Zadar, Croatia: A Complete Guide To This Medieval Town

Zadar is located in western Croatia along the Adriatic Sea. Home to a historic old town of Roman ruins, medieval churches, charming squares, and lots of entertainment, Zadar is an intriguing city. It’s a smaller version of Split and Dubrovnik, with lesser crowds and a more relaxed atmosphere. And while its old town isn’t as picture-perfect, it’s the well-preserved ruins, art installations, and proximity to nearby nature attractions that make this place a must-visit. In this article, we'll highlight the important things to know before going, where to stay, eat and sleep, and 10 amazing things to do in and around Zadar.

Zadar Old Town

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Check out our video on Zadar to see this full itinerary through our camera!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bTLMU1jthM

Table Of Contents

• Important Things To Know

• Where To Stay In Zadar

• Where To Eat And Drink

• Best Things To Do In Zadar + map

• Tips to save money and other resources

Important Things To Know

Best time to travel to Zadar

The best time to visit Zadar is between May and October. The weather is great with warm temperatures and not a lot of rain. To avoid the huge masses of tourists we recommend going either in May/June or September/October. It is a bit calmer in these months.

Cost and currency

Generally, everything in Zadar is affordable. However, eating out can be more expensive than usual if you go for restaurants in the heart of the old town. In the summer months, the prices go up for a lot of things. As of January 2023, they use the Euro (€). Credit cards are widely accepted, but make sure to bring cash for small cafés and expenses.

Safety in Zadar

Zadar is a safe place. We didn't encounter any problems nor know anyone personally who did. Even pickpockets are not really a problem here.

Where To Stay In Zadar

• Apartment Laurel: this is where we stayed. It's a bit out of the center of Zadar you need a car to get around here. We liked the facilities it offered, such as great internet and a kitchen.

• Piazza Rooms: a great hotel in the centre of Zadar

• Divinity's Reach - The upper city Zadar: an amazing apartment in the old town

• Penthouse with roof terrace with jacuzzi: from a beautiful view over the city to a jacuzzi and a good location, this apartment has it all.

Where To Eat And Drink

• Pet Bunara Dine & Wine: great local cuisine

• La Famiglia: big variety of food such as pasta, grill, fish, etc.

• Deja Brew Pub Zadar: a lot of different beers and cocktais

Best Things To Do In Zadar

Zadar offers something for everyone, from going to the beach to hiking in the mountains or strolling around the old town. It never disappoints. You can find our favorite things to do in Zadar below to find some inspiration when planning your trip.

If you're traveling to Zadar and want to save time searching for directions to all of the places we mention in this article, then look no further than our custom map. Simply click on a point in the map below to get directions there for yourself!

10. Explore Zadar’s old town

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Zadar’s old town is probably the first place you’ll visit. Located on a peninsula and encircled with walls, the old town dates back to the 9th century BC when a Liburnian tribe settled here. By the 1st century BC, Zadar had become a small Roman colony. But the Slavs, Venetians, Austrians, and Italians also took over at some point, making Zadar the oldest city to be continuously inhabited in Croatia. Today, you can find architecture and structures from different time periods here. To understand the complex history of Zadar, it’s best to go on a guided walk here.

Book your guided walking tour here

The Bell Tower in Zadar's old town

9. Check out the Roman Forum

One of the most interesting things about Zadar is how Roman ruins seem to blend in with the city’s streets. This is very apparent at the Roman Forum in the heart of town. Built between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD, this was once the center of urban life. Today, it’s one of Zadar’s most important landmarks.

Zadar roman forum

8. Climb the Bell Tower Of St. Anastasia

Another fun thing to do in Zadar is climbing the Bell Tower of St. Anastasia. After ascending a few sets of stairs, you get to the top of the tower. Here you have 360 views of the old town, the Adriatic Sea, and the neighboring islands. You can also combine your visit with St. Anastasia’s Cathedral, which was built in the 12th and 13th centuries but unfortunately heavily bombed during WW2.

