Best Day Trips From Zadar
No matter the season or the time of year, Zadar is a part of the world that seems to offer some truly incredible and unforgettable places to visit for you and your family.
There are so many excellent day trips from Zadar.
Whether it's beautifully scenic all-day boat excursions across the various islands, a party in Novalja, a winding hiking trip up the mountains, a tour through the coastal regions of Split or Trogir, or any of the amazing options through the Croatian archipelago, Zadar does have you covered.
Zadar offers in-depth guided tours, where you'll have a tour guide show you all of the highlights of the region, as well as the option of experiencing the area entirely on your own, letting you explore at your own pace and create your own adventure throughout the whole of Croatia.
Best Day Trips From Zadar
It's entirely up to you, with various options based on what you're interested in seeing and where you're interested in going.
Of course, unless you're someone who's already visited Zadar or Croatia, there's a chance you may not know what the country or region has to offer.
In this overview guide, we'll go over 11 of the best day trip options for any visitors planning to head to Zadar.
Not only that, but we'll also go over some really useful information including the overall booking prices and how much you can expect to pay.
Novalja
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Nestled on the Island of Pag, Novalja is a hidden treasure that offers a delightful contrast to the city vibes of Zadar.
It boasts a remarkable landscape, combining a blend of barren rocky terrains and shimmering beaches.
The lunar-like appearance, giving the island its nickname the Moonrock, is a result of the relentless Bora wind eroding its soil and vegetation.
For nature lovers and photography enthusiasts, this mix provides a refreshing break from Zadar's urban scene, immersing them in a setting where nature's raw beauty really is overwhelming and takes center stage.
Beyond its natural allure, Novalja holds another ace up its sleeve: Zrće Beach.
By day, until around 4 pm, this beach offers a perfect base for sunbathers and swimmers, but as the afternoons set in, Zrće’s FIVE world-class open-air superclubs fire up transforming the beach into one of the most talked about and reputable clubbing and festival destinations on the planet.
The party doesn’t stop until 6 a.m. and operates daily from late May to early September
This wacky island duality ensures that every visitor, whether in search of tranquility or vibrant nightlife, finds something tailored to their personal vacation preferences.
Kornati Islands
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Made up of around 150 different islands and regarded by many as an island paradise, the Kornati Islands surround the region of Zadar.
The islands are relatively close to one another with the majority belonging to the Kornati National Park.
This designation ensures that they have managed to remain protected since as late as the 1980s. As a result, the pristine nature of the islands has remained fully intact, furthering its reputation as a veritable paradise.
As a national park, the Kornati Islands have areas that have all but been left entirely untouched by the outside world. These portions of undisturbed natural beauty can be explored when taken on a boat tour.
These tours also tend to include meals in their pricing while sailing and kayaking tours take the experience to a whole other level.
Trogir & Split
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Found along Croatia's Dalmatian Coast, both Trogir and Split are two beautifully picturesque old towns that are certainly worth a day trip exploring.
Depending on how much time you have, each one can warrant its own day of exploration.
Split is particularly well known, being the second-largest Croatian city with incredibly scenic waterfront views and some magnificent buildings and structures.
Just as impressive is Trogir, which is a UNESCO World Heritage location with its old town shrines and visually stunning buildings and landscapes worth exploring all in its own right.
In fact, some of these buildings are hailed from as early as the Baroque and Renaissance eras.
Krka National Park Waterfalls
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Certainly, one of the more popular destination options on this list, the Krka National Park Waterfalls is easily a super fun and enjoyable day trip for anyone visiting Zadar or Croatia as a whole.
The waterfalls are roughly 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) from Zadar itself and are home to the Krka National Park.
It can be visited along a relatively short hike through a wooden footbridge that takes you over an incredible river landscape as you gaze over the whole of the national park and its remarkable ecological environment.
For those who want to do more than just look at the waterfalls, the destination is a perfect swimming spot during the summer months.
This is especially the case at the Skradinski Buk waterfall which is particularly unique and is a well-worn location all on its own.
Velebit Mountains
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Velebit Mountains is a particularly popular location, particularly for those who love nature, hiking, or just being outdoors.
