Explore Croatia Mobile App×
Zadar

Located between Rijeka and Split, and not far from Šibenik, Zadar is the second-largest city in Dalmatia. This former capital of Dalmatia, is the administrative, economic, cultural and political centre of Zadar county today, and is accessible by air from various European countries.

Its beauty, diverse tourism opportunities, rich cultural and historical heritage, and recent original architectural innovations attract an ever-increasing number of tourists. You can start getting to know the place by walking along the Kalelarga (also known as the ‘Wide Street’), a main and a well-known Zadar street which some say is older than the city itself. The street runs east-west, from the People's Square to the Forum, where you will find the church of St Donatus, the veritable trademark building of this city. This church, built in the 9th century, was named after the bishop who instigated its construction from the 15th century onwards. An international festival of medieval and Renaissance music has long been held in St Donatus. The bell-tower which dominates Zadar belongs to the Cathedral of St. Anastasia.

Zadar

Zadar locals believe that the sunsets from the Zadar waterfront are the most beautiful in the world, and that famous lover of Maraschino, Alfred Hitchcock, also remarked on them in a similar way. A tribute to those Zadar sunsets was made by the urban installation ‘Greeting to the Sun’, a light-play that begins with the sunset. This project, a model example for the use of renewable energy sources for the lighting of the waterfront, is the work of the architect Nikola Bašić, who is also the creator of the ‘Sea Organ’.

Zadar

The ‘Sea Organ’ is constructed inside 70 metres of stone steps on Zadar’s coast, and with the help of the waves, is transformed into a real musical instrument. One of the symbols of Zadar is that of the barkajoli (boatmen), normal citizens who, in the Middle Ages, were given permission to transport people or cargo in their boats and were entitled to remuneration for doing so. Their tradition began in the 14th century, and since then it has passed from generation to generation, and it lives on today.