Where to stay in Zadar

Zadar is a base more often than a destination, so where you stay comes down to two things that rarely coincide: evenings in the old town and somewhere to leave the car. The old town is on the peninsula, flat and handsome, but has effectively no parking — and without a car you do not reach Paklenica or Krka.

Five choices and what each really means

The difference is the car, not the distance — the town is small and flat

Why parking is the issue here

Old Zadar sits on a peninsula less than a kilometre wide and mostly closed to traffic. The spaces on it are zone 0, for residents: everyone else may stay an hour at most, and charging runs through the night and on Sundays. Off the peninsula, zone I costs €1.60 an hour in summer and zone III €0.40, and the public garage on 112. brigade street has 630 spaces, ten minutes' walk from the peninsula. If you arrive by car and plan trips to Paklenica, Krka or Nin, every morning starts from a car park rather than your door. Which is why accommodation with parking, ten minutes' walk further out, often pays better here than an address inside the old town.

Day tripsHow many trips depend on a car — and which do not:Day trips from Zadar →

BudgetWhat a night costs, alongside the other daily expenses:What Zadar costs →

When the peninsula is right after all

If you arrive without a car, by bus or plane, the sums reverse: the peninsula is then the best choice, because everything is walking distance and you never miss the sunset from the riva.

2 daysWhat a two-day plan looks like arriving without a car:Zadar in 2 days →

When to goJuly and August — when parking vanishes and the town is at its fullest:The best time to visit Zadar →

Getting aroundWhat changes the decision if you arrive by bus or by plane:Getting around Zadar →

What not to choose

• A flat on the peninsula with no word about parking. The car then goes outside the walls every evening, charged by the hour.
• Borik if you want evenings in town. The bus runs, but rarely after midnight — and a taxi every night eats the difference in the room price.
• An apartment in Diklo without a car. It is pleasant and quiet, but it is a strip along the sea with nothing on it; without wheels the day shrinks to the beach outside the door.

Hidden gemsWhat's within walking distance of each of these quarters:Zadar beyond the organ and the forum →

FoodWhere to eat, depending on the quarter:What to eat in Zadar →

MistakesSeven common mistakes, before you book:Mistakes everyone makes in Zadar →