As soon as my Flixbus pulled up to the transit station in Zadar, Croatia, I knew I would have to skillfully plan my time in this city; it was packed with things to do! Therefore, I decided to write myself a bucket list of everything that I wanted to see in town:
I. Zadar, Croatia Bucket List
- Sea organ
- St. Donat’s church
- The forum
- Narodni Trg
- Beach
- The promenade
- Open air markets
With four days to spare, I was able to hit all of these sites and more in this mesmerizing town on the sea.
II. How I Got To Zadar, Croatia
I was traveling from Pula to Zadar which was about a 5 hour bus ride down the coast of Croatia. FlixBus makes this trek and is one of your cheapest and most user friendly options, especially if you download their app to track schedules.
Unfortunately the bus station in Zadar is nearly two miles from the old town, so I ended up taking a taxi to my hostel (Zadar is insanely cheap so a taxi only cost me 45 kuna or about 6 euro). Once there however, the town is incredibly walkable as there are no vehicles allowed in the old town.
III. Where I Stayed in Zadar, Croatia
I stayed at a hostel about a 15 minute walk from the old town called Hostel 4 You. As always, booked through Hostelworld. Although I minded the walk a bit, I loved this hostel. It was the fourth and fifth floor of a renovated office building and had a fantastic view of the entire old town, sea, and adjacent islands, especially at sunset (see below).
It was also meters away from a grocery store as well as a kebab restaurant. The nearest beach is about a mile and a half walk, but if you don’t mind lounging on the promenade this is a popular option, especially by the sea organ.
IV. What I Did in Zadar
A. Day 1
Zadar is absolutely stunning. Much like Nice there is a grand promenade overlooking the sea and Dalmatian coastline dotted with islands. Unlike Nice however, you could jump off the promenade and straight into the ocean whenever you feel like it.
I particularly enjoyed the sea organ in Zadar. The sea organ is a giant stair structure in which water from the sea flows into cracks and crevices, thus producing a noise that sounds like, well, an organ.
I sat there listening to the sounds of the sea and watching the sunset for a while. I enjoyed the songs it played so much the next day I went to a bar right beside it and ordered some white wine while I sat and listened.
B. Day 2
The main old town of Zadar is entirely pedestrian much like other ancient towns on the Adriatic coast that I visited. Like Pula and Split, it is also scattered with Roman ruins. Places like St. Donat’s Church and the old Roman forum beside it make staying in Zadar feel a bit like time traveling to days before vehicles were even an option. But unlike Pula, there was a nice beach in walking distance from the old town. This was my first stop.
I strolled down the promenade until I reached the beach. There wasn’t any sand, but there was an entirely natural pool besides the open water, a set of high dives into the sea, a beach bar, and plenty of stairs to climb into and out of the water. I sat by the sea watching the island across from me and reading for hours until the sun began to go down and it was time to walk back to my hostel.
C. Day 3
The next day I set myself out to explore the town. There were plenty of little streets to get lost on, lovely little bistros and restaurants, and of course beautiful old ruins from the Roman era. Getting lost is one of my favorite ways to get to know a city, especially in places as beautiful as Zadar.
D. Day 4
I wandered across a few different open air markets. Some specialized on fresh cut flowers and lavender, others were touristy and sold bottle openers, selfie sticks, and shot glasses all plastered with the word “Zadar”, one had stands solely for the sale of lavender, another was for fresh produce, and yet another specialized in Croatian crafts like fabrics, woodwork and lace.
V. What I Ate in Zadar, Croatia
The food in Zadar was similar to that of Pula, yet with less Italian influence. It was far harder to find truffle, yet not impossible. Gelato, however, was still a specialty. I got some of the best gelato of my life from a stand in Zadar, Croatia. Zadar was also huge on fish products and served up a coveted black squid ink risotto among other delicious delicacies.
Zadar was the laid back beach town that I needed after spending a few days in beachless Pula, however little did I know that this beach would have nothing on the expansive stretches of rocky clear water in the south. While this town may have been small it packed a major punch with its unique attractions and pristine water.
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