If you are planning a trip to Croatia and want to explore its coastline, but are not sure where to begin, you'll definitely want to add Zadar to your itinerary. Located on the stunning Dalmatian coast, Zadar is a beautiful coastal town, rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.
From all the ancient Roman ruins to crystal-clear waters and incredible sunsets, Zadar is a perfect place to begin your journey along one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.
Within this guide, we will provide you with all the information you need to plan a perfect trip to Zadar, from the best places to visit to an awesome day trip you can make from here. Without further ado, here are the 12 best things to do in Zadar for solo travelers:
- Zadar Itinerary Map
- Where to Stay in Zadar?
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12 Best Things to Do in Zadar
- Walk Through The Land Gate
- Check Out The Five Wells Square
- Admire the Beauty of The Church of St. Donatus and Climb the Nearby Bell Tower
- Visit the Cathedral of St. Anastasia
- Learn More About Zadar at Archaeological Museum Zadar
- Admire the Beauty of People's Square
- Be Amazed by the Sea Organ
- Watch the Sunset at The Greeting to the Sun Monument
- Hang Out at Kolovare Beach
- Try out Fresh Seafood dishes at Konoba Tovar
- Explore Krka National Park
- Spend a Day in Plitvice Lakes National Park
- More Zadar Activities
- Further Reading for Croatia
Zadar Itinerary Map
12 Best Things to Do in Zadar
1. Walk Through The Land Gate
Like most old towns in Europe, some of the coolest tourist attractions you will find in Zadar are located inside the old town area surrounded by medieval walls and the only way you can enter the area is through the Land Gate, one of the most iconic landmarks and the first tourist attraction you will see here.
This historic gate dates back to the 16th century when it was constructed by the Venetians, who sailed across the Adriatic Sea and conquered much of the Dalmatian coast during that time.
The gate features a huge triumphal arch decorated with incredibly intricate stone carvings of images of Zadar's patron saint, Chrysogonus, as well as the winged lion of St. Mark hovering over the central arch overlooking everyone who enters the city. The winged lion is a way for the Venetians to remind people of the long rule of Venice over Zadar during that period.
- Downtown Boutique Hostel (Budget)
- Peninsula Luxury Rooms (Mid-Range) 👍 Top Pick
- Bastion Heritage Hotel - Relais & Châteaux (High-End)
- Eco Tuk Tuk guided tour of Zadar (1.5 hours)
- Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour with Tickets (9 hours)
- Plitvice Lakes: National Park Official Entry Ticket (1 day) 🏅 Top Pick
The gate is connected to the stone walls where you can walk along and admire the view of the gate from above. It is a stunning example of Zadar's rich history and culture. Its unique Venetian design and intricate details make it a great place to start your exploration in Zadar.
Where to Stay in Zadar?
2. Check Out The Five Wells Square
Right out of the (Land) gate, literally, you will find the Five Wells Square, an iconic public square built in the 16th Century and is considered to be the oldest town square in the country.
The square features the five iconic stone wells, which is where the square got its name from, all built in a single row as well as a cistern below it, designed by the Venetians as a water supply system for the city.
Surrounding the square, you will find all kinds of beautiful medieval structures like the pentagonal Captain's tower that is embedded in the city's wall, and you can climb up to the top for a view over the Old Town for 2.5 EUR.
There is also a small park attached to the square where you can relax in with an incredible vantage point over the Land Gate and the small harbor nearby. The park is also considered to be the oldest public park in Zadar.
Walking around Five Wells Square, surrounded by all sorts of medieval structures, it almost felt like I was transported back to medieval times. Especially during the blue hour when the area is illuminated by the warm glow of artificial lights. There is nothing more immersive than that!
3. Admire the Beauty of The Church of St. Donatus and Climb the Nearby Bell Tower
One of the most famous landmarks in Zadar is the Church of St. Donatus, an impressive circular church constructed in the 9th Century and is considered to be the largest Pre-Romanesque building you will find in Croatia.
The church was built on top of the ancient Roman Forum site, and you can still see the remaining structures of the ancient town square, like fallen Roman columns, buildings' foundations, and ancient sculptures scattered across the large courtyard surrounding the church.
Attached to the church, you will also find a 12th Century bell tower, standing over 56 meters high where you can climb to the top for an incredible view over Zadar's Old Town.
To get to the top, you are going to have to pay around 2 EUR for the entrance fee and climb the 200+ steps to reach the top of the tower, where you will be rewarded with an incredible 360° panoramic view of Zadar.
If you are looking for the most photogenic places to take photos, the Church of St. Donatus and the surrounding areas are the places to be. The Bell Tower is open from 10 AM to 6 PM every day except on Sundays, and the entrance fee is 2 EUR per person.
