Photo: Pudelek (Marcin Szala) · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Zadar
Roman ruins, a sea that plays music and famous sunsets.
A compact old town on a peninsula: Roman forum stones, a round 9th-century church and marble lanes, with a waterfront where the sea plays an organ and a glass circle lights up after dark. Known for its sunsets, and calmer and cheaper than Split or Dubrovnik. Plitvice's lakes are about two hours by bus, and the Krka waterfalls are a day trip by bus or tour (check).
Places to see
Roman ForumSight · A wide open square scattered with column bases and paving stones, a single standing…Free- Church of St DonatusChurch · A tall, round stone church with no decoration inside, just bare walls and height; look…≈ A$9
Cathedral of St Anastasia and bell towerChurch · A Romanesque front with rows of little arches and two rose windows, a calm stone…≈ A$9
When to go
- Jan11° / 3°Often wetQuiet
- Feb12° / 4°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 6°Some rainQuiet
- Apr18° / 9°Some rainBusy
- May22° / 13°Some rainBusy
- Jun27° / 17°Mostly dryBusy
- Jul30° / 20°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug30° / 20°Mostly dryVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
The old town (Poluotok). The walled peninsula: the forum, churches, the market and marble lanes; rooms and apartments are central but dearer in summer.
Puntamika and Borik. Seaside suburbs north of the centre with beaches, pines and some of the cheapest beds, a bus ride from the old town.
Flying in
Zadar (ZAD): Airport shuttle bus to the bus station and the old town, about 25 min, ≈ A$11. Timed to flights (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Zadar; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$4. The old town is small and car-free. Buses are the usual way to and from Zadar; the bus station is about 20 minutes' walk from the old town, and local buses go there and to the beaches (check).
Tourist tax
Croatia's tourist tax in Zadar: usually about €1.50–2.65 a person a night, highest in summer, added at check-in; under-12s don't pay, teenagers usually half (check).
