Settled on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, 3000 year-old Zadar is enriched with unique culture untouched by time. The city sits inland but is surrounded by elongated islands that can be reached easily by ferry. With the best cuisine, nightlife, sunset views and lagoons, a visit to Zadar and the surrounding areas will embed memories in your mind to last a lifetime. For my first trip to the eastern European region, I learned some valuable tips that I thought I’d share with you to help you when you’re visiting Zadar!
Here are 7 Tips for Visiting Zadar, Croatia:
#1: Rent a Car
Not only is public transportation scarce in some areas, it can also be unreliable. Taxis can be expensive and group tours aren’t always convenient. The best solution? Rent a car.
pAlthough we didn’t plan on traveling too far out of Zadar, we did find other beaches to spend our time. These wouldn’t have been accessible without a vehicle handy! We spent a couple days at a sandy lagoon, about a half hour drive from Zadar. On top of that, we embarked on a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Read more about my visit to Plitvice Lakes here
If you do rent a car, know that you may have a heck of a time finding a place to park in the city. If parking near the Zadar Peninsula, either pay the meter or the lot attendant.
These areas tend to fill up, especially during the busy summer months. There is another option for parking and it’s actually much cheaper. On the street next to Perivoj Kraljice Jelene Madijevke park, you can pay a parking fee at the bar/cafe nearby. They will give you the appropriate receipt to place in your vehicle and you’ll be on your way!
#2: Visit Beaches Outside of Zadar
Depending on what you’re used to, the pebbled beaches in Zadar are so uncomfortable. Although this is the norm for a lot of beaches in Europe, hailing from the US, I am used to those white sand shores that stretch for miles.
One of the more popular pebbled beaches in Zadar is Kolovare Beach. If you visit this beach, I suggest bringing a lounge chair and water shoes so you’re able to enjoy the Adriatic when you’re in need of a cool-down.
About a 30 minute drive north of Zadar is Nin’s Lagoon, a gem of a beach located in the small town of Nin. We absolutely adored this place, so much that we made the trip to it 2 days in a row. The sandy beach stretches so far that even on a busy summer day in July, there’s still plenty of room to stake your spot. The water itself is so shallow that I waded a football-field-length out and was still only knee deep, creating insanely warm temperatures for the water. Narrow reefs lay in the sea and, at such shallow depths, thus supplying the perfect conditions for snorkeling.
#3: Stay at a Hotel with a Pool
Our trip to Zadar was a bit different than most of our trips because we didn’t stay in an AirBnb. While there were many options for those in Zadar, I compared to hotels. After some research, I discovered that we’d only end up paying 20 extra Euros a day for a place with A/C, breakfast, a pool and beach access. It was a no-brainer.
We lodged at Hotel Kolovare and were very pleased with our stay. It was climate-controlled (a MUST in July in Croatia) and was cheaper than many of the surrounding hotels. They had a pool with lounge chairs, tables in the shade, a bar and a secured gate that led you straight to Kolovare Beach.
#4: Visit During the Off-Season
I’m going to be completely honest when I say that July was the wrong time to go to Zadar. I usually avoid traveling to European tourist areas during the summer months. Although I don’t regret going, I was disappointed in some of the things I missed because there were too many people.
What initially drove us to visit Zadar was learning about the Sea Organ and The Greeting to the Sun, both located on the peninsula that hugs the sea. The Sea Organ is a manmade structure that sits on the edge of the water and emits sound when the waves roll in. Going to this area during tourist season, we didn’t get to experience the the sounds over the chatter.
Read More: 8 Things To Do in Zadar
About a 2-3 minute walk to the north from the Sea Organ is The Greeting to the Sun. Equipped with a solar-paneled floor, the entire end of the boardwalk turns into a light-up dance floor masterpiece after dusk. If you want to catch a good sunset here, snag a spot early. If you wait an hour or so after dark, people clear out and it becomes your own kind of personal dance floor.
Read More: 8 Things to Do in Zadar
#5: Make Dinner Reservations
During the busy season, making reservations for restaurants in Zadar is a must. If you’re allergic to seafood like me, you’ll feel like an outcast as every place offers fresh Adriatic fish. I was pleased to find some sort of pasta or ‘American’ dish at each restaurant and tuna is always available in many variations. A couple of our favorite restaurants in Zadar are Restoran Konat and Konoba Stamorica.
And you can’t forget about dessert! On nearly every corner you’re tempted with amazing displays of Croatian ice cream. YUM!
#6: Be Friendly with the Locals
Along the boardwalk that hugs the sea are many local Croatians selling products at their vendor stands. We got to talking to a husband and wife who live in Zadar with their pet Marmoset. They were walking it around on a leash as they ate their dinner from a local vendor. After I exclaimed over and over how much I love monkeys, the man, to my surprise, lets the little guy on top of my head!
#7: Take a Day Trip to Plitvice
The best decision we made on our trip to Zadar was visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park. This park is absolutely stunning, magical, amazing!–Every beautiful word you can think of insert here. Plitvice was no doubt my favorite part of our Croatian vacation.
Read More: The Ultimate Path to Take Through Plitvice
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