The view from St. Anastasia

7. Watch the sunset from Riva

The Zadar seafront, also called Riva, is a great place for a pleasant stroll and a sunset. With views over the islands and the endless open sea to the northwest, the sunset here was labeled as the “most beautiful sunset in the world” by Alfred Hitchcock. So take a seat along the waterfront and enjoy the art of nature.

Riva sunset views in Zadar

6. Admire the art installations

At the tip of the Riva, you can find two fascinating modern art installations. The Sea Organ is a musical instrument played by the action of the waves. A series of underwater tubes are set beneath the marble steps and create a soothing tune, which gets louder when the sea is wilder.

The nearby “Greeting to the Sun” is best visited after sunset. This spectacular circular installation contains cells that absorb the sun’s energy during the day and then releases it in a vivid art display when it becomes dark. If you’re lucky, you can catch some live music when you’re there!

Zadar sea organ

5. Relax at the beach

Given Zadar’s location along the Adriatic Sea, it’s no surprise that there are many beautiful beaches around. You could easily spend your entire vacation just lounging around on the shores. While Kolovare Beach can be found near the old town, Puntamika and Borik beach are a bit further from the center but more beautiful in our opinion.

Puntamika beach

4. Tour the nearby vineyards

Croatia is full of wineries and Croatians are very proud of their wine. In Zadar, you can find a handful of wineries in the hinterland that offer tastings. We went to the Degarra Winery, which is a 20-minute drive from the old town. We tasted their red and white wines, which also included a delicious charcuterie board. It was a perfect spot for lunch time. Other great wineries you can visit include MasVin Winery, Fiolić​ Winery Tasting Room, and Kraljevski Winery.

Degarra Winery lunch

3. Plitvice Lakes National Park day trip

Only 1.5 hours north of Zadar, you can find Croatia’s finest natural attraction: the Plitvice Lakes National Park. This world-famous national park is known for its large network of karstic lakes and stunning waterfalls. With amazing colors of the various lakes that cascade down the valley, walking around this park truly offers a fairy-tale-like experience from the beginning to end. We went on a guided day trip from Zadar around mid-October and the beautiful fall colors were visible all around us. It was a great time to visit as the crowds had already subsided. You do need to order your transfer to their and back separately.

2. Hike in Paklenica National Park

Stretching for 145 kilometers or 90 miles, the Velebit mountain range forms the natural barrier between inland and coastal Croatia. Paklenica National Park takes up a small part of this mountain range and boasts some of Croatia’s best hiking and climbing. In fact, with over 500 equipped routes of different lengths and difficulties, it’s known to climbers all over Europe. Most visitors come to see the two spectacular gorges, Velika and Mala, which have sheer cliffs that rise over 700 meters in some places. We hiked through the Velika canyon, which was both peaceful and stunning. You can also hike to Paklarić viewpoint near the entrance.

The Paklarić viewpoint

1. Boat tour to Telašćica Bay & Kornati Islands

Another great thing to do from Zadar is to cruise to the beautiful Telašćica Bay & Kornati Islands. These parks are only accessible by boat tour and provide a great city break. At Telašćica Bay, you can swim in the salt lake or walk to the cliffs. The scenery is beautiful here, especially with views from above the cliffs. Kornati National Park is a chain of 89 islands, islets and reefs scattered across the sea. You can admire them from the boat and swim in the sea during the lunch stop. All tours generally include lunch, but the one we did also offered a small breakfast and lots of wine.

Book your boat tour here

Aerial view of Telašćica Bay

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Use These Websites To Save Money On Your Trip To Zadar Croatia

• Booking.com for places to stay

• Skyscanner for cheap flights

• GetYourGuide for local tours

• Rentalcars.com for affordable car rentals

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Other Top Zadar resources:

If you're looking for some other suggestions and tips on Zadar, here are some great articles that will help you:

1. 28 Amazing Things To Do in Zadar, Croatia by Where Goes Rose?

2. 22 Things to Do in Zadar by Croatia Traveler

3. 25 Best Things to Do in Zadar Croatia by Collective Travel Guides
   

Need more travel inspiration? Check out our other destinations or our other articles about Croatia:

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