Zadar
Croatia offers a number of great holiday destinations, from the peninsula of Istria and the seaside resort of Pula in the north, to the cultural heritage city of Dubrovnik in the south. Zadar is located right in the middle of these, and the charming city of about 80,000 inhabitants has enough to offer a summer tourist!
Although not so large, the city is the administrative center of Zadar County, and the most important city in the northern part of Dalmatia.
Croatia’s coast has less sandy beaches than most people think. The advantage of this is that the water is one of the clearest in Europe. But for those of you who can’t really do without sandy beaches, you should know that you will find such ones near Zadar. Yes, in fact some of the best in all of Croatia.
Zadar is a nice town with lots of nightlife places to eat and drink. Pedestrian streets allow you to safely walk around the city center, and there is plenty to see and do. In addition, Zadar is a great starting point for a longer holiday in Croatia. From here it is a short distance to, among others, Nin, the oldest city in Croatia, which is considered to be Croatia’s cultural cradle. Here, visitors find well-preserved monuments, including a chapel from the 8th century. It is also not far to the famous resort town of Zaton, only about 16 kilometers. Zaton is a typical destination for families with children, and the beach has a number of amenities such as showers and sun loungers, here are water sports facilities and bodyguards to make sure the children are safe.
For those of you who love boating, you should know that a short distance from Zadar, e.g. At Marina Biograd, located about 25 kilometers south, you have a perfect starting point for sailing in Croatia. In other words, everything should make for a great holiday if you go to Zadar.
Get to know Zadar
Zadar is an ancient city, and it has been living here for thousands of years. Traces of settlements have been found dating back 800 years before Christ. Like so many other cities, Zadar was under Roman rule, and it was under the Romans that Zadar gained city status. It is not hard to see that the city has been influenced by Italy.
In the 1400s, the city belonged to Venice, which was then a republic of its own. And almost throughout the 19th century, Zadar was under Italian rule, a regime that lasted until the end of World War I. During World War II, Zadar together with the Republic of Croatia became part of Yugoslavia.
Today, Croatia is an independent nation and the influx of tourists is increasing every year. Not least because of the clear waters of the Adriatic along the long coast that the country is blessed with. Zadar is today the natural center of the Dalmatia coast. Parts of the city are closest to the sea, with a tongue facing the sea to the north and south.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: ZD
- Country: Croatia
Heart of Zadar
The city’s main meeting place is the streets inside the old Venetian fortress which in a way constitute the heart of ancient Zadar. Zadar’s old town was previously separated from the rest of Zadar by a moat, which is now filled. Tourists pilgrimage of course to Zeleni Trg and the ancient Roman Forum next door.
Here at Zeleni train and within walking distance you will find three of Zadar’s main sights. In addition to the Forum, you have the Byzantine St Donats Church on the very Zeleni trg, which appears as the very symbol of Zadar. Beside St Donats you see the round arched cathedral from the 1100s. The cathedral bell tower probably gives you the best view of the city. Go ahead with the camera and climb to the top.
About a kilometer away, in an easterly direction, ie away from the sea, at Trg Opatice Cike, you will find the archaeological museum with its more than 100,000 exhibition objects spread over three floors. Also nearby is Church of St. Marie. Also nearby is Museum of Church Art. St Marie was the hiding place for wonderful silver and gold treasures, and the treasures have long been guarded by nuns.
Take a trip to look at the wealth. Open week through from 1000 to 1300 and from 1800 to 2000. “Only” morning session on Sundays. Here in this area is also the sports park in Zadar, including the beautiful and giant hall Dvorana Kresimira Cosica (Krešimir Ćosić Hall).
Along the Forum goes the central street Siroka ulica. It links together the old and “new” part of the city. The southern bank of Zadar has historically been the trendy part of the city, but here almost everything was bombed to pieces by the Allies during the last war. Large discussions around the structure have led to the focus today on the northern bank of Zadar.
This is where you will find the very special sea organ. You know the organ that plays only with the help of the waves from the sea. This work also won a European award for art in public places in 2006. The sea organ is located to the northwest of Zadar. Feel free to walk the promenade Riva, or Obala Kralja Petra Kresimira IV as the street is officially named, along the sea up to the sea organ. There is always a nice atmosphere here. At the top you will also find several ferry companies and operators who arrange trips to the surrounding islands.
Just outside Zadar, towards the sea, you will find at least 200 small islands and islets. Nearly 100 of these belong to Kornati National Park. Day trips and overnight trips are arranged for several of these. A pleasant experience for the whole family. A major boat operator is Jadrolinija, which offers, among other things, island hopping outside Zadar.
List of Zadar Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Zadar is ZD which stands for Zadar. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Zadar, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Abbreviation | Meanings |
ZD | Zadar, Croatia |
ZAD | Zadar, Croatia |