Veliki Risnjak Summit

The 1,528-metre summit of Veliki Risnjak is the highest point of Risnjak National Park and one of the finest panoramic peaks in Croatia. Its name comes from the Croatian word for lynx (ris) — the massif was historically one of the great strongholds of the Balkan lynx and a small population was successfully reintroduced here in the 1970s. The summit itself is a wide karst dome topped by a small metal cross and, on a clear day, offers a jaw-dropping 360-degree view: the entire Kvarner Bay with Cres, Krk and Rab spread out below; the Slovenian Julian Alps to the north; and to the east the endless sea of forested peaks that make up the Dinaric interior. The final 30-minute scramble from Schlosserov Dom involves a modest bit of hands-and-feet on limestone slabs — nothing technical but bring grippy boots. Wildflower diversity on the summit karst is astonishing: 47 species have been recorded in a single square metre. Winter conditions can be brutal — the summit is often in cloud and buffeted by 100+ km/h winds — but on a clear December day the view of the snow-covered ridge dropping to the blue Adriatic is unforgettable.