Rastoke (Slunj): A Complete Guide
Rastoke is a wonderful little village found on the outskirts of the town of Slunj, in the heart of Croatia. It is famous for its unique collection of water-powered mills that make up the majority of the village.
Not far from Plitvice National Park, Rastoke makes a wonderful stop-off point on your journey from the capital city of Zagreb down to the waterfall sanctuary at Plitvice.
In fact, we would even recommend spending an entire day in Rastoke - there really is so much to see.
The spectacular combination of nature and human forces in the village makes Rastoke one of the best places to visit in Croatia, which means visiting Rastoke has to be added to your Croatia travel itinerary.
In this Rastoke guide, we will outline why you should pay Rastoke a visit, the best things to do in Rastoke, the best places to stay in Rastoke and provide plenty of tips for your Rastoke visit.
So, let’s dive into: Rastoke (Slunj): A Complete Guide
Rastoke (Slunj) at a Glance
Highlights: Fairy garden; Mechanical Mills; Incredible waterfalls
Best time to visit: shoulder season (April-May and September-October)
Best guided tour to Rastoke: Plitvice and Rastoke day-trip from Zagreb
Best place to stay: Vučeta Guest House
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Where is Rastoke?
We will start out with the basics by describing where exactly the village of Rastoke can be found.
Rastoke is a little village located in the town of Slunj in central Croatia. The village is 1 and a half hours South of Zagreb and 30 minutes North of Plitvice National Park. Its wonderful proximity between two of Croatia’s most visited destinations makes Rastoke the perfect place to break up the journey between Zagreb and Plitvice.
Alternatively, visiting Rastoke on a day trip from one of the many charming towns and cities dotted up and down the Adriatic Coast is possible.
The village lies directly on the shores of the Slunjčica River, which flows dramatically into the Korana River once it reaches Rastoke.
Waterfalls at Rastoke-Slunj
Things to do in Rastoke
The main attraction of visiting Rastoke is wandering around the village itself. The village is split into 2 parts by the Slunjčica River before the river crashes into the Korana River below through a series of small and large waterfalls.
One side of Rastoke is accessible to all visitors; the other is pay-to-enter.
The pay-to-enter side of the village costs 40KN (£4/$5) for an adult ticket, while children under 7 can enter for free.
Included in the entrance ticket to the Rastoke Village Experience, you are able to wander around the many water-powered mechanical mills that date as far back as the 17th century. To this day, you can still watch how the water was able to turn the paddle wheels, which in turn powered the rotating millstones.
Rastoke Village is also home to many different-sized waterfalls and lookout points where you can watch the water cascading into the river below Rastoke.
The traditional Water-Mill at Rastoke
Add to that the chance to see caves formed by the onrushing waters and the beautifully designed fairy garden, and you soon begin to realise how well-priced the entrance ticket to the village really is.
Remember to see the traditional washer, where you can see first-hand how clothes were washed using the power of the water from the Slunjčica River.
Away from the pay-to-enter side of the village, you will find S’mek, a small delicatessen selling an array of local, organic Croatian produce. The smoked trout is particularly delicious!
In Rastoke, you will also find the Slunjčica Walking Trail that takes you along the winding river bank past the ruins of Stari Grad Slunj, part of the historic old town of Slunj.
Rastoke Caves
How to visit Rastoke?
Visiting Rastoke by Car
As mentioned, Rastoke is located 1 and a half hours south of Zagreb via the E65 and D1 roads. It is possible to hire a car in Zagreb and drive down towards Rastoke - you could even think about driving onwards towards Plitvice if you wish to extend your trip.
We would recommend using rentalcars.com if you are thinking of renting a car from Zagreb - they will find you the best rental deals in the Croatian Capital and offer you a number of different pick-up locations across the city.
Visiting Rastoke by Bus
Arriva offers several daily buses connecting Zagreb to the town of Slunj and the village of Rastoke.
The 107km journey takes between 1 hour 40 and 2 hours to complete, depending on the traffic, meaning you can easily get to Rastoke by mid-morning and have the rest of the day to explore the village.
A one-way ticket from Zagreb starts from 73KN (£8/$10) and begins from the Arriva transport hub at the Zagreb Bus Station.
