What to do in Zadar Croatia on a Budget + Walking Tour Map

We chose to make Zadar, Croatia our home base for a month this Fall. For us, it was the perfect balance of interesting things to see but with fewer crowds than its southern neighbors on the Dalmatian Coast. We found plenty of budget-friendly things to do in Zadar Croatia during our stay. We can’t wait to share them with you!

In this post, we’ll cover:

– Things to know about Zadar
– What to do in Zadar (with a focus on free and cheap things to do)
– What to see in Zadar in one day
– A self guided walking tour + map
– What and where to eat in Zadar Old Town
– Where to stay in Zadar
– Our experience of Zadar in off season

An Introduction to Zadar, Croatia

Is Zadar worth visiting?

In short: yes, of course. But it’s all relative. Zadar might not have quite as much to offer as its sister cities on the coast, Split and Dubrovnik. On the other hand, Zadar still has a charming Old Town and beaches, but without as many tourists. And there are plenty of opportunities for day trips to islands, historic villages, and National Parks.

How to get to Zadar

There are few direct flights to Zadar Croatia, so you may need to fly through Zagreb. From there, it’s just a quick little flight to Zadar. In high season (April to October), low cost carriers like EasyJet and Ryan Air do have direct routes to Zadar from the UK, Germany, and a couple other cities.

We also looked into an overnight ferry to Zadar from Italy, but we found the cost and schedule to be less than ideal for our purposes.

If you are already in Croatia, or its neighboring countries, you can always arrive by car or bus as well. Click here for our Dalmatian Coast road trip itinerary.

Fast facts about Zadar

• Zadar is the fifth largest city in Croatia.
• Zadar is located on the Dalmatian Coast, roughly in the middle of the country’s coastline, along the Adriatic Sea.
• This area has been populated longer than any other in Croatia, with ruins dating back to the Stone Age.
• It was a Roman colony, so you’ll find the Old Town built in the Roman style along with ruins from that era.
• Zadar was bombed during WWII and attacked by the Serbs in 1991.
• Zadar’s fortified Old Town sits on a small peninsula and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• They city has recently been named “entertainment center of the Adriatic,” “Croatia’s new capital of cool,” and the “Best European Destination of 2016” by various publications.
• Zadar has mild, wet, Mediterranean winters and very warm, humid summers. Freezing temperatures are very rare.

What to Do in Zadar

We hear that a decade ago, Zadar was truly and only a budget destination. It’s grown up a lot since then. Today, it’s still more affordable than many European destinations. And there are plenty of things to do in Zadar Croatia for travelers looking to save money.

Sightsee with Jadera Secrets

To get yourself oriented, we recommend starting with an Old Town walking tour like Jadera Secrets. This is a unique self-guided experience that combines sightseeing and history in the form of a game or scavenger hunt. We had a great time!

Jadera Secrets is short (about 75 minutes), and will take you to Zadar’s must see places. For this reason, it’s a great starting point for a longer stay or can also work if you only have a few hours in Zadar. 

If you’ve done an escape room before, Jadera Secrets is a lot like that except it’s mobile. (So smart!) You will be welcomed by a host who will give you a mysterious wooden suitcase and some instructions. The suitcase has locks that you need to open by solving fun riddles at points of interest around Old Town Zadar. The riddles are designed to take some thought but are beginner-friendly so you can move through the activity in a timely way.

After picking up the suitcase from the host, you’re on your own and can go at a pace that suits you. Each time you unlock a part of the game, you access a small wooden tablet that unveils the next location and a new riddle. (You will have a phone to call for clues if needed.) Once you complete the game, you’ll return the box to the host and enjoy a final little surprise. 

You can sign up for the game in a group of 2 – 5 people, or break up into teams and compete against each other. For now, Jadera Secrets runs only during the Summer season, and they are currently busy preparing some new adventures for the Summer of 2020. Big thanks to Lucija for hooking us up with this experience during our stay!

Learn more and book Jadera Secrets here >

Top 10 free things to do in Zadar

1. Browse the local market

Old Town is home to Zadar’s open air produce market, often called the Green Market here. It boasts the finest delicacies the Mediterranean climate has to offer: fresh fruit, vegetables, olive oil, eggs, honey, and cheese. It’s all produced close by and often sold by the farmers themselves. Prices are set, though not always displayed.

