Explore Zadar by area
Six areas worth building a Zadar trip around, from the Old Town peninsula itself and the Sea Organ, to the islands of the Zadar Archipelago, the Pag and Nin coastline, the Velebit mountains and Zrmanja canyon, Plitvice Lakes, and Šibenik and Krka further south.
Must-visit areas
The areas every first-time visitor should build a trip around — Zadar's Old Town itself, the Zadar Archipelago just offshore, and Nin with its salt pans and sandy lagoon as one of the region's easiest day trips.
Kornati National Park
Kornati National Park's ~89 bare limestone islands are reachable only by boat from Zadar, Biograd, Murter or Sali. Here's how to visit.
Krka National Park
Krka National Park guide: Skradinski buk waterfall, Roški slap, Visovac island, boats from Skradin, and why swimming is now banned.
Nin
Nin, 15 km north of Zadar: the tiny 9th-century Church of the Holy Cross, a royal statue, salt pans, lagoon mud and a sandy beach.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Sixteen terraced lakes and waterfalls, 2 hours from Zadar. Timed tickets, two entrances, no swimming. How to visit without a car.
Šibenik
Šibenik's stone cathedral, four hilltop fortresses and Game of Thrones sites, plus how to combine the town with Krka National Park.
Zadar Old Town: Sea Organ, Roman Forum and the Riva
Zadar's peninsula old town: Roman Forum, St Donatus, the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun, ferries, and boat trips to the islands.
56 guides →More to explore
Areas for a second trip or a longer first one — Pag island with its lace and cheese, the Velebit mountains and Zrmanja canyon inland, and Plitvice Lakes National Park further into Lika.
Biograd na Moru
Biograd na Moru: a marina town near Vransko Lake, the boat gateway to Kornati, Dugi Otok and dolphin-watching in the Zadar archipelago.
Dugi Otok
Dugi Otok island guide: Telašćica's cliffs and salt lake, Sakarun beach, and how to reach this boat-only island from Zadar.
Murter
Murter is a fishing-village island near Šibenik, one of the closest boat gateways to Kornati National Park.
Novalja
Novalja on Pag island, gateway to the Zrće beach clubs — summer-only nightlife, boat parties, and how to reach the island by bridge or ferry.
Pag Island
Pag island's lace, cheese and lunar landscape, reached by bridge or ferry — plus how Pag town differs from Novalja's Zrće nightlife.
Paklenica National Park
Paklenica National Park on the Velebit: canyon hiking, Anića kuk climbing and how to combine it with North Dalmatia's coast.
Pašman
Pašman is a quiet island in the Zadar archipelago, best reached on a boat trip from Zadar or via neighbouring Ugljan.
Primošten
Primošten on the Šibenik riviera, known for stone-terrace vineyards and Babić red wine — a scenic stop between Šibenik and Vodice.
Skradin
Skradin is the classic river port for boat trips to Krka's Skradinski buk waterfall, with a quiet Dalmatian waterfront of its own.
Telašćica Nature Park
Telašćica Nature Park on Dugi Otok: the salt lake Mir, sea cliffs facing the open Adriatic, and how to reach it by boat from Zadar.
Ugljan Island
Olive groves, the village of Preko and two tiny islets just offshore — how to reach Ugljan by boat from Zadar and what to do once you're there.
Vodice
Vodice is a laid-back beach resort on the Šibenik riviera, useful as a base for boat trips and Krka day trips.
Off the beaten path
Rastoke
Rastoke is a watermill village at Slunj near Plitvice, usually seen on a combined Plitvice + Rastoke tour from Zadar rather than a separate trip.
Vransko Lake
Croatia's largest natural lake, near Biograd na Moru: a nature park and bird reserve for a quiet day trip from Zadar.
56 guides →
Zrmanja River
Kayak or raft the Zrmanja canyon from Kaštel Žegarski or Obrovac — the Winnetou film river, and Paklenica's wild-hinterland companion.
Good to know about destinations across North Dalmatia
Zadar anchors this hub, and everything else on the site fans out from it across six areas of Zadar and North Dalmatia — Zadar itself sits on a peninsula on the Adriatic coast in Zadar County, the historic seat of this part of Dalmatia. Zadar covers the town itself: the pedestrian Old Town peninsula and the Riva promenade, the Sea Organ (Morske orgulje) by Nikola Bašić where waves push air through pipes set into the stone steps, the Greeting to the Sun (Pozdrav Suncu) solar-panel circle beside it, the Roman Forum, St Donatus Church, the Cathedral of St Anastasia, Five Wells Square and the Land Gate, plus Vransko jezero, Croatia's largest natural lake, a short way inland.
Zadar Archipelago groups Ugljan with its olive groves, Pašman's quiet villages, Dugi Otok with Telašćica Nature Park and Sakarun beach, the roughly 89 islands of Kornati National Park, and Biograd na Moru. Pag–Nin covers Nin, its Holy Cross church, salt pans and sandy lagoon, and Pag island, known for lace, Paški sir cheese, and the nightlife of Novalja and Zrće. The Velebit–Zrmanja area groups Paklenica National Park, with its climbing and hiking trails, and the Zrmanja river canyon for kayaking and rafting.
Plitvice–Lika reaches Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO site since 1979 with its sixteen terraced lakes where swimming is forbidden, about two hours from Zadar, plus the watermill village of Rastoke. Šibenik–Krka closes the loop with Šibenik, its UNESCO-listed St James Cathedral, and Krka National Park, along with Skradin, Vodice, Primošten and Murter. A rental car is optional for most of these areas, since Jadrolinija ferries from Gaženica port and regional buses cover many stops — each destination page below sets out what's actually there rather than a generic description of "Croatia".
Frequently asked questions about destinations across North Dalmatia
What are the six regions on this hub?
Zadar; the Zadar Archipelago; Pag–Nin; Velebit–Zrmanja; Plitvice–Lika; and Šibenik–Krka.
Is Zadar by the sea?
Yes — Zadar sits right on the Adriatic coast on a narrow peninsula, reached from Zadar Airport at Zemunik, about 15 km away, or from Šibenik and Plitvice by road.
What's the difference between the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun?
The Sea Organ is a set of stone steps and pipes that turn waves into sound, reached from the Old Town on foot in minutes; Greeting to the Sun, a 22 m circle of solar panels lit at night, sits just beside it on the Riva, so both are usually seen in the same walk.
Do I need a car to reach the Old Town peninsula?
No — the Old Town is closed to most private cars: it's a walkable peninsula reached on foot from the harbour and nearby car parks, so a rental car is not required for this part of the trip.
Why might a ferry to the islands be cancelled when I visit?
Jadrolinija ferries and local boats can be reduced outside the summer season, and they can be suspended in strong bora wind, even when Zadar itself is clear. Checking conditions before heading out is worthwhile, particularly outside high season.
Island Hopping Cruises
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GetYourGuide does not provide a product photo for this activity — the image shows the meeting point, photographed by us.
