The Karst

The Karst plateau (from the Indoeuropean root “kar”, which literally means rock) extends across the Julians Alps (northeastern Italy) to the border of southwestern Slovenia and the Velebit massif in Croatia.

The Karst is a complex territory. It lies between three national borders, and it connects a harsh mountain plateau to the quiet Adriatic sea. The air is usually sweetened by the humidity of the Mediterranean shrubland, while it’s bright and clean when the bora wind blows strong. The misty highland hills and the stunning cliffs enrich the variety of remarkable panoramas that characterize this area. The region is characterized by soluble rock types (e.g. limestone, marble, and gypsum), which are associated with sinkholes, sinking streams, springs, caves, other typical features. With such underground richness, this region has become the perfect playground for geologists. On the other hand, naturalists enjoy the immense botanic variety.