Surrounding the open air stalls are local butchers, a fish market, some clothing vendors, and a regular supermarket. Try to visit in the morning, as the produce vendors start packing up mid-day.

You might also like: Zadar Guided Market Tour and Cooking Class

2. People watch in the People’s Square

The People’s Square in Old Town is a popular meeting point with open air cafes, an 11th century church, shops, and more. Since it’s straight up from the Bridge Gate, this square is a thoroughfare for people coming and going from Old Town.

3. Window shop from the pedestrian streets

The main street, Kalelarga, and Borelli/Špire Brusine street are lined with boutiques, souvenir shops, and cafes. Delivery and service vehicles come through, usually first thing in the morning, but otherwise you can enjoy Old Town as a pedestrian-only zone. 

We especially like the hand-made local goods at the Ars Natura shops. 

4. Visit St. Donatus’ Church

The Church of St. Donatus is an icon of Zadar. Built in the 9th Century, it has a very simple and round construction. It is now used primarily for concerts. At the time of this writing, entry is 20 kuna and a strict dress code is observed.

5. Walk around the Roman Forum

Once the center of Roman life, the forum of Zadar still contains fragments of columns and temples from the 3rd Century. Today, Croatia’s largest Roman forum is still a popular gathering place. There’s a busy cafe on the square, and you’re free to roam around the ruins like a giant outdoor museum.

6. Catch a sunset on the Riva

Zadar’s waterfront promenade, or Riva, overlooks the islands of Ugljan and Pašman. Perfect for a scenic stroll! We enjoyed many walks from the Forum to the Sea Organ during Zadar’s famous sunsets.

7. Enjoy the sounds of the Sea Organ

What is a sea organ, you ask? ​It’s an ingenious design by a Croatian architect who put 35 organ-like pipes into the concrete of Zadar’s seaside promenade. Waves and wind push air through the pipes, creating harmonic sounds.
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​This is the world’s first musical pipe organ that is played by the sea!

8. Be dazzled by the Greeting to the Sun light display

Simultaneously with “the most beautiful sunset in the world,” these photo-voltaic modules installed in the ground create a light show each night. They’re designed by the same Croatian architect who made the sea organ next to it.
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​This masterpiece is named “Greeting to the sun” and, at the time of this writing, was cordoned off for repairs, but the lights still come on after dark.

9. Explore Queen Jelena Madijevka Park

This public park bordering the Old Town peninsula is full of shaded pathways, a few historic monuments, water features, and a playground for kids. The smaller park with a cafe can be entered by the five wells. The larger park surrounds the smaller one, though it has separate entrances.

10. Admire the Land Gate and marina

This is Zadar’s most intricate remaining fortress gate, which was once the main entrance to the city. It’s now a thoroughfare through the fortress wall for locals coming into Old Town. Cars may enter but they can’t go far once inside.

Other recommended things to do in Zadar: Go for a bike ride

We enjoyed a great day trip with bicycles from Zzuum Active Vacation. Their location in Old Town was convenient to pick up the bikes. They hooked us up with a panier, maps, and recommendations for taking the ferry and exploring Ugljan island. The bicycles were in excellent shape, with sturdy tires and shocks for unpaved roads.

Read more about our Ugljan Island day trip here

Book your self-guided bike tour of Ugljan island here >

Zzuum was great to work with, so check them out if you’re looking for bike, scooter, or boat rentals. They also lead excursions, adventure tours, and guided cycling holidays.

Another option, if you’re not planning to go as far or are on a tight budget, is to use the bike share system, NextBike. It’s 5 HRK (less than $1 US) for each half hour, you just have to return it to a station within 30 minutes before continuing on.

We took NextBikes from the Bridge Gate, biked along the waterfront, “checked in” at the Borik station, bike a bit further and returned to the Borik station, and finally rode back to the Bridge Gate to drop off the bikes for good. We did have issues trying to pay on site, so we highly recommend setting up your credit card in the app. You can just scan the QR code on the bike and with a few clicks, you’re on your way. 

