Planning a trip to Croatia and wondering if Zadar is worth a visit? This thousand-year-old city on the Dalmatian coast boasts a Roman heritage, medieval churches and unique contemporary facilities on the Adriatic. We loved this city that blends history and modernity, all by the sea!
In this article, we share with you 10 reasons to visit Zadar.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We made our own choices, visited the area anonymously, and paid our bills in full.
Is Zadar worth a visit?
Absolutely. Zadar brings together listed Roman remains, exceptional pre-Romanesque churches and two art installations that are unique in the world: the Organ of the Seas and Salute to the Sun. Not to be outdone by the beaches, hotels and gastronomy! We recommend this town for both short cultural stays and seaside vacations.
We list the reasons in more detail below. You can also take a look at our selection of the city’s top attractions.
Reason 1 – For its old town, ramparts and Roman Forum
Zadar’s old town stretches out on a peninsula surrounded by listed Venetian walls, which you can walk along for unobstructed views of the Adriatic Sea. We were impressed by the historic center, where every cobbled alley reveals a new Venetian façade, a lively square or a medieval church. The Roman Forum is the ancient heart of the city: built between the 1st and 3rd centuries BC, it was over 90m long and 45m wide. Here you can admire columns, temple foundations and the Column of Shame, which still stands proudly in the middle of the site. A few steps away, the Place des 5 Puits bears witness to another page in history. These five stone copings, built in 1574, supplied the city with water during Ottoman sieges, thanks to an ingenious network of underground cisterns.
Reason 2 – For the Organ of the Seas and Salvation to the Sun
Zadar is home to two unique art installations designed by architect Nikola Bašić, which have contributed to the city’s international renown. TheOrgan of the Seas, inaugurated in 2005, transforms the movement of the waves into melodies. 35 tubes of different lengths, placed under the stone steps of the waterfront, produce harmonious sounds that vary according to the intensity of the sea. We were fascinated by this natural, unpredictable concert. Just a few metres away is the Salut au Soleil, a 22m-diameter circle of 300 multi-layered glass plates that captures the sun’s energy during the day. We recommend returning at dusk to witness the light show, synchronized with the sounds of the marine organ. These two creations make the sunset from the Riva de Zadar particularly memorable. Alfred Hitchcock himself described it as the most beautiful in the world!
Reason 3 – For Saint Donat Church, the town’s architectural symbol
TheChurch of St. Donatus is the symbol of Zadar, and it’s easy to see why at first glance. Built in the 9th century by Bishop Donat, this pre-Romanesque church has a monumental circular form, a cylindrical volume rare in Western Europe. We were struck by the sobriety and power of this edifice, whose construction incorporates blocks of stone salvaged from the nearby Roman forum. Fragments of ancient columns and inscriptions are still visible. The uncluttered interior highlights the circular gallery on the second floor and the central dome, while the three semicircular apses create a harmonious space. The building’s exceptional acoustics also give it a second life in summer. Every summer, it hosts classical and medieval music concerts. A fine example of pre-Romanesque Byzantine architecture.
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Reason 4 – For Saint Anastasia Cathedral
St. Anastasia’s Cathedral has stood on the Roman forum since the 12th century. We were impressed by the beauty of its Romanesque façade, adorned with three sculpted portals and a central rose window. The interior features three naves separated by marble columns, and the 15th-century choir stalls, finely carved in wood, deserve special attention. The crypt houses the relics of Saint Anastasia, patron saint of the town. You’ll need to wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees to enter the building. We highly recommend climbing to the 56-metre campanile, added in the 19th century: the ascent takes 180 steps, but the panoramic view over the old town, the archipelago and the Adriatic Sea more than rewards the effort.
Reason 5 – For its exceptional museums
Zadar has an interesting range of museums. The Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest in Croatia, covers several millennia, from prehistory to the first centuries of Christianity. We particularly appreciated the richness of its Roman collections. Remarkably well-preserved statues, mosaics, ceramics, jewelry and everyday objects. The Museum of Ancient Glass, housed in the Palazzo Cosmacendi, displays over 5,000 glass objects from Roman times, some dating back to the 1st century BC. Delicate goblets, perfume bottles and antique jewelry are on display alongside demonstrations of Roman glass-blowing techniques. Finally, the Musée de l’Or et de l’Argent, housed in the Benedictine monastery of Sainte-Marie, is home to a collection of medieval religious goldsmiths. You can easily devote an entire day to these three establishments.
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Reason 6 – For Dalmatian gastronomy
Zadar’s cuisine reflects the maritime and terrestrial identity of Dalmatia. We enjoyed dishes prepared with local produce. Fresh fish, seafood, olive oil and aromatic herbs are all on the menu. Among the specialties not to be missed are pašticada, a beef stew simmered in red wine, and brudet, a fish soup typical of the region. We also recommend you try Pag cheese, produced on the neighboring island. Its unique taste, due to the salty herbs on which the sheep feed, is renowned throughout Croatia. The konobas, traditional Croatian restaurants, offer a warm atmosphere and generous portions at reasonable prices. Among our favorites are Restaurant Pet Bunara, Restaurant Fosa opposite the harbor and Restaurant Kastel at the Hotel Bastion Heritage.
