This comprehensive guide covers all aspects of visiting Zadar in Croatia, from the top things to do in Zadar to places to eat and stay. It also covers how to get around, where to find the best beaches in Zadar and many other useful Zadar travel tips you need to know to plan your perfect trip.
Tyrone and I visited the city of Zadar during our incredible three-week road trip around Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed if you choose to visit Zadar. Zadar is one of the most beautiful destinations in northern Dalmatia worth visiting, especially for its rich history and cultural heritage which dates to the time the city was a Roman settlement.
Zadar Old Town oozes Venetian charm and is surrounded by the stunning Adriatic Sea, renowned for its high-quality water which is ideal for all sorts of water adventures. It’s closer to Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krka National Park, both are some of the most beautiful nature parks in Eastern Europe, natural wonders such as Paklenica National Park and many gorgeous islands. Out of all the cities we visited along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast such as Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik, Zadar was actually our favourite.
To help you out, we’ve created a list of all the best things to do in Zadar Croatia.
What to do and see in Zadar Croatia
1. Visit Zadar Land City Gate
Zadar Land City Gate which is located to the east of Zadar Old Town, beside the pretty little Fosa Harbour, is a good place to start your tour of Zadar.
There are a few gates to enter the Old Town, however, the Land Gate should not be missed when in Zadar. The Land Gate is considered one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in the whole of Dalmatia.
Zadar Land City Gate was built by the Venetians when they ruled over Zadar and for many centuries was the main entrance to the old city. During that time, the Land Gate together with the surrounding UNESCO-protected walls formed a strong defence system for the city.
The winged lion sculpture above the Land Gate’s large archway proudly symbolises the Republic of Venice.
2. Join a walking tour
Price: 100 minutes = €14 Zadar Walking Tour
Zadar is one city along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast that is perfect for a walking tour and something I highly recommend during your tour of the city.
A walking tour has the advantage of helping you quickly familiarise yourself with Zadar Old Town making it easy to explore the sights on your own later on.
Zadar Walking Tour runs its highly rated tours daily and this tour is one I still fondly remember and really got me to appreciate Zadar and its glories.
The tour takes you through Zadar’s fascinating history including the bombing of Zadar during World War II and the more recent, Homeland War (1991 to 1995).
3. Visit Zadar Market
Zadar Market in the Old Town is one of the best and largest markets on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
The market is quite good for stocking up on fresh local produce at reasonable prices whilst the bakeries close by are great for trying out Dalmatian breads and pastries.
If you get to join the walking tour run by Zadar Walking Tour, a highlight of this tour is a visit to the market because you get to sample the famous Pag Island cheese (Croatian Sheep Cheese ) and the traditional Croatian Maraschino liqueur.
The delis at the market offer a wide selection of Croatian cheeses, Croatian liqueur, cured meats, olives, various spreads and olive oils, all packaged nicely in case you wish to bring them home.
Zadar Market Tour & Cooking Class
4. Explore Zadar Old Town Streets
Exploring Zadar Old Town is a joyful thing to do in Zadar because the streets are mostly pedestrianised. Most of the historical sights in Zadar Old Town are within walking distance of each other, so you will find it quite enjoyable to stroll through the Old Town’s narrow polished streets and squares.
As you wander around, you can’t help but notice that the Old Town bear a strong resemblance to cities in Italy. This is probably due to Zadar’s long history under Venetian rule.
5. Visit People’s Square Zadar
People’s Square or Narodni Trg is historically the centre of public life in Zadar as far back as the Renaissance.
The square has gone through various transformations over the years like the City Loggia which was restored following war damage. The current Town Hall was built in more recent times, however, traces of old Zadar can still be found in People’s Square like the small 11th century Pre-Romanesque St Lawrence Church and the City Guard which was erected during the mid-century.
The art of drinking coffee is said to have been invented in People’s Square centuries ago and little has changed since that time. Cafes and bars around People’s Square continue to attract people who love coffee.
6. Explore Roman Ruins at the Roman Forum
History enthusiasts will be thrilled by a visit to the Roman Forum in Zadar which is home to 2000-year-old ancient Roman ruins. Here, the Roman ruins which are laid out nicely were once a Roman Forum, evoke an intriguing image of life in ancient Zadar under the Roman Empire. The main squares in Ancient Rome were known as Forums. General activities involved with running a city happened in a Forum.
Zadar Forum is said to have been specifically commissioned by Emperor Augustus and built between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD. It was destroyed together with other buildings in its vicinity in a deadly earthquake during the 6th century.
The free-standing ancient pillar at the Roman Forum is known as the Pillar of Shame where offenders were chained and ridiculed publicly to shame them as punishment.