Tours & Tickets You Might Like
Looking to save some costs on your travel? Why not join a shared group tour from Zadar? Here are some activities you might be interested in:
4. Visit the Cathedral of St. Anastasia
Located between the bell tower and the Church of St. Donatus, you will also find the Cathedral of St. Anastasia, another impressive church you should check out while you are in Zadar.
The church was built in the 12th Century, and it features an incredible facade design complete with intricate stone carvings and beautiful stained glass windows adorning the church's exterior.
It is a great place to visit as you explore all the old structures in Zadar's Old Town. The church is open the visitors from 8 AM to 7:30 PM every day except on Sundays when it is open from 8 AM to 1 PM. There is no entrance fee to enter the church.
5. Learn More About Zadar at Archaeological Museum Zadar
If you are interested in learning more about the rich history of Zadar, I highly recommend you check out the Archaeological Museum of Zadar, the second oldest museum in Croatia, located right by the square in front of the Church of St. Donatus.
This museum is home to an extensive collection of more than 100,000 artifacts and several exhibitions that are spread out across 3 floors, showcasing just how incredibly rich and diverse the history of the region is.
The exhibitions inside cover a wide range of periods from the prehistoric era to ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, all the way to the early Christian period. It is a great place to learn more about the history of this region and the city itself. The museum is open from 9 AM to 2 PM every day except on Saturdays when it is open from 9 AM to 1 PM and closed on Sundays.
6. Admire the Beauty of People's Square
If you are looking for a place to hang out and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while being surrounded by all the beautiful medieval buildings, I highly recommend you check out the People's Square located in the heart of Zadar's Old Town.
At the square, you will find an impressive 11th-century church with an iconic pink-colored clock tower towering over the square. At the square, you will also find restaurants and cafes with seating areas on the square where you can indulge yourself in.
It is a great place to stroll around and explore some of the museums located right at the square or sit back, relax, and enjoy the lively vibe of Zadar as you sip a cup of coffee or have lunch. If you are looking for a place to relax in Zadar, be sure to check out People's Square.
7. Be Amazed by the Sea Organ
Probably one of the most unique tourist attractions you will see here is the Sea Organ, a large experimental musical instrument and an art installation mounted beneath a staircase that descends into the sea, with a system of pipes and whistles hidden beneath them.
As the waves move in and out, the air is forced through the pipes, creating one of the most mesmerizing melodies that are both haunting and beautiful at the same time. The sound is so random and unpredictable as it changes with the ebb and flow of the sea, and I have never experienced anything quite like it.
The instrument is located on the northwestern tip of Zadar's Old Town, and although the place might not be obvious at first, the moment you walk closer to it, you will start hearing this mesmerizing tune, and all you have to do is follow the sound to get to the staircase where the wind pipes are mounted under.
I highly recommend you visit the Sea Organ at sunset when the place is the liveliest, and you will be able to witness the incredible tune while enjoying the beautiful sunset over the Adriatic Sea.
8. Watch the Sunset at The Greeting to the Sun Monument
Located right by the Sea Organ, you will also find another incredibly creative tourist attraction called the Greeting to the Sun, an awesome art installation designed by the same Croatian architecture that brought the awesome Sea Organ to Zadar.
Embedded on the floors of the waterfront area of Zadar, you will find a large circular platform that is covered in solar panels, which may seem rather uninteresting during the day, but if you visit the place at sunset, the entire platform is lit up by the colorful LED lights embedded under it, creating an impressive light show straight out of the 80s disco era.
The way the art installation works is also incredibly genius. The solar panels capture the sun's energy during the day and use it to power the LED lights at night, creating a dazzling display that's both beautiful and environmentally friendly.
At sunset every day, both tourists and locals often gather around this area to hang out, take photos, dance around the beautiful dazzling disco floor, and witness the incredible sunset over the Adriatic Sea.
9. Hang Out at Kolovare Beach
Of course, when you are visiting a coastal town in Croatia, there has to be a nice beach to swim and sunbathe at and one of the best places to be in Zadar is Kolovare Beach, a small strip of beach located not too far from Zadar's Old Town.
The water at Kolovare Beach is crystal clear, which makes for a great place to go for a little dip in the Adriatic Sea. Although the beach mostly consists of pebbles, there are also places where you can find a thin layer of sand to lay your towel and sunbathe.
There is also a small park behind the beach as well as a small shop selling drinks and other amenities in the vicinity so if you are looking for a nice place to relax at the beach, be sure to check out Kolovare Beach.
10. Try out Fresh Seafood dishes at Konoba Tovar
If you want to experience a nice authentic restaurant that serves Croatian seafood dishes without breaking the bank, I cannot recommend Konoba Tovar enough!
