Fairy Garden (Vilin Gaj)

Rastoke is a small village on the edge of the town of Slunj, in the Kordun area of central Croatia, where the Slunjčica river tumbles over a series of travertine steps into the Korana. The water splits into dozens of channels and small cascades, running under and between old wooden houses and watermills, so that the village appears to float on waterfalls. It is often described as a fairy village, and local stories say that fairies live among the rocks and mossy banks. The Fairy Garden, Vilin Gaj in Croatian, is one of the places that keeps that mood alive, a green corner of the village where the water, the trees and the old buildings combine to make a quiet, almost storybook scene.

The setting is much older than the tourist interest. Travertine forms when water rich in dissolved limestone deposits calcium carbonate on moss and plants, slowly building natural dams. Over thousands of years, these barriers created the series of cascades that run through Rastoke, and the villagers learned to use them by building mills on the falls. Watermills for grinding grain and wooden machines for fulling cloth, in which woollen fabric was beaten in water to make it thicker, stood along the channels, and many of the timber houses date from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, though some are older. Today, a number of mills have been restored and serve as restaurants or guest houses, and the whole settlement is a protected cultural heritage site.

Walking through the Fairy Garden is a matter of slow strolling rather than sightseeing. Paths and small wooden bridges lead past moss-covered stones, flowering plants and little waterfalls, and the air is cool and full of the sound of water. The sensation is best in the early morning, before the day trippers arrive, and in autumn, when mist and leaves add colour. The wet stones can be slippery, so wear shoes with good grip and be careful with children, as there are few railings.

The nearby sights are covered separately in this guide, including the historic watermills, the Rastoke watermills and a heritage guest house that is a protected historic building. The old fortress of Slunj stands above the village, and the town of Slunj is a short walk up the hill, where you will find restaurants and shops. Rastoke is also a frequent first stop or a calm interlude for visitors heading to or from Plitvice Lakes National Park, which is not far away, and many travellers combine the two in one day.

Plan an hour or two for walking through Rastoke and the garden, more if you stop for lunch beside the falls. The place suits families, photographers, couples and anyone who likes water and quiet scenery.