Also, at the Roman Forum and beside the archaeological museum is Croatia’s first university, the University of Zadar, which was established in 1396 by the Dominican order. It’s worth checking out especially if you’re interested in Gothic architecture.
The Roman Forum, also known as Pope John Paul II Square, is surrounded by cafes, bars and public seats, so you can take your time exploring and re-imagining what life was like many centuries ago.
- Interested in exploring Sphinx? Zadar is home to the largest sphinx sculpture in Europe with a human head and lion body. Read about the Zadar Sphinx here if you plan to check it out.
7. Mingle with the locals on Kalelarga Street
Mingling with the locals on Kalelarga Street was one of the big highlights of our trip to Zadar. Historically, Kalelarga Street is said to be the place Zadar locals came out to meet, have a laugh and fall for each other and the city.
Everyone, young and old comes out to play on Kalelarga Street to enjoy the many exciting things on offer street-side like pizzerias that sell huge slices, sweets and ice cream shops, souvenir shops, bars and clubs. The energy is vibrant with entertainment which is nicely balanced.
Kalelarga is one street you will remember long after you have left Zadar.
We found Kalelarga Street quite enjoyable to wander especially in the evenings, watching the happy crowds, kids running around playfully, indulging in sweets and ice creams as well as live street music.
8. Visit Zadar’s Churches
Ancient beautiful churches which are worth checking out in Zadar are the round 9th century Church of St Donatus, Zadar Cathedral and its Bell Tower and the Church of St Simeon which houses the UNESCO-protected St Simeon’s casket. St Simeon’s casket is considered one of the best examples of medieval gold-smithery in Europe.
9. Climb Zadar Cathedral’s Bell Tower
Price: €3.50
It’s hard to miss Zadar Cathedral as its large rose windows and three doors at the front together with its Bell Tower stand out in the area. Zadar Cathedral’s Bell Tower is the tallest structure in Zadar, so the two dominate the city.
Climbing the Bell Tower’s 180 steps is one of the most popular things to do in Zadar and an experience that I highly recommend if you are up for the challenge. You’ll be well rewarded with stunning views of Zadar and the Adriatic Sea.
The Bell Tower’s steps are narrow and a bit steep, however, you will find breaks in the steps as you go if you need to rest.
10. Visit Zadar Museums
The best museums in Zadar worth checking out include the Archeological Museum Zadar at the Roman Forum, home to a large collection of archaeological artefacts from ancient Zadar and a scaled version of the original Roman Forum.
Price: €4
Museum of Ancient Glass Zadar, housed in the 19th century Cosmacendi Palace, is home to one of Europe’s largest collections of archaeological glass artefacts. Workshops demonstrating the intriguing art of ancient glass making are held a few times daily, so check ahead for times if this is something you’re interested in.
Price: €4
Museum of Illusions Zadar is one of the newest museums in Zadar attractive to families and young adults. Its permanent exhibition allows you to experience various intriguing unique illusions like those created by the popular, Vortex Tunnel.
Price: €5 & €20 – Family Ticket
12. Walk through Five Wells Square
The Five Wells Square is one of the most visited Zadar attractions, especially by those interested in learning a little bit about the city’s history.
Here, you will find a series of five wells, obviously. During the period of Italian rule, Zadar faced constant attacks from the Turks, so the wells were built to ensure a stable supply of water for the city.
It’s interesting to imagine that the five wells supplied water to the whole of the Zadar population throughout the middle ages up to the early 19th century.
Like many squares around the Old Town, the Five Wells Square hosts a night bar, and various open-air events in the summer and during the Christmas period, so be sure to check it out.
11. Take a stroll in Queen Jelena Madijevka Park
Queen Jelena Madijevka Park is one of the oldest parks on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. It’s located in the Old Town, up the steps from Five Wells Square and behind the city walls.
The park offers a nice cool space to retreat from Zadar’s summer heat. Furnishing the park are public seating areas, walkways and numerous spots offering beautiful views of the city.
Queen Jelena Park is also home to a bar which is open during the day and becomes one of the hottest nightclubs in Zadar at night.
13. Spend some time at Petar Zoranic Square
Petar Zoranic Square together with surrounding buildings showcases the mixture of Zadar’s architecture well.
Furnishing the square are modern buildings, ancient remains, and historical buildings, some patched up or restored due to war damage, all giving Zadar its own distinct character along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Petar Zoranic Square is one of my favourite spots in Zadar Old Town as the atmosphere here is quite peaceful and complemented by nice cafes, bars and really good restaurants.
Konoba Skoblar, a restaurant renowned for offering authentic Dalmatian cuisine and Pet Bunara, one of Zadar’s excellent restaurants, are both located in Petar Zoranic Square.
14. Go for a swim at Kolovare Beach
Kolovare Beach is just a short walk from Zadar Old Town which makes it one of the most convenient public beautiful beaches near Zadar. It’s a lovely “Blue Flag” beach with everything you need to have fun.