This small little restaurant located in the heart of Zadar's Old Town is run by a local chef who meticulously cooks and serves all his dishes with love for his customers of only 5 - 6 tables. He doesn't serve more than that, and if you want to try his food, you either have to be there early or queue up for the table, which can be as long as 30 minutes or more.
He serves all kinds of delicious seafood dishes that range from fried seafood platters to dish of the day costing between 5 - 8 EUR, which is surprisingly cheap considering the fresh seafood you get and the Restaurant's location right in the heart of Zadar's Old Town.
If you are looking for a cool dining experience in Zadar, be sure to drop by Konoba Tovar. The restaurant is open from 9 AM to 2:30 PM and again from 7 PM to 10:30 PM every day except on Sundays. To avoid having to queue for tables, I highly recommend you go as early or as late as you can so that you will be the first/last person there.
11. Explore Krka National Park
One of the best day trips you can make from Zadar is to visit the beautiful Krka National Park, home to a series of stunning waterfalls, crystal clear lakes, and lush greenery where you can spend a day hiking around in. The place is truly one of the prettiest natural wonders you can visit in Croatia.
At Krka National Park, you will have the opportunity to do some hiking around its extensive network of wooden boardwalks and walking trails that will take you through some of the prettiest waterfalls you will see in Croatia.
The most famous waterfall in the Krka National Park that you should definitely visit is Skradinski Buk, a spectacular cascade that drops 45 meters into a series of turquoise pools below. It is one of the first big waterfalls you will see in the national park and you can hike around or go uphill to have an even better view of the national park from above.
There are also other notable attractions deep inside the park that you can visit with a boat tour, like Roški slap, another dramatic, multi-tiered cascade with a cave, a wooden walkway, and a restaurant you can check out, Visovac Monastery, a picturesque Franciscan monastery located on an island in the middle of the lake, and so much more.
You can easily spend an entire just exploring all the attractions inside Krka National Park, so be sure to spare enough time to do all the hikes and boat tours you wish to do. Even then, do not expect to be able to do them all in a day, as there are way too many things to see inside the national park.
To get from Zadar to Krka National Park, you can either go on an organized tour which is pretty convenient as you will be able to visit Krka National Park without having to worry about the logistics of it all. Once you arrive at the park, the tour guide will provide you with a suggested hiking route that you can follow at your leisure, or you can spend 3 hours exploring this wonderful national park on your own.
To visit Krka National Park independently, you are going to have to first book a ticket online and reserve a date and a time slot for the ferry to go inside the national park from their official website.
Be sure to pick Skradin as your entrance, as that is where the bus from Zadar will drop you off at. The ticket to enter the park with 2 ferry rides in and out of the park should cost you around 35 EUR. Be sure to book in advance as the ferry may get booked out fast, especially during the weekends. The ferry runs every 30 minutes from 8 AM to 7:30 PM every day in the summer months. Expect a reduced schedule outside of the peak season.
If you do not want to wait for the ferry to get in and out of Krka National Park, you can also opt out of the ferry rides, and when you arrive in Skradin, you can make your way towards the entrance from here.
Once everything is booked, you can buy the ticket for the 9:30 AM bus operated by Flixbus from Zadar to Skradinsko Polje, which will take you straight to where you can catch the ferry to get inside Krka National Park. You can book the ticket here.
The bus leaves from Zadar bus station and it will take you about one hour before the bus drops you off in Skradin where you can then walk to Krka National Park pier and catch the ferry inside or make your way to Krka National Park on foot.
Once you get on the ferry, you will then be taken along the river, where you will be able to get a glimpse of what's to come once you arrive inside the national park. The ferry will drop you off at the pier inside where you can then start exploring the national park from there.
After you are done exploring, you can get on the ferry back to Skradin and catch the bus back to Zadar from this bus stop at 3:17 PM. For the way back, you do not have to stick to the booked schedule as they are not super strict, but you might find yourself having to queue up to get on the ferry, which only runs hourly.
If you ended up having to wait one hour for the ferry, I highly recommend you walk back and enjoy nature along the way. It will take the same amount of time, and you will be able to see the little beautiful details of the surrounding landscapes that you might have missed when you took the ferry in.
The whole trip should take you the entire day, so if you have a day to spare in Zadar, be sure to make it to Krka National Park! The national park is open from 8 AM to 6 PM every day, and the entrance ticket is around 30 - 40 EUR per person, depending on the season.
12. Spend a Day in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Another great day trip you can make from Zadar is to visit the magnificent Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of my favorite national parks in the country and one that you should not miss while you are traveling in Croatia.
That national park is home to a series of 16 interconnected lakes, each of which has its own color, which ranges from azure to green, gray, or blue, depending on the mineral content and sunlight. The interconnected lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, creating more than 90 cascading waterfalls throughout the park.
