Love to explore beautiful nature? Curious to find out more about cultural-historical heritage of Zadar region? Want to visit places where time seems to have stopped? There are a great number of exciting places to discover within a short distance from Zadar. Check out amazing excursion spots which will enrich your overall holiday experience:
Wonders of nature
Sail and swim around breathtaking islands. Hike and climb to reach mountain tops. Explore exciting rivers and lakes. In a relatively small area, there are quite a few wonders of nature to be discovered, including three national parks and two nature parks.
Find refreshment hiking the trails in Paklenica National Park, which is famous for its extraordinary geomorphological shapes and primeval beech forests (UNESCO’s World Heritage Site). Let the waterfalls, cascades and lakes of Krka River take your breath away. Witness the amazing force of nature by taking a panoramic flight over or sailing around Kornati Islands National Park, famous for their variety of shapes and sizes as well as rich underwater world.
While sailing to see Kornati islands, don’t miss Telašćica, a nature park known for its magnificent bay, cliffs and salt lake Mir. The second nature park in the area, Vrana Lake, is a popular cycling destination famous for rich biodiversity.
Charming towns and villages
Go back in time, discover legends, imagine what life must have been like for people living in the region centuries ago. Every village, every town has a unique story to tell. Besides Zadar’s modern and historical attractions, Šibenik is another city full of amazing sights and only a bit more than an hour away. Visit UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites – St James’ Cathedral and St Nicholas’ Fortress, then go up to St Michael’s Fortress for the spectacular views.
Take a stroll in Nin, the former royal seat of early Croatian kings, where you will find the world’s ‘smallest cathedral’ – Church of the Holy Cross, Statue of Gregory of Nin which brings good luck and the unique Salt Museum. If you are interested in a photo safari along the beautiful Zrmanja river, you will also get to see the picturesque fishermen’s town of Novigrad, its ancient fortress and typical Dalmatian architecture. To learn more about the hinterland, tradition of wine and olive production, visit Benkovac, just an hour away from Zadar.
Pick an island
Hop onto the islands! While there are many to choose from, the most popular destinations include Pag, Dugi Otok as well as Ugljan and Pašman, both of which are an excellent cycling and hiking destinations. Dugi Otok will amaze you with its extraordinary nature, Veli rat lighthouse, famous Sakarun beach, Strašna peć cave and Telašćica bay. For a unique, partially moonlike, landscape head to Pag, where you will be delighted with its rich cultural-historical heritage, exceptional Pag island cheese and lamb specialties.
Fulfilling holiday experience
Go east and west, go north and south. Whichever direction you take, you’ll be heading to places with extraordinary cultural-historical heritage and breathtaking landscape… for an unforgettable holiday!