Like most beaches found on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, Kolovare is a pebble beach so water shoes will come in handy.
15. Experience Zadar’s spectacular Sunset
One of the highlights of a trip to Zadar is experiencing its spectacular sunset. Zadar’s sunset is really out of this world and will make you feel calm and peaceful and help you appreciate the world’s beauty.
Many claims that Zadar’s sunset is the most beautiful in the world. Famous screenwriter and film producer Alfred Hitchcock thought so as well.
After a day spent adventuring in Zadar, make a point to relax and enjoy the highly cherished sunset.
16. Listen to The Sea Organ
Watching the sunset whilst listening to the Sea Organ, designed by architect Nikola Bašić, is one of the most memorable things to do in Zadar and one you should experience as well.
The Sea Organ, located at Zadar’s waterfront, is made up of several large marble steps that extend into the sea with some pipes built underneath them. When the waves from the sea push into the pipes, an odd but relaxing sound is released and can be heard from the steps.
Sitting on the marble steps whilst listening to the oddly beautiful sound from the sea and watching the sunset, is truly special.
17. Spend time at the Greeting to the Sun Monument
Spending time at the Greeting to the Sun Monument or the Sun Salutation, a monument Croatians dedicated to the sun, is another fun and free activity to do in Zadar, popular with visitors of all ages, young and old.
The monument, situated just beside the Sea Organ, is made up of a large glass disc which is built into the promenade. Underneath the glass disc are solar panels that collect energy and in turn power a public entertaining light system which comes alive at night.
The Greeting to the Sun Monument and the Sea Organ are some of the most lively spots in Zadar. Despite being crowded, we found our visit to both monuments enjoyable. The atmosphere is that of laid-back fun.
18. Visit Plitvice Lakes National Park
Price: €40 Adults, €27 Students
Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s largest and undoubtedly one of most beautiful natural wonders, so be sure to add it to your list of things to do in Zadar. The park consists of a huge lush forest covering 30 000 hectares, multiple breathtaking intertwining lakes as well as numerous magnificent waterfalls.
The park is really awe-inspiring, it has to be seen to be believed. Fans of UNESCO World Heritage Sites will be delighted to know that Plitvice Lakes National Park has been a protected site since 1979.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is among the most visited national parks in Croatia as a result it gets crowded, especially during the summer months.
Prepare well by purchasing your tickets online and getting to the park early. We were in the park in June, got there by 7:00 A.M. and managed to avoid the long ticket queues and parking problems that are often found at the park.
19. Go canoeing on River Zrmanja
Price: €40 Adult, Child €20
Going canoeing on River Zrmanja is another excellent way to add a bit of adventure to your trip to Zadar. River Zrmanja is one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe surrounded by scenic mountains, clear and warm waters.
We joined Raftrek Adventure Travel and had a fun day canoeing and swimming on River Zrmanja.
Most canoeing tours on River Zrmanja start from the village of Kastel Zegarsk, an hour’s drive from Zadar. Before you leave Zadar stock up on snacks for the day and download directions on your phone because the mobile signal is poor in some parts on the way to Kastel Zegarsk.
20. Experience authentic Dalmatia on Ugljan Island
Visiting surrounding islands like Ugljan Island or Telascica Nature Park’s Dugi Otok to experience authentic Dalmatia is another big highlight of a trip to Zadar that you shouldn’t miss.
Ugljan Island is one of my favourite islands in Croatia which is easy to visit from Zadar. The island is home to friendly locals, beautiful simple Dalmatian food, secluded beaches and a lot of walking trails.
Ugljan Island is also a perfect place to stay for a long and relaxing break.
To make the most of your time on the island, I highly recommend renting a car, bike or boat.
21. Take a day trip to Nin
Nin is one of the best day trips to take whilst in Zadar, especially for families. Nin is a small town located in Zadar county, in the middle of a sand lagoon, about 15km north of Zadar city centre.
The town of Nin is important in Croatia’s history. The first Croatian community and royals were established in Nin. Additionally, the first Bishops in Croatia were seated in Nin in particular the famous medieval Croatian priest, Bishop Gregory of Nin, whose statue outside Split Old Town is said to bring you good luck by rubbing his big toe.
Nin is also home to some of the best beaches around Zadar which are popular mostly with families. We visited Queen’s Beach but Ninska Laguna Beach and Sabunike Beach are also highly rated.
Other interesting things to do in Nin include visiting the world’s smallest cathedral, the Church of the Holy Cross, a tour of one of the oldest salt factories at Solana Nin Salt Museum or just a simple stroll around Nin’s town centre.
