Zadar in 2 days
Day one covers half the town on foot; day two goes out to sea, to a park reachable no other way.
- How long
- 1–2
- Day one
- On foot, no car
- Day two
- An organised trip
Zadar splits across 1–2 days into two different halves. The first day is the old town on the peninsula, entirely on foot, with no timing thrown off by transport. The second day is the Kornati, an organised boat trip that runs on its own schedule. Anyone without a second day for the boat finds a land-based swap at the end.
The old town
Arrival Zadar airport (ZAD), then Liburnija bus (airport–station–old town) into the centre, about 20 min for €5.
The Roman forum, free to enter (free), then straight on to the church of St Donatus, entry €5 (combined with the Archaeological Museum €10), Apr and Oct 9–17, May 9–19, Jun/Jul/Sep 9–21, mid-Jul–Aug 9–22; closed Nov–Mar (by arrangement).
Along Kalelarga to Five Wells Square, entry to the square free, a short walk through the old town.
A sit-down lunch, a main course runs €16.50–24.
The Sea Organ on the waterfront, free to enter (free). The sound depends on the sea, so it never sounds quite the same twice.
The Greeting to the Sun lights up after dark, right beside the organ (free).
The Kornati
Departure organised boat from Zadar or Murter, organised tour (no scheduled boat), the price per person is €60–65 (full-day tour incl. park entrance).
Entering the park on your own would cost €7/day (park entrance), but the organised trip already folds that into the tour price.
The usual stop is Telašćica, a bay with cliffs and a salt lake. The details are on the day-trips page.
Back at the Zadar harbour; a full day means nothing else gets planned after this.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Can Zadar be seen in a single day?
The old town, yes, everything on day one fits into an afternoon. The Kornati need a full second day, since the only way in is by boat.
Does the Kornati trip need booking ahead?
Yes, organised tour (no scheduled boat); a spot on the boat has to be secured in advance, before arrival.
What if there's no room for a second day?
Paklenica or Krka do the same job by car, no booking ahead, and return the same day the Kornati boat does.
Ready for Zadar?
Where to next
Day trips from Zadar
→The Kornati by boat, Paklenica on foot, Nin in twenty minutes — Zadar is a base more often than a destination.
Šibenik · 68 km
→A cathedral slotted together from stone slabs without mortar, and seventeen Krka waterfalls upstream
How well does Zadar suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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