What to see in Zadar: the Sea Organ, the islands and a trip to the Plitvice Lakes

Zadar’s old town is small enough to see on foot in a day. The Roman Forum, the Church of St Donatus, the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun are all close together. With more time, I’d take a boat out to the nearby islands or drive to the Plitvice Lakes. In high season I’d buy the national park tickets in advance.

Quick factsby Milan Bez Mapy

Airport to the centre

Liburnija bus timed to arrivals, 20 to 30 minutes, ticket from the driver; out of season a taxi cost me €15

Where I stayed

Hotel Miramare Zadar, a few minutes’ walk from the centre and no trouble parking

Car hire

Only for day trips; I had one for just two days because of Plitvice, and in summer I’d book it with the flight

Sea Organ

For me the most fascinating thing in Zadar, best enjoyed from the steps, just listening, ideally at sunset

Boat trip

To the islets of Galevac and Ošljak and the island of Ugljan, with swimming and snorkelling on the way

Plitvice Lakes

About two hours by car, tickets online for a set day and time, €40 per adult in high season

What is there to see in Zadar? I flew to Zadar in spring, direct from Košice. This article was written in collaboration with Košice Airport as part of its ‘Z Košíc do sveta’ (From Košice to the World) campaign.

How to get to Zadar from Slovakia

Flying from Košice to Zadar

By car, Košice to Zadar is more than 850 kilometres, or roughly nine hours behind the wheel, and that’s without breaks or queues at the borders. By plane it’s an hour and a half. Ryanair flies direct from Košice to Zadar. The route is seasonal, and the number of flights a week changes through the year. Check the current dates when you search for flights. Outside the high season, fares tend to be cheap. In July and August expect to pay more, so it pays to book early.

Getting from Zadar Airport to the city centre

The easiest way into the centre is the Liburnija bus. It runs to match the flight arrivals, so you won’t wait long after landing. It stops at the Gaženica ferry port and the main bus station on its way to the old town. The journey takes about 20 to 30 minutes and you buy your ticket from the driver. The other option is Uber or Bolt. Out of season I paid €15 for a taxi from the airport.

Car hire in Zadar

You only need a car for day trips, which is why we didn’t have one for the whole stay. We spent the first few days exploring the town on foot. The car was only for the two days when we went to the Plitvice Lakes. Outside the arrivals hall there’s a small building housing several car hire companies. In July and August, though, cars are often in short supply, so my advice is to book one at the same time as your flight.

Where to stay in Zadar

It’s best to stay as close to the old town as you can. Zadar is a small town, though, so almost every neighbourhood is within walking distance of everything that matters. We stayed at the Hotel Miramare Zadar and were happy with it. It was a few minutes’ walk to the centre and we had no trouble parking.

You’ll find trips and tours in Zadar here:

What to see in Zadar in one day

What I like most about Zadar is how compact it is. You can walk round all of these in a day and still have time to sit down for a meal:

• The Roman Forum and the Pillar of Shame
• The Church of St Donatus
• The Sea Organ (Morske orgulje)
• The Greeting to the Sun (Pozdrav suncu)
• St Anastasia’s Cathedral and its bell tower
• The Museum of Illusions

The Roman Forum and the Pillar of Shame

The forum in the heart of the old town goes back to the days when Zadar was an important Roman city. The Romans began building it in the 1st century BC as the city’s political and commercial centre. Today you’ll see the remains of columns and temples and the foundations of buildings. I was surprised that the forum isn’t fenced off at all. People wander across it freely, sit on the columns and take photos. I even saw children jumping about on the Roman stones.

On the edge of the forum stands the Pillar of Shame, an original Roman column. In the Middle Ages, wrongdoers were chained to it, and everyone else could come and have a good look at them. Some days I wish we still had one.

The Church of St Donatus

The round church right next to the forum caught my eye straight away. It dates from the 9th century and is the best-known pre-Romanesque building in Croatia. Interestingly, it was originally dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Only later did it take the name of St Donatus, the bishop who had it built. The builders also reused stones from the Roman forum, so you’ll find pieces of ancient columns in its foundations.

It’s no longer used for services. In summer it hosts concerts, thanks to its excellent acoustics. Inside it’s very plain, but that plainness is exactly what makes it so striking.

The Sea Organ

For me, the Sea Organ is the most fascinating thing in Zadar. On the waterfront, stone steps run down into the sea, with 35 pipes hidden beneath them. As the waves hit the steps, they push air through the pipes, and the pipes play. So every visit sounds different, depending on how strong the waves are. The architect Nikola Bašić designed it, and it opened in 2005. Sitting on the steps and just listening is one of the nicest things you can do in Zadar.

The Greeting to the Sun and the promenade

Right next to the Sea Organ is another work by Nikola Bašić. The Greeting to the Sun is a circle 22 metres across, made of 300 glass plates with solar panels. During the day they collect energy from the sun, and after dark they light up. The light show follows the rhythm of the waves and the sounds of the Sea Organ.

A seafront promenade runs around it, with views of the islands. I went for a run here before sunset, and it’s one of my favourite memories of Zadar.

Hitchcock and the most beautiful sunset

Zadar likes to claim it has the most beautiful sunset in the world. The line is said to come from the director Alfred Hitchcock, who visited Zadar in 1964. There’s no way to check today whether he really said it. Either way, the sunset from the promenade by the Sea Organ is worth it.

St Anastasia’s Cathedral and its bell tower

St Anastasia, Sveta Stošija in Croatian, is one of Zadar’s patron saints, and her relics are kept in the cathedral. This Romanesque building from the 12th and 13th centuries is the largest cathedral in Dalmatia. Next to it stands the bell tower, with a view over the whole old town and the sea. It was closed when I was there. If you’re luckier than me, climb to the top.

The Museum of Illusions

If you want a break from the sights for a while, try the Museum of Illusions right in the old town. It has holograms, mirror rooms, a rotating tunnel and an infinity room. It’s a good place for fun photos and, above all, for finding out how easily your brain can be fooled. It also works well on a rainy day or with children.

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Boat trip to the islands near Zadar

There are lots of islands off Zadar, and a boat trip is the easiest way to see them. We booked a boat trip that’s no longer on offer (this trip follows a similar route). The boat took us to the islets of Galevac and Ošljak and to the island of Ugljan. There was time to swim and snorkel along the way.

On the islet of Galevac there’s an old Franciscan monastery. Monks often built their monasteries on small islands where nothing would disturb them. Standing there, I understood why. Ošljak is one of the smallest inhabited islands in Croatia. There I climbed up to a rocky viewpoint that looks out over Zadar and the surrounding islands.

Kornati National Park

If you have more time, consider a full-day trip to Kornati National Park. It’s made up of 89 islands, islets and reefs, with bare rock and bays. Boats go there from Zadar too, but the crossing is longer, so set aside a whole day.

Beaches in Zadar

When I visited it wasn’t warm enough to swim yet, but I looked into where I’d go if it had been. You won’t find many sandy beaches in Zadar. These four are the ones recommended most often:

• Kolovare is the town beach, just a short way from the centre. It’s pebbly, with concrete in places, but you can walk there.
• Borik, by the hotels in the district of the same name, has bars, sunloungers and other facilities.
• Puntamika is quieter and has a lovely view of the sunset.
• Diklo is a quieter part of Zadar, good if you want to avoid the crowds and the beach bars.

Nudist beach near Zadar

The nearest naturist (FKK) beach is Punta Skala in the village of Petrčane, about 12 kilometres north-west of the centre. It’s rocky and quieter than the town beaches. Don’t expect bars or sunloungers, so bring everything you need.

Plitvice Lakes day trip from Zadar

I’d wanted to see the Plitvice Lakes for years, and from Zadar they make an ideal day trip by car. The drive takes about two hours. Once again, Croatia’s motorways pleasantly surprised me: they’re in really good condition. If Zagreb is on your list too, read my article on what to see in Zagreb.

You can reach the lakes by public transport as well. With a car, though, you decide when to set off and can arrive early in the morning, before the crowds. We’d hired our car for precisely these two days. I compare prices on Discover Cars, where I can see straight away which car hire company is cheapest for my dates. If you don’t have a credit card, see my guide on how to hire a car without a credit card or deposit.

Plitvice Lakes tickets

Buy your tickets online in advance on the national park’s official website. They’re sold for a specific day and entry time, and in season they sell out. The price depends on the month. In high season, from June to September, an adult ticket costs €40 (2026); out of season it’s much cheaper. Prices change every year, so check them before you go.

Where to park at the Plitvice Lakes

The park has two main entrances, Entrance 1 (Rastovača) and Entrance 2 (Hladovina). Both have large car parks where you pay by the hour. Coming from Zadar, Entrance 2 is the closer one. In summer, arrive as early in the morning as you can, before the crowds.

Which route to choose at the Plitvice Lakes

If you’re short on time, choose route A from Entrance 1. It’s short and runs past the Lower Lakes to the Great Waterfall (Veliki slap). If you have a whole day, go for route C from Entrance 1 or route H from Entrance 2. Both link the Lower and Upper Lakes and include a ride on the little train and a boat across Lake Kozjak. The wooden boardwalks run just above the turquoise water, and it’s an experience well worth having. If you can, go on a weekday rather than at the weekend.

Is Zadar worth visiting?

Yes, especially for a long weekend with a direct flight from Košice. You can see the town in a day and spend the other days on the islands or at the Plitvice Lakes. What stayed with me most is the sound of the Sea Organ at sunset.

You might also like my article Croatia with a wheelchair user.

Happy travels!

This article was written in collaboration with Košice Airport.