The lakes formed over thousands of years through a natural process. The water in this region is full of a mineral called calcium carbonate. As the water flows over mosses and plants, tiny layers of rock build up slowly - a bit like how a stalactite grows in a cave. These rock barriers, called 'travertine', gradually dammed the streams into the sixteen lakes you see today.
Visitors walk along wooden boardwalks that sit right on the water surface, sometimes with the lake glimmering turquoise just centimetres below their feet. There are also boat rides across the largest lake. Everything feels slightly magical, like walking through a fairy-tale world.
The park is home to bears, wolves, lynx, deer and hundreds of bird species. Because the park is protected, the animals are not afraid of humans and have been known to wander close to the paths. The forest around the lakes is thick with oak, beech and fir trees.
Plitvice was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 - one of the first natural sites in Europe to receive that honour. It is Croatia's most visited national park, but even in busy seasons the waterfalls keep roaring and the fish keep swimming, completely unbothered.