City in Dalmatia
Zadar
- Best time to go
- May, June, Sept, Oct
- Part of
- Dalmatia
Zadar is a 3,000-year-old city on a small peninsula, where Roman ruins, medieval churches and modern seaside art sit side by side.
Its waterfront is home to the Sea Organ, which plays music from the waves, and the Greeting to the Sun, a solar-powered light show at dusk. It is relaxed and walkable, with a lively café life, and a good base for the national parks and the islands of northern Dalmatia.
Things to do
Don't miss in Zadar
- Sit on the marble steps of the Sea Organ and listen to the waves play its pipes, then stay for sunset and the Greeting to the Sun lights.
- Visit the round 9th-century Church of St Donatus and the remains of the Roman Forum beside it.
- Climb the bell tower of St Anastasia's Cathedral for the view over the rooftops and the islands.
- Ride a barkajol, the little rowing boat that has ferried people across the harbour for centuries.
- See the Museum of Ancient Glass, with Roman glassware found in the region.
- Walk through the Land Gate and along the old walls to the Five Wells Square and Queen Jelena Madijevka Park.
- Swim at Kolovare beach, a short walk from the old town.
Where to stay
Pick your neighbourhood
Old town (Poluotok)
first-time visitors who want the Sea Organ, the churches and the restaurants on foot; no cars inside
Kolovare and Voštarnica
a pebble beach and apartments within walking distance of the old town, with easier parking
Borik and Puntamika
families who want hotels, shallow beaches and pine shade, a short bus ride north-west of the centre
Diklo
quieter apartments by the sea in a former fishing village, best if you have a car
Tours and getting around
Day trips from Zadar
Zadar is well placed for day trips to Plitvice Lakes and Krka national parks, and by boat to the Kornati islands and Telašćica Nature Park on Dugi Otok. Closer to home, you can visit the small town of Nin with its sandy lagoon and salt pans, hike in Paklenica National Park, or go rafting and kayaking on the Zrmanja river.
You won't need a car in the city itself, as the old town is pedestrian and buses run to the beaches. A car is useful for Nin, Paklenica and the national parks, and you can take one on the ferry to Ugljan and Pašman. Renting a boat, with or without a skipper, lets you explore the islands of the Zadar archipelago at your own pace.
Getting there
How to get to Zadar
Zadar Airport (ZAD) is at Zemunik, about 10 km east of the city, with buses timed to many flights. By car, the A1 motorway brings you from Zagreb in about three hours and from Split in about an hour and a half. The main bus station is a walk or a short bus ride from the old town. Ferries and catamarans to Ugljan, Pašman, Dugi Otok and the smaller islands leave from Zadar, mostly from the Gaženica port south of the centre. The old town is on a pedestrian peninsula, so park at the edge and walk in.