vast biological diversity area while
at the same time it is the habitat of rare plant and animal species. For some, this is their only
home and since some of the species are endangered, any irresponsible behaviour can lead to
their extinction, which would impair the fragile equilibrium of the area.
– Zone 5- A town that may surprise you:
History is life’s teacher and it is therefore important to understand it. Studying history, we
acquire knowledge that will assist us in better understanding the present, build the future
and learn the important lessons that we can make use of in life.
Did you know?
According to the confession of the Booking.com travel platform and based on their study, in
2018 Slunj, i.e. Rastoke have been declared the most hospitable destination in Croatia and
one of the most hospitable destinations in the world.
News and Events:
Slunj best tourism village 2023 by UNWTO
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) included Slunj on the list of the best tourist villages in the
world as an outstanding rural tourist destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, a
commitment to preserving community-based values and a clear commitment to innovation and
sustainability in economic, social and ecological dimensions.
UNWTO declared the best tourist villages in the world on October 19th, 2023., at the General
Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. They were selected through an invitation-based competition
that saw nearly 260 rural destinations from around the world apply. Among them, 54, including Slunj,
were declared the best, while an additional 20 were included in the upgrade program.
These are villages (or smaller towns in rural areas) that, according to UNWTO criteria, excel in
nurturing rural areas, preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions.
Check our website to find out why Slunj is declared as one of the best rural tourism destinations in
2023.