Swing in front of the Waterfalls
Visiting Rastoke through an Organised Tour
The easiest and most stress-free way to visit Rastoke, particularly if you find yourself in Zagreb, is to combine a tour of Plitvice with Rastoke.
The Full Day Trip to Plitvice and Rastoke from Zagreb allows you to visit two of Croatia’s best attractions in one day - combining the incredible waterfalls at Plitvice with the fairy-tale-esque watermills of Rastoke.
The tour is operated in partnership with GetYourGuide. If you haven’t heard of GetYourGuide before, they offer thousands of day trips and tours around the world that are operated by locals who want to show you around the areas they call home. GetYourGuide really is the best place for finding tours and trips while you travel, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Croatia.
Water flowing past the Rastoke Houses
Where to stay in Rastoke?
Rastoke is home to a number of cute B&Bs and guesthouses that have been welcoming guests for many decades. Many are built in the same style as most of the village of Rastoke, while some guest houses afford you the chance to stay in the village.
If you want to hear the unique opportunity to hear the rushing water underneath the floorboards while you sleep, then you will find plenty of options in Rastoke.
Guest House Slovin Unique
This cosy and comfortable guest house is found in the heart of Rastoke Village, with a number of glorious waterfalls flanking either side of the property. The gardens are open to explore and the staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming - we can’t recommend the Guest House Slovin Unique place enough!
Guest House Vučeta
Another Guest House where you can hear the waterfalls flowing around you, the Vučeta Guest House gives the impression of staying in a lovely wooden cabin by a lake. The wooden-cladded rooms give an alpine feel to the guest house - it’s like being in a fairy-tale.
Guest House Nena Rastoke
Found less than 200m from the waterfalls along the Korana River, the Nena Rastoke Guest House is a wonderful place to base yourself during your stay in Rastoke. Each of the rooms comes with a coffee machine and kettle, so make yourself a cup of your favourite hot drink and head straight to your private terrace, where a beautiful view of the waterfalls awaits.
Guest House Nena Rastoke
Where to eat in Rastoke?
Konoba KUM
Konoba KUM is a little Bistro in the centre of Rastoke. The menu centres around pizza, and for as little as 45KN (£5/$7), you can have an array of toppings. With local Croatian beers starting from 15KN (£1.50/$2), it is hardly surprising that the Konoba is a hive of activity during the summer months.
We had a wonderful Mushroom pizza topped with sour cream and a tuna pizza with sweet peppers - washed down with a Karlovačko beer.
The mushroom and sour cream pizza we had from Konoba KUM Bistro
S’mek
If you prefer buying your own ingredients and cooking for yourself while you travel, then the small S’mek delicatessen is the place to head. Choose from an array of locally sourced cheese, meats, sauces, fish and jams.
S’mek is the best place to buy Ajvar - a roasted red pepper sauce. It is popular throughout the Balkans and can be eaten as a sauce with pasta, spread on top of a fresh loaf of bread, or even used as a marinade on a BBQ.
S’mek - delicatessen in Rastoke
Vodena Ovca
If it is a coffee and a small bite to eat that you are looking for in Rastoke, then the Vodena Ovca Cafe, overlooking the water, is where you should be heading.
The wooden terrace actually juts out over the river, so you can enjoy a fresh pot of tea with the waves literally falling below your feet. It is a wonderfully therapeutic experience.
Visitor Entrance to Rastoke-Slunj
Tips for visiting Rastoke
You can find free parking at the little Slunj Tourist Information Hut - it also has public toilets and a great photo opportunity of the Stari Grad Slunj.
There is free open wifi throughout the village of Rastoke - you connect to the ‘Wifi Slunj-Rastoke’ and click ‘login’. It will automatically log in and you can use the wifi throughout your visit. It’s quite a strong connection, too; in fact, we are currently writing this guide using this very wifi.
Visiting the pay-to-enter part of the village can get very crowded, particularly in the height of summer, so attempt to get there as early as possible or last thing in the evening. We visited around 5pm when the sun was just about to set and it was magical.
There we have it folks, our complete guide to visiting the wonderful village of Rastoke. It may not get the same attention as its close neighbour Plitvice, but in our opinion Rastoke is still one of the best places to visit in the Western Balkans.