Wine Tasting at Local Vineyards

Growing wine is a centuries-old tradition in Croatia. Some of the best wines come from nearby Dalmatian islands. The best known indigenous grape in Dalmatia is the red Plavac Mali, a Zinfandel mix. 

If you’re on a budget, it’s easy to find Dalmatian wines in the supermarkets for less than $10. For a full wine tasting experience, you can schedule a wine tasting at a vineyard or book a wine tour from Zadar. Degarra Winery is the closest to town, so if you don’t have your own car, you can hire an Uber or taxi. Tastings start at 130 kuna with cold cuts.

Zadar Museums

If you’re looking for a rainy day activity, pop inside one of Zadar’s museums. The Zadar Archeological Museum next to the Roman Forum covers the area’s human history from late Stone Age to Roman rule. It has three floors of artifacts with descriptions in Croatian and English. Entrance is 30 kuna for adults.

On the edge of Old Town are a pair of museums, one featuring Ancient Glass (30 kn) and the other an interactive Museum of Illusion (70 kn adults, 50 kn children, 200 kn family of 4).

Zadar in one day: Self-guided walking tour itinerary and map

Our interactive Zadar walking tour map includes all of our recommended things to do and places to see from this post. We also map out a suggested route for walking through Old Town Zadar to make the most of your time.

Sign up via the form below to access our free, interactive Zadar map:

If you have only one day in Zadar, or just want to get acquainted with the top sights, we hope our self-guided walking map will help!

Zadar Tours

What to Eat in Zadar, Croatia

Much like Italy, Croatians have a tradition of using fresh, quality local ingredients and cooking from scratch. ​We found it interesting that even locals can’t quite seem to put their finger on exactly what defines Croatian cuisine. As in the U.S., Croatia has many influences on their food culture.
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​Italy, being just across the Adriatic, may be the largest influence. Nearly half the restaurants in Zadar seem to feature pizza and pasta. The coffee culture is similar to Italy as well. Other influences come from surrounding Balkan countries.

Of course, Croatia has its own specialties as well – often involving grilled or stewed meat or fish. Most of these Croatian foods were completely new to us.

Here are some of the dishes that locals recommended we try in Zadar:

Dalmatian pašticada – This is a very typical dish for Zadar and can be found on most local menus. There is a version with beef or a tuna steak, stewed with a gravy-like sauce that’s flavored with nutmeg and dessert wine. This hearty meal is usually served with gnocchi.

Seafood – With miles of coastline, it’s no wonder fish and seafood are a staple on the Dalmatian Coast. Popular dishes included grilled fish, octopus salad, Kapešante (a type of scallop), marinated anchovies in olive oil, Škampi na buzaru (shrimp in garlic, tomato, and white wine), crni rižot (black risotto made with squid and cuttlefish), and fiš paprikaš (fish stewed with garlic, wine, paprik, chili). 

Peka – Peka is a method of cooking that’s unique to this region. It involves cooking on an open fire. Lamb, veal or octopus is placed with potatoes or other vegetables inside a large dish and covered with a bell-shaped lid. Hot coals are made to cover the lid while the meat slowly cooks in its own juices.

Soup – You’ll find several tasty soups and stews in Zadar, either as an appetizer or entree. Brudet (or Brodet) is a popular fish stew with polenta. Maneštra is a vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, celery, peas and corn in broth. Goveđa juha, beef soup, is a common starter at restaurants. Čobanac is another meat stew with paprika, traditionally made in a cauldron over open fire.

Baked Goods – Zadar is full of bakeries, which offer both sweet and savory items. In addition to croissants and baklava, you will also find typical Croatian pastries like: soparnik (like a double-sided pizza or a thin panini with swiss chard), burek (flaky, filo dough pastry with different fillings), fritule (like a small beignet with apple, raisins, or chocolate sauce), kroštule (crispy, deep fried ribbons of dough), orahnjača (a walnut roll, common on holidays), Zagorski štrukli (a very traditional baked dough, fruit filling, and cheese from the North).