22. Spend a day in Sibenik
Visiting Sibenik, Dalmatia’s third largest city, was another big highlight of our trip to Zadar and I highly recommend you add this fascinating city to your list of places to see in Zadar.
Game of Thrones fans will be thrilled to see the Cathedral of St James and St John’s Fortress both of which are featured as scene sets in the TV show.
Sibenik’s well-preserved Old Town is one of the most beautiful along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. An enjoyable thing to do in Sibenik is to take a simple stroll around its well-preserved medieval Old Town and along its attractive promenade.
Sibenik is located just over an hour’s drive from Zadar. Make sure to take the coastal route to Sibenik as the drive is very scenic.
23. Explore Kornati National Park
Kornati National Park is an archipelago of 89 uninhabited islands, islets and rocks located in the Adriatic Sea in the area between Zadar and Sibenik. The Kornati National Park’s landscape is made up of lush green vegetation, numerous coves, cliffs and crystal clear waters.
If you enjoy exploring nature, outdoor activities like hiking, cycling or water activities such as swimming, sea kayaking and snorkelling, then you will have a blast at the Kornati National Park.
The easiest way to explore Kornati National Park is by joining the many available tours which start from Zadar’s Old Town.
24. Indulge in Dalmatian cuisine
Zadar is an ideal place to try out delicious Dalmatian dishes such as cuttlefish risotto, pasticada, grilled fish and grilled meats. Some of the most delicious food we had during our tour of Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast was in Zadar’s restaurants.
There is no shortage of restaurants to dine at in Zadar. 4 Kantuna, a modern Italian-style restaurant in the Old Town, was recommended to us by a Zadar local and it sure did not disappoint. We returned to 4 Kantuna a few times when we were in Zadar for lunch and dinner. We found the food tasty, full of flavour and fresh.
The more traditional Konoba Skobla, at Petar Zoranic Square, is another good restaurant to indulge in scrumptious Dalmatian dishes.
25. Check out Ice Cream Shop Donat
Gorging on ice cream at Ice Cream Shop Donat, located on Zadar Cathedral Square, was one of our most delightful experiences in Zadar. We tried a few ice cream shops around the Old Town, but the Ice Cream Shop Donat was our favourite.
The staff at the Ice Cream Shop Donat are friendly, the scoops are generous and a variety of interesting flavours are offered.
Ice Cream Shop Donat is quite popular with Zadar locals and visitors to Zadar, so expect to queue, however, it’s worth the wait.
☆☆☆☆☆
I hope you do get to travel to Grad Zadar Croatia and enjoy it as much as we did!
Let me know if you need help with your Croatia travel by leaving a comment below. I will be glad to help.
FAQ – Zadar Croatia
Is Zadar Croatia safe?
Zadar Croatia is a small city and is generally safe. We toured the Zadar region extensively, at all hours and felt safer than we do even in our own home in Ireland.
Is Zadar Croatia Expensive?
In general, things are a lot cheaper in Zadar compared to other places on the Dalmatian Coast. Accommodation, restaurants and bars in Zadar are a lot more affordable than let us say Dubrovnik or Split. If you’re looking for a good holiday destination which is budget-friendly, then Zadar is a perfect choice.
Where to stay in Zadar?
Where to stay in Zadar depends on several factors such as affordability, who you’re travelling with and what you plan to do. Accommodation outside the Old Town is usually cheaper and a good option especially if your stay in Zadar is long. On the other hand, basing yourself in the Old Town has the advantage of being close to sights and nightlife, however; expect to pay more.
Zadar Hotels Worth Checking Out:
- Almayer Art & Heritage Hotel – for a comfortable and cosy stay in the Old Town.
- The Falkensteiner Hotel Adriana – an Adult Only hotel, located about 10mins away from the Old Town is perfect for both short and long Zadar stays.
- Downtown Boutique Hostel – a cheaper alternative in the Old Town with excellent reviews.
- Hotel Delfin – Small charming hotel is perfect for combining city sightseeing with a beach stay.
How many days do you need in Zadar?
You need at least two nights to explore Zadar’s Old Town, however, if you want to see other interesting places around Zadar, then add a few more days to your trip.
What is the best way to get around Zadar?
We hired a car from Xlrentacar Zadar which was quite convenient and gave us more freedom and time. However, it’s possible to get around with public buses including travelling between Zadar airport and the city. See full Zadar travel tips.
What is the best time to visit Zadar?
The best time to visit Zadar is during the summer season (June, July and August) when the weather is at its finest. This is also peak season, so prices tend to be at their highest. The beginning of autumn is also a good option as it is less crowded, the prices are lower and the weather is still warm.
Popular Tours to Discover Zadar
Tip::Here is a guide with all the Best Places to Visit in Croatia including the most useful tips.
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Edit – All Rights Reserved – Collective Travel Guides – updated 2023
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