Reason 7 – For its beaches
Zadar offers a wide variety of beaches within easy reach of the town center. Kolovare Beach, just a few minutes’ walk from the old town, combines pebbled areas and concrete platforms for swimming, with showers, changing rooms and deckchair hire. We also recommend Borik Beach to the north, surrounded by pine trees. Golden Wave Beach (Plaža Zlatni Val) and its wooded park are the ideal place for a swim between two visits.
Reason 8 – For the Riva promenade and green spaces
La Riva is the beating heart of Zadar: this wide pedestrian promenade runs along the seafront of the old town and concentrates all the city’s life at the end of the day. We loved strolling between palm trees and café terraces, in a particularly lively atmosphere between locals and travellers. You’ll come across street musicians, families and artists set up facing the sea. The sunset from the Riva is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the Adriatic. The Riva is also home to the Orgue des Mers and the Salut au Soleil.
Zadar has no shortage of green spaces either. Vladimir Nazor Park, which runs along the peninsula’s waterfront, features shady avenues of maritime pines, cypresses and palms, with unobstructed views of the archipelago. At the other end of the old town, Queen Madijevka Park runs alongside the old Venetian ramparts, offering an open view of the sea. We enjoyed the calm and shade!
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Reason 9 – To explore the region
Zadar is an ideal starting point for discovering some of Croatia’s most spectacular sites. 45km to the north, Paklenica National Park delights hikers with its breathtaking gorges and beech forests. 130km away, the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is well worth a full day’s visit for its 16 turquoise waterfalls. From the port of Zadar, boat excursions take you to the Kornati archipelago – 89 deserted islands with crystal-clear waters – or the island of Pag, renowned for its lunar landscapes and cheese. Just 15km to the north, the small town of Nin boasts one of the world’s smallest cathedrals, dating from the 9th century, as well as remarkable Roman ruins.
We recommend renting a car so you can explore the region at your own pace. You can also opt for day trips without worrying about logistics!
Reason 10 – For its historic hotels and seaside resorts
We liked Zadar’s hotel offer. In the old town, theHotel Bastion Heritage, a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection, occupies a characterful building just a stone’s throw from the Arsenal. Its gourmet restaurant Kaštel, serving refined Mediterranean cuisine, is well worth a visit. For those who prefer the seaside, the Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Iadera, set on the private Punta Skala peninsula 12km from Zadar, is a 5-star resort offering some of the most comprehensive facilities in the region. We enjoyed the private beach, the four swimming pools, the 6,000 m² Acquapura spa and its five restaurants. We particularly liked our room, which had a bath overlooking the sea. For a complete overview of all addresses and the best areas to stay, see our selection of the best hotels in Zadar.
Some disadvantages of a trip to Zadar
Summer tourist numbers
Zadar attracts increasing numbers of visitors every year, especially between June and September. Iconic sites such as the Organ of the Seas or the Roman Forum can become very crowded at peak times, and queues at some museums grow longer in high season. We recommend that you book your tickets in advance for the Archaeological Museum, and that you plan your visits early in the morning or late in the day for open-air monuments. You should also book your accommodation several months in advance if you’re staying between June and August: the best addresses in the historic center sell out quickly. However, high season remains the liveliest time of year, with a particularly lively nightlife and terrace scene.
Parking and traffic
Zadar’s old town is entirely pedestrianized, which means that cars have to park on the outskirts of the historic center. Pay-and-display public parking lots around the city walls, such as the Liburnska obala parking lot near the harbour or the Relja parking lot, fill up very quickly during the summer season. We recommend arriving early and checking parking options with your hotel in advance. Rates vary according to area: around 10 to 15 kn per hour. If you want to explore the region, you’ll need a car to reach the national parks and islands by ferry. Outside the old town, you can travel by city bus, bicycle or electric scooter.
Cobblestone streets and PRM accessibility
The undeniable charm of the old town’s cobbled streets can be a slight constraint for people with reduced mobility and travellers with baby carriages. The uneven floors and stairs leading up to sites such as the Church of St. Donatus and the Roman Forum, or the 180 steps to the campanile of St. Anastasia’s Cathedral, require a certain degree of physical ease. We recommend that you check the specific accessibility of each site before your visit. Some museums, such as the Archaeological Museum, have elevators. The Riva promenade and Vladimir Nazor Park, on the other hand, are completely flat and easily accessible.
How to get to Zadar
Zadar is well served from several European countries. Zadar airport hosts direct flights from many European cities, especially during the summer season. If you’re traveling from France, connections via Zagreb or Split are available all year round. A car journey from Zagreb takes around 3 hours, and from Split around 1? hours. The intercity bus network links Zadar to the main Croatian cities, with several departures daily. There are also ferries to the Dalmatian islands and to some Italian coastal towns, a pleasant option for combining a sea crossing with exploring the city. Once you’re here, the historic center can be explored entirely on foot, as the peninsula is very compact.
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