Platak, a ski resort with a view on the Adriatic Sea

Platak – the mountain of enjoyment! The green mountain of outdoor activities 365 days a year. Situated above Rijeka, the centre of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Platak offers a much-needed rest from the heat in the summer, and fun in the snow in the winter.

The mountain (1111 m) is a relatively small ski resort, with 10 km of skiing trails and excellent infrastructure which makes it ideal for families with children. It was cultivated in the 1950s, got its first panoramic cable drive Radeševo in 1979 and is still expanding.

Just this winter, the new artificial lake and the walk around it had been added near the Mali dom Sušak, the smaller one of two mountain lodges. It accommodates 60 people, while the bigger lodge, Veliki dom Platak can host 90. Together with the bars, they offer a well-rounded seasonal food and drinks menu.

Our recommendation being the homemade strudel. If you are more do-it-yourself kind, the resort offers daily rent of picnic tables and barbecues in the picnic zone, with pathways to separate designated areas, with natural tree shade, marked with numbers. The daily barbecue rent price is 150 HRK or 20 EUR, and daily rent for a picnic table costs 50 HRK or 6,70 EUR. The availability can be checked here.

Hiking and cycling

Platak is a starting point for hikers who want to go to the two nearest mountain peaks. Trails start at the big parking space in front of the main entrance. If you’re going to go to Snježnik (1505 m), you can choose one of two most popular routes, the shorter will take you 1.2 hours to the top, while the longer one goes across Guslica peak (1490 m), a former military base, and takes 3 and a half hours to get to Snježnik.

Platak is also a gateway to the Risnjak national park and one can get to the Veliki Risnjak (1528) and enjoy the view from the top of the park in 3 and a half.
For easier walks in the woods, there are three circular walking trails – Jasenovica (1338 m), Radeševo (1364 m) and Sleme (1327 m). For cyclists, Platak has almost 200 kilometres of downhill and uphill paths, with a total of 8 different bicycle tracks.
 

Summer activities                                                                                       

This resort is packed with activities for every age and capability. Besides hiking and cycling trails, it offers an array of sports fields that you can rent, like basketball, handball, badminton and soccer, among others. Platak has one of the first disc golf courses in Croatia. If you don’t yet know what disc golf is (we didn’t), it is a sport similar to regular golf where the aim is to put the discus in the specially designed baskets placed across the meadow/field and it has eighteen “holes”, same as the regular golf.

For the youngest, there is tubing available in the summer season, three kids playgrounds in the woods and a pedal car ride. You can also rent a bike and explore nearby paths or try a trim trail.

Winter activities

Since 1933, Platak has been host to the international Adriatic slalom (hr. Jadranski slalom). A well known Croatian ski coach Ante Kostelić came 4th place in the 1969 race. The race was later shut down, but restarted in 2006, when Janica and Ivica Kostelić both won the first place. At the beginning of this year, a new investment was made and Platak has extended the skiing season with snow cannons and artificial snow. You can ski, snowboard or sled; or even rent motor sleds and ride in the woods.

For the beginners, you can rent equipment and go to skiing or snowboarding school.

If you find yourself near Platak and need to take a short break, no matter the time or season, ‘the mountain of pleasure’ is welcoming you.