The mountains are around 70 kilometers from Zadar and are considered one of the largest nature reserves in the entire Croatian country.
They cover around 2,200 square kilometers (around 1,367 miles) and offer some truly awe-inspiring views over the country.
In addition to the mountains themselves, for hikers that love trekking up the mountain, there are several locations known as "Karl May Movies" which is a cool set of spots that hikers can enjoy along their journey.
The Velebit mountains are also the mystical backdrop to Novalja’s Zrće beach superclub. It really is an impressive site seeing the sun come over the mountains in the morning.
Unforgettable - if you have the party stamina!
Dugi Otok
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Both, the "long island" of Dugi Otok as well as its beautiful sandy beach, Sakarun Beach, are one of the first things recommended for anyone visiting the Zadar region.
Whether you're coming to Croatia for the first time or have made it an annual vacation spot, the Dugi Otok island is certainly a place you want to spend at least a day at, if not more!
During the holidays, the islands offer some great guided tours while the Sakarun beach prides itself on being beautifully crystal clear pretty much all year long.
Whether you're looking for white sand, a beach with a bit of a Mauritius vibe to it, or simply an island that has a ton of scenery worth investigating (such as the Blue Grotto or the Telascica Nature Park), this island should be the first part of your visit, especially if it's your first time and you've got a few days to play with.
Nin
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Regarded as a much smaller town compared to some of the other locations on this list, Nin is only about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from Zadar and is easily worth visiting and even making a day of it. This is because, despite its smaller size,
Nin hosts some particularly gorgeous beaches that are both sandy as well as flat, making them perfect places to relax or go for a swim.
Nin is also known as the "cradle of Croatia" due to its incredible history.
The town itself is home to a variety of different sights and eras to show how the town has grown over the centuries.
For those that want to enjoy the town on its own merits, there are a host of restaurants and shops where you can pick up a coffee and pastry in the town square, where you can sit back and enjoy the small-town hustle and bustle of Nin.
Old Town of Zadar
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Considered by many to be a veritable pearl of the Adriatic Sea, the old town of Zadar is remarkably beautiful with a whole host of different sights and attractions to observe.
It's often seen as one of Zadar's more famous coastal cities, even being recognized as the Sea Organ of Zadar.
Here, you can listen to the sonorous sounds of the waves as they crash against the stone slabs by the water.
Because the town is so compact it's very easy to see just about everything in only half of a day, while a guided tour through Zadar will go over many important pieces of history surrounding the old town and why it's such an incredible and interesting place.
Plitvice Lakes
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Another place you definitely don't want to miss out on, the Plitvice Lakes is a perfect holiday excursion.
While a bit of a distance compared to some of the attractions on this list, the Plitvice Lakes can be booked as part of a complete touring experience.
It's also worth visiting simply for the fact that it's one of the more visually stunning national parks throughout the entire Zadar and Croatian area.
There are a total of six separate lakes that are all connected via a network of rivers and waterfalls that pool together at various points.
This is not only a great place for nature lovers and those that love the outdoors, but also a perfect spot for people that just love picturesque views and scenery.
Telascica Nature Park
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One of the other many national parks found in Croatia is the Telascica Nature Park. Found on the aforementioned Dugi Otok Island, the Telascica nature park has some of the most beautiful sights across the country and some of the best sights in all of Zadar.
The reserve offers the warm Salt Lake Mir, breathtaking bays, and truly picturesque cliffsides that are worth standing and gazing over.
The park also has some great hiking trails for those who love moving through the outdoors.
For those interested, the Telascica Nature Park can be explored either on your own or via a guided tour from Zadar.
You can also move through the park on the water via ferry or by land with a car or on foot.
Zrmanja Canyon & Rafting
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The Zrmanja Canyon is a particularly impressive highlight for those interested in exploring the Zrmanja Karst River, which is roughly 40 minutes from Zadar itself.
The canyon itself acts as quite the imposing gorge, even acting as a filming location for the famous Winnetou movies.
The river offers some amazing river sights and kayaking as the water is a striking emerald color and accented by several amazing waterfalls that act as a compelling and noteworthy backdrop, ultimately creating a truly unforgettable