Zadar, Croatia. Travel to Zadar the Hidden Gem of Croatia.
Discover the hidden gem of Croatia: Zadar. This coastal city may not be as famous as some other Croatian destinations, but it certainly deserves a spot on your travel itinerary. Zadar boasts a rich history, beautiful beaches, charming islands, and delightful day trips. With its delicious food and wine, impressive city walls, picturesque old town, and stunning cathedrals, there's so much to explore. Plus, Zadar is more affordable and less crowded, making it a perfect place to experience the best of Croatia. Don't miss the famous sea organ and the Greeting to the Sun solar light show on the breathtaking promenade, renowned for offering some of the best sunsets in Croatia. Dive into Zadar’s history, uncover hidden gems, find the best swimming spots, embark on exciting day trips, and discover a surprisingly fun experience in this captivating city.
Sea Organ and Greetings to the Sun
Zadar is most famous for the Sea Organ and Greetings to the Sun along the promenade walk. The Sea Organ was designed by Nikola Basic in 2005. Thirty five organ pipes are carved into the steps of the seafront promenade and the pipes catch the sounds of the waves entering and escaping the hollowed out holes. They produce a unique, relaxing soundtrack to watch the stunning sunset across the Adriatic Sea.
Next to the Sea Organ is the Greetings to the Sun. It is a circle which is 22 metres in diameter and contains 300 multi-layered glass solar panels that create a spectacular light show every night as the sun sets.
The night we visited there were families and couples enjoying the show. The light show eventually turned into a dance floor, with many people enjoying the disco like atmosphere.
The sunset was truly glorious and there was a fabulous atmosphere as the sun went down.
Five Wells Square and Petra ZoranicA Square
Zadar is also full of history. You can see so much in the old town area by walking the streets.
One of the most impressive squares is the Five Wells Square. Here you can see the five preserved ancient wells that were built in 1574. The wells are surrounded by city walls and the 26 metre high Captains Tower.
Alongside this square is the Petra Zoranica Square which was the gateway to the city in Roman Times. There are cafes and gardens that now encircle this square, but underneath a glassed paved section you can see the original octagonal square built by the Romans. There is also a free standing Roman Column that dominates the Square, outside the Church of Saint Simeon.
We loved walking around the ancient squares and most of the time had the area to ourselves.
The Forum Square
This is the most popular square in the old town, as it is on the crossroads of the two main streets in town. This area was once the Roman headquarters and now has many Roman ruins in the Forum area. Behind the Roman ruins is the unusually shaped St Donatus Church. It is round and has built in the 9th century. Adjacent to the round church is the Cathedral of Saint Anastasia which is the largest cathedral in Dalmatia. The church has a bell tower which dominates the square. The bell tower stands 54 metres high and you can climb the tower and ring the bell when you reach the top.
Best Island Day trip from Zadar
Zadar is located very close to many islands just off the coast. It is popular spot for doing island day trips. The one we did was excellent (see the link below). We did a whole day cruise with three stops, breakfast, lunch and all the drinks included. We went on a lovely wooden boat with panoramic views. Our first stop was on the island of Levrnaka and Lojena Beach. There was an inland lake to swim in as well as a stunning track up to a viewpoint overlooking the cliffs on the other side of the island.
As we were travelling along, an older guy was busy cooking fresh fish on the boat, so when we arrived at our private bay which was our lunch destination we were served up a feast of fresh fish, grilled chicken and salad. We had quite some time here to enjoy hiking, or as most of us did - swimming the quiet bay area. It was a lovely day and would highly recommend doing this daytrip when visiting Zadar
Illusion Museum
One day while we were out walking the city walls, we stumbled upon the Illusion Museum. This isn’t something we would normally do, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. We laughed, we entertained and just had so much fun. We must have sounded like kids, but we didn’t care. Inside there are many puzzles, great illusions as you can see from the photos above. You could spend a few hours here and it is suitable for all ages.
Exploring Zadar
Of course, one of our favourite things to do in a new city is to go walking and exploring. You can walk all the way to the end of the peninsular along the stunning beaches, past expensive beach houses all the way to the Tequila Sunrise Cafe at the end of the land. It is about 3.5km from the old city of Zadar. There are numerous pretty beaches that are totally deserted along the way. There are other places where you can hire chairs and umbrellas if you want to enjoy the sun for a few hours. The closest beach to the old town of Zadar is called Kolovare Beach
As you can see we had a great time at Zadar. We especially loved the history, swimming in the crystal clear water and making new friends. If you want to hear all the information and some fun stories, then click at the top of the page, or if you would like to see where else we have explored and have great info on in Croatia, then click the button below.