Zadar
Zadar is a city in northern Dalmatia, Croatia.
Get in
By plane
Zadar Airport ZAD IATA has domestic flights only and also operates as a commercial and air force training base. Cheap flights exist but also may be hard to find.
There is an evening flight from Zagreb. During the summer seasons there are also various tourist flights from several European cities, however, during the off season during fall and winter,
- AdriaJet sells tickets on charter flights ☎+385 48 240600.
- Ryanair; operates low cost flights from London Stansted, Edinburgh, Dublin, Brussels (Charleroi), Düsseldorf (Weeze), Oslo (Rygge), Frankfurt Hahn, Karlsruhe Baden, Bari and Pisa to Zadar.
The adjacent bus and train stations are about 15 min walk from city centre. There are frequent buses and taxis.
Buses run to the Central bus station and Old town from Zadar airport terminal. These buses are clean, comfortable and efficient. Buses run in conjunction with arriving flights. Therefore they will run more frequently during weekdays than at weekends, as more flights are arriving at the airport. However, at weekends it is still possible to catch a bus. The airport bus costs 25 kuna.
The following website outlines the timings of buses, which run between the airport, bus station and old town.
By bus
Frequent buses run to and from Zagreb (3h 30 min), Rijeka (change for Trieste in Italy), Pula, Sibenik, Split and on to Dubrovnik. Information ☎ +385 23 211555.
Reservations by phone are possible with some operators.
- Contus, ☏ +385 23 314477.
- Touring Eurolines Germany, connects Zadar with several German cities.
About half the buses for Zagreb pass through the stunning Plitvice National Park.
- In the season daily buses to Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, http://www.cazmatrans.hr/zd-bih.html]
By train
A few slow trains a day run to Knin and connect into trains for Zagreb (5,5 hours or 8,5 with overnight trains) and Split (3.5 hr). Virtually nobody uses this train to get to these cities. Train to Knin is one carriage long with no A/C and can be quite uncomfortable, however the scenery is beautiful and will leave you in wonder at the numerous stations which appear to be in the middle of nowhere.
By Car Rental
A car on rental can also be a good way to reach cities from and to Zadar aiport. Many car rental service providers[1] are available to serve you. You can simply book a car online by their websites. If you dont want to wait for public transport buses and trains then rent a car at Zadar airport will be a comfertable way to reach any destination in Croatia.
By boat
- Jadrolinja, Large ferries run every few days up and down the coast between Dubrovnik and Rijeka, stopping off at ports including Zadar and islands on the way. They also run almost daily ferries in summer to and from Ancona, Italy.
- Local boats, Zadar is a hub for local boats and hydrofoils in Northern Dalmatia. Services run to and from Olib, Mali Losinj, Ugljan, Dugi Otok, Premuda and others. Timetables and prices are available online from Jadrolinija.
Get around
The centre is easy enough to get around on foot. To reach the bus and train stations or Youth Hostel you will probably need to catch one of the frequent local buses, which are the only form of public transportation.
Buses in Zadar are relatively new and well maintained, and you will be able to catch a bus to any part of the city from the main hub in the city called Mala Pošta (Little Post Office); ask any local where this is and they can direct you to it. A bus ticket in one direction costs 8 kuna (cca. US$1.60) while a two way ticket costs 13 kuna (cca. US$2.50). However, 2 way tickets are only available for purchase at newspaper stands, although they are easy to find. One way tickets are available for purchase upon entering any bus.
Do not attempt to board a bus without a ticket, without purchasing a ticket or avoiding stamping a bus ticket. Bus drivers in Zadar are notoriously militant about enforcing payment, and you could get into trouble.
Also, be advised that bus services cease just after midnight during the summer, so if you plan to get back to a hotel that isn't close to the city center after that time, you might have to walk or catch a taxi.
See
Walk around the atmospheric streets of the old town, located on the peninsula. There are 34 old churches situated on the peninsula, and all of them with a very rich history. The oldest is St. Simeon (Sv. Šime).
- 1 Archaeological Museum (Arheološki Muzej), Trg Opatice Čike, 23000, ☏ +385 23 250 516. Houses artifacts that testify to Zadar's long and rich history.
- 2 Sea Organ (Morske orgulje). This man-made organ works with the motion of the waves and 35 pipes to create a musical soundscape. A favorite for locals and tourists alike, and accompanied by a light display that creates visualisations of the sounds being produced by the organ.
- 3 University of Zadar. Originally founded 1396., which makes it the oldest university in Croatia, and one of the oldest universities in Europe.
- 4 St. Anastasia ((Zadar Cathedral). Zadar's main cathedral with an impressive organ that was nearly destroyed in the last war. Climb up the bell tower for a nice view over the city.
- 5 St. Donat's Church. St. Donat's church is one of the best preserved pre-Romanesque buildings in the world. It is pretty difficult to miss, as it has become the most recognizable symbol of Zadar. The church is no longer in use for religious ceremonies, and today is a museum. It also holds a series of classical music concerts every summer.
