The source of the Gacka – Majerovo vrilo

The Gacka River is one of the most beautiful rivers in Croatia. The landscapes it flows through are often like something out of a fairy tale, especially in spring and summer. It has several sources, and besides Majerovo vrilo, the one we are writing about here, the best known is Tonkovićevo vrilo, less than 3 km away as the crow flies.

Although Majerovo vrelo is only 3 km from the A1 motorway as the crow flies, it is a good 20 km drive from the nearest exit at Otočac. At one point you get the feeling you are driving to the end of the world, which makes your delight at what awaits you at the destination all the greater.

The spring is in Sinac (Otočac municipality). It is surrounded by meadows, and right at the source stand several old mills. Flour and souvenirs can be bought there, and a proper footpath with little bridges runs around them. The landscape enchants you with its calm, and the abundance of water on every side is so relaxing that you could easily spend a whole day there resting, watching the water, the ducks and the swans.

There are a few houses in the hamlet, and in one of them they make the best pizza in Croatia and beyond!

Although we are not given to advertising on these pages, we have to mention Ruspante. Of the eight different kinds of pizza we tried, every single one was superb. They are so good that we would travel far more than those 20 km from the motorway for them.

You can find a spot for the car near the mills, but do not disturb the peace of this place. Our recommendation is certainly to use the large car park on the left-hand side of the road (coming from the motorway), some 200 m before the mills. The car park is free and enormous.

The combination of nature, old mills and good food has put the source of the Gacka on our list of places we will be coming back to again and again!