Recommended sights coming to or from Komarna in Croatia
Plitvice Lakes 
Plitvice Lakes are among Europe's most beautiful national parks. They are situated in the mountainous region of Lika close to the road when you drive between Zagreb and Split.
A total of 16 lakes lying at different altitudes are separated by travertine barriers and linked by waterfalls and cascades. Their creation is a strange phenomenon and the geological processes continue today. The lakes and waterfalls are continually changing.
The waters flowing over the limestone and chalk have, over thousands of years, deposited travertine barriers, creating natural dams which in turn have created a series of beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls. The forests in the park are home to bears, wolves and many rare bird species.
The Plitvice Lakes have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979.
Split
There is one extremely good reason to visit Split on your way South: Diocletian's Palace. Split is Croatia's second largest city so there are an abundance of cafés, museums, restaurants and whatever the heart desires. However, the palace outshines everything else and no matter how little you care for old Roman castles you should make a stop at Split - You are driving right by anyway.
The Emperor Diocletian was Dalmatian (someone from Dalmatia that is. Historians claim that the dogs were brought in by the Romans). Today Diocletian is best known for his ruthless persecution of Christians. Even so, he was actually a unique Caesar, who did not care much for the job. He appointed a co-emperor and when that did not remove sufficient of the work load, he even appointed a couple of vice-emperors.
When his palace in Split was completed in the year 305 A.D. he went on pension and did what the bulk of his fellow present day Dalmatians do best: Relax and enjoy life. The Roman Empire crumbled but Diocletian's Palace stands to this day. Today some 3000 people live in 200 houses (from back then) behind the 26 meter-high walls of the palace. Diocletian is still there as well. He whose name became synonymous with persecution of Christians now rests in his mausoleum which today functions as a church in the deeply Catholic Croatia.
City guide to Split - Visit Split Homepage - offering an overview of city's history, gastronomy, culture and events.
Paklenica National Park
Paklenica is the most spectacular and diverse national park in Croatia. Basically, it consists of two gorges descending through climate zones from the massif of Velebit featuring Mount Vaganski at 1758 meters to just 20 meters above sea level down by the entrance.
With up to 400 meters almost vertical sides Velika Paklenica (Big Paklenica) Canyon is haven for rock climbers and attracting dare devils from all over Europe. However, most people stick to enjoy the scenery with solid ground beneath their feet walking the more than 100 kilometers of hiking trails cutting through the park.
There is a small entrance fee which also covers a boat ride (not to be missed) and entrance to a few of the more than 70 caves in the park. It is also possible to rent mountain bikes and horses but your freedom of movement is restricted to few paths if you choose to go like this (AND beware: biking is not for the skinny legged!).
Paklenica is too far from Komarna for a day trip but if you like nature it is a great stop on the way South or when returning home again as it is just off the main highway at Starigrad- Which you will pass no matter if you are coming from Zagreb or Rijeka. Climbers can spend weeks here. You should allow yourself at least a couple of hours. That ought to do it for all but the most enthusiastic.
Nacionalni Park Paklenica (Javna Ustanova), HR - 23244 Starigrad - Paklenica, Croatia. Tel. 23 369 155, fax 23 359 133 (you have to dial 0 first if you are not in the Starigrad region).
Paklenica online
Trogir
25 kilometers before Split (coming from the North) you pass the tiny island of Trogir. The 500 meter long and some two hundred meter wide island and it is almost toy-like medieval castle is surrounded by a town wall dating from that time as well.
Inside Trogir, you will find lots of atmosphere and plenty of buildings from the 13th to the 15th century making this a walk through an inhabited museum. (do not expect people to have dished their cell phones and put on national dresses in your honor though ;-)).
Trogir is on the UNESCO World Heritage list so you should need little persuasion to stop here for an ice-cream and to stretch out when you are driving right by anyway.
Solin
Approximately, five kilometers before Split (coming from the North) you pass Solin. It was the Capital of Dalmatia in the Roman Empire until it was sacked and destroyed by the Slaves in 614 A.D.
The invaders did the job well and despite being the most important archaeological site in the modern day Croatia, there is precious little to see, unless you are into excavations. There are a couple of museums, an amphitheater, a couple of old churches and so forth. And had it not been for the fact that the area is surrounded by highways and industry of the old East European kind it would probably have made a nice stop.
But reality being as it is you will have a hard time explaining to your family why you are stopping there. Take that break in Trogir or in Split and leave Solin to the archaeologists. But then again: Some people will find it immensely interesting. If you do not: At least you were warned.
Read about the history of Solin here
Krka River and national park 
Krka river runs into the Adriatic just north of Sibenik. In 1985 a 109 square kilometer area around the Krka River was declared national park and has since been preserved and protected. The area is rich with cultural and historic monuments and have many indigenous species of plants and fish.
If you are going south on the motorway and want to visit the park, take exit 21 and drive to Skradin (4 km). Skradin is at the south end of the park and is the most visited part of the national park. There is a network of paths and bridges here that gives safe and easy access to view the waterfalls and cascades. You have to park the car at a car park and pay an entrance fee of 65 Kuna per adult (2008 price). From the car park there is a free shuttle bus service to the river. If you are reasonably fit I will suggest that you walk down and use the bus coming back up.
The cascades are vulnerable - they are living! They have been built through 1000s of yours by algae, moss and other small living organisms much like a coral reef. The water transports calcium from the karst rocks it runs through. The calcium is deposited in the living organisms - they die and other organisms will build a new layer - and so on until they have formed the barriers that give the spectacular cascades and waterfalls.
Read more about the park here. (click on "English" in upper right hand corner)
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