With so many waterfalls, Plitvice Lakes National Park offers us plenty of opportunities to hike around these stunning waterfalls, explore the untouched nature of Croatia, and experience the natural wonder up close and personal, which is definitely a much-welcomed change from all the artificial tourist attractions we see in Zagreb.
To get from Zadar to Plitvice, you can either go on an organized tour that will take you from Zadar to the national park and back in about 8 hours, which is a good amount of time to see all the highlights of the national park like Veliki Slap, Galovački buk, and Milanovac waterfall.
This option is great for those who are looking for an easy way to get to the national park and back without having to worry about the logistics. The tour should cost around 80 EUR per person, and you can reserve your spot here.
Now, if you want to do it independently, you can catch the morning daily Flixbus that leaves at 8:30 AM from Zadar Bus Terminal and it will take you to Plitvice Lakes in about 2 hours. Once you are done, you can catch another Flixbus back to Zadar at either 3:15 PM or 5 PM. Be sure to reserve the seat beforehand as it gets booked up quite quickly during the summer.
Be sure to get off at Entrance #1, as we will be entering from this entrance to start the hike. Also, make sure you buy the bus ticket in advance, especially if you are visiting the national park during the summer months.
From entrance #1, you can buy the ticket, which will include access to the park as well as a single boat ride and a bus ride which we will be relying on as we move around the park.
Once you enter the park, you will be met with an incredible view of Plitvice waterfalls from above. You can spend some time exploring the surrounding areas as well as get down to the lake and visit the famous Veliki Slap before making your way to the pier where we will be using our boat ride ticket to get to another part of the park.
Once you get off the boat, you will be at the other side of the park where you can continue and hike around to visit the lakes in the upper area of the park. The hiking path runs around each lake in a loop, and eventually, you will arrive at Bistro Labudovac, the resting stop on the upper part of Plitvice.
At this resting stop, there is a small bus stop where you can utilize the shuttle bus to take you to Entrance #2 where you can drop off and explore this part of the park (there's not much to see at Entrance #2 in my opinion) or you can continue sitting on the bus all the way back to Entrance #1 where you entered the park from.
I prefer the view at Entrance #1 more so I decided to catch the park shuttle straight to Entrance #1 to take photos and relax at the resting area before catching the bus back to Zadar from this bus stop. There is a bus operated by Flixbus at 3:15 PM for 14 EUR, which is the earliest bus you can get to go back to Zadar. With this itinerary, you have around 5 hours at the park, which is more than enough to see everything.
You can stay longer at the park if you wish, as the last bus to Zagreb is at around 5 PM but from my experience, 5 hours of hiking is plenty of time for Plitvice Lakes. If you are looking to see some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country, you can't go wrong with Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Croatia
I hope you found this Croatia travel guide useful. If you want to read more about Croatia, here is a selection of articles you might like:
- Want to plan a trip to the Balkans, but not sure where to go? Here is the 31 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in the Balkans.
- For a complete itinerary to the Balkans, check out: 2 Months Backpacking Balkans Itinerary.
- For a complete Croatia backpacking itinerary, check out: 2 Weeks Backpacking Croatia Itinerary.
- Zagreb may not be on everyone's radar, but the city does have its charm, and it is a great place to see what life is really like in Croatia outside of touristy towns. Here are the 14 Best Things to Do in Zagreb.
- If you want to hike around Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of the best national parks in Croatia, be sure to check out: A Complete Hiking Guide to Plitvice Lakes National Park.
- Pula is a charming city in the beautiful region of Istria, home to some of the most well-preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. If you are planning to visit Pula, be sure to check out: 10 Best Things to Do in Pula.
- One of the most charming coastal towns that doesn't get as many tourists as other places in Croatia, Rovinj is one of the best places to visit in Croatia. Here are the 10 best things to do in Rovinj.
- Krka National Park is home to some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Croatia. If you want to visit the park, be sure to check out: A Complete Travel Guide to Krka National Park.
- Home to the stunning Diocletian's Palace, Split is one of the best places to visit in Croatia. For those who are planning to visit the town, here are the 12 Best Things to Do in Split.
- From swimming in the crystal clear waters to walking around the quaint town, Hvar is a great island to visit to escape the typical touristy towns in Croatia. Wondering what you can do there? Here are the 8 Best Things to Do in Hvar.
- You can't come to Croatia without visiting Dubrovnik, one of the most famous travel destinations in Europe, home to so many cool things to do and places to see. If you are planning to visit the town, here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik.
- Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
- To see all the articles about Croatia, visit the Croatia Travel Guide page.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
- Or, if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Balkans Travel Guide, Eastern Europe Travel Guide, Western Europe Travel Guide, Southern Europe Travel Guide, or Central Europe Travel Guide pages.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
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