- 6 St. Mary & St. Simeon. St. Mary also houses a museum of antique religious relics and artifacts.
- 7 The Roman Forum. Remains of The Roman Forum - One of the best preserves Roman Forums in existence. This is a common place for locals to stroll, sit down among the ruins and enjoy a nice summer day.
- 8 Kopnena Vrata (Land Gate). The Land Gate – built to a design by the Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in 1543
- 9 Sea Organ (Croatian: Morske Orgulje). The Sea Organ is an architectural object located in Zadar, Croatia and an experimental musical instrument, which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps.
- 10 Greeting to the Sun. The Greeting to the Sun consists of of a 22 meter diameter circle made of 300 multi layered glass plate. It represents the sun. There are 8 similar proportionate (in size and distance) representing the 8 planets. The circles are illuminated during the night.
Do
- Sailing, If you wish to spend your holidays on a yacht charter, Zadar has a lot to offer.The best season for sailing is early summer with good S/SE winds in May and June, while the winds during July and August are generally calmer. Summer temperatures are between 26 to 30°C in average and the sea temperature is about 25°C.
Some famous destinations definitely worth visiting in Zadar region charter include The Kornati Islands, a national park, numbering more than 80 islands where you can find peace and quiet.*
- Sit, Just lounge around in one of the cafes and enjoy the city, the sun, and the people. There are very few Internet cafes. For more information visit the tourist office.
- Swim, Take a dip in the beautiful clear waters. It's quite common to see people sunbathing and swimming along virtually the entire coast of Zadar. The most popular beaches are:
- Kolovare, Situated close to the city centre, a favorite for locals.
- Borik, A massive hotel complex hosting numerous activities such as parasailing, water slides and other activities.
- Vitrenjak, Located close to Zadar's sailing club, Uskok. A beach frequented by mostly families. In the nearby sailing club you can find a lovely open terrace cafe offering refreshments and food.
- Walk, Take a stroll along the paved seafront on a summer evening for one of the best sunsets in Europe and listen to the relaxing sounds of the rather original 'sea organ' set into the harbour wall.
- 1 Boat charter, Tankerkomerc, ☏ +385 1 4882 209, info@sailingeurope.com. 08h-19h. Prices range from €200 a day for a simple motoring boat to >1400€/week for a relatively simple sailing vessel.
Buy
If you are looking for a good printed tourist guide try the Petar Zoranic bookstore, Knezova Subica Bribirskih 10
Eat
- Restaurant Kornat, Liburnska obala 6 (near the harbour), ☏ +385 23 254 501. Excellent Croatian Mediterranean cuisine.
- Restaurant Nika (beside the harbour in the Puntamika district). Fantastic food and service in a beautiful setting.
Drink
- The Garden, ☏ +385 23 254509. Bedemi zadarskih pobuna, ]. A fancy open bar with a lovely view over the harbour, opened by UB40 drummer James Brown. The Garden also hosts an annual electronic music festival.
- The Arsenal, ☏ +385 23 253 820. Trg tri Bunara. A 17th century. Venetian Naval Warehouse, now a cool Restaurant-Bar-Club.
Sleep
Budget
- Hotel Kolovare. The only hotel close to the city center.
- Youth Hostel, The Obala kneza Trpimira 78 (5 km from the city centre by the marina in Borik. Take buses 5 or 8), ☏ +385 23 331145. Friendly.
- Hotel Adriatic (On the beach Biograd 30 km south of Zadar), ☏ +385 23 383556. 3 star designer hotel, great pool.
- Hostel Ljepotica, Obala kneza Branimira 10A (right across the foot bridge, close to the city center), ☏ +385 23-224-840. friendly
Splurge
- 1 Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa, Falkensteiner Hotels & Residences Punta Skala, ☏ +385 23 500 901, iadera@falkensteiner.com. Falkensteiner Hotel &Spa is a five star hotel, located north of Zadar in Punta Salka peninsula.
- 2 Hotel Niko, Obala kneza Domagoja 98, HR-23000 Zadar, ☏ +385 23 337 880, hotel.niko@hotel-niko.hr. Hotel Niko is located 3.5 km from Zadar city centre. It offers a panoramic view of the old town of Zadar. It has 15 stylish and comfortable rooms.
- 3 Hotel Bastion, Bedemi zadarskih pobuna 13, HR-23000 Zadar, ☏ +385 23 49 49 50, info@hotel-bastion.hr. Hotel Bastion is a boutique hotel, built on the remains of a medieval fortress. Hotel Bastion has 28 rooms, including 5 suites.
Go next
- Visit the stunning waterfalls and lakes of the Plitvice National Park.
- Rent a boat and explore surrounding islands, especially Kornati National Park.
- Not 1hr away by car is Krka National Park where you can explore the breathtaking scenery and swim close to the waterfalls.