Ćevapi and Kebabs – While these did not originate in Croatia, they are very commonly found in the “fast food” stalls around town. Ćevapi refers to the skinless minced meat sausage, which is usually served on flatbread like a sandwich. Many places let you choose your toppings: onions, lettuce, etc. and you can usually add a side of fries.

Best Restaurants in Zadar Old Town

Butler Gourmet & Cocktails – This is a stylish restaurant with excellent service, a tasty menu, and reasonable prices. They have both regional specialties as well as more innovative dishes, like the signature Butler burger which is delicious if a little unwieldy to hold. Burger was 80 kuna, tuna pasticada with gnocchi 100 kuna. 

Restoran Malo Misto – Normally open with patio and grill, but in the winter they have limited hours and limited menu in their small bar across the street. We loved the 3 course menu of the day (plus salad). Tasty soups, hearty mains, and delicious dessert for 90 kuna per person. You can make reservations online.

Restaurant 2 Ribara – A stylish, modern space with good service and good Mediterranean/Dalmatian food. We had the daily set menu (available at lunch, may be limited to Advent season) with appetizer, entree, and dessert, plus bread, for 75 kuna ($11.10 USD) which was filling and delicious.

Other recommended restaurants: Pet Bunara, Bistro Gourmet Kalelarga.

For casual cheap eats, try: Fast Food Branimir, Gricko Grill, Coffee & Cake, Moja Feta.

Where to stay in Zadar Croatia

Before staying in Zadar for a month, I did a lot of research into the best area to stay in Zadar. We’re really glad we chose to stay in the Old Town peninsula. Almost all of the major points of interest are in Old Town as well as the produce market, grocery store, many cafes, and restaurants.

In the summer, we hear the crowds can get overwhelming in Old Town. But off season, it has a laid back feel with locals going about their day. Coastal neighborhoods like Diklo and Borik were also recommended to us, but these areas seem more geared toward summer beach stays. Sightseeing and restaurants would be limited over there if you didn’t have a car or bike. There are also some accommodation options “downtown” which has more amenities, but the new part of Zadar is actually pretty drab when it comes to curb appeal.

In conclusion, we think the best place to stay in Zadar is in Old Town. We can highly recommend the apartment where we stayed, which is right at the heart of everything. It’s a lovely two-bedroom with open kitchen and living room, conveniently located on the main pedestrian street. The host, Mia, grew up in the same apartment and recently remodeled the place to host guests. 

Check rates and availability for Apartment Anai here >>

If you prefer a traditional hotel experience, Art Hotel Kalelarga is a highly rated 4 star hotel very close to our apartment. It’s very modern and stylish, with continental breakfast included. We enjoyed having coffee and croissants in their smoke-free cafe downstairs.

Check rates and availability for Art Hotel Kalelarga >>

Fall/Winter Off Season in Zadar: Our Experience in November

We received mixed messages when we told people we would be staying in Zadar in November. Some people would tell us that everything would be closed up in Croatia’s off season. True, some tourist-dependent restaurants and activities do shut their doors during the winter. Occasionally, we would read online about a highly rated place we wanted to try, only to find out it was closed. But there were still plenty of things to do and places to eat everywhere we went.

The beach bars are empty and the water is too cold to swim, but we were not visiting Croatia for the beaches. If, like us, your priority is to experience local life and culture, this obviously does not go away in the off season! In fact, in late Fall and Winter, you can experience authentic Croatia without large tourist crowds. 

Visiting Croatia in Winter does mean more of a gamble when it comes to weather. November is Zadar’s rainiest month, and we happened to be there during a particularly wet year. We didn’t mind too much, especially since Winter is usually even gloomier and colder where we come from (Oregon). Although rain was in the forecast most days, it only rained for a portion of the day then cleared up. And being on the Mediterranean, temperatures remained mild (40’s to low 70’s Fahrenheit). If I were to do it over again, I would probably choose to visit in October for the best shoulder season experience.

With a light rain jacket, water proof shoes, and layers, we were just fine. We enjoyed our share of nice sunny days!

You might also like:

Our Travel Packing List for Europe travel in Fall and Winter
Best Day Trips from Zadar, Croatia
Dalmatian Coast Road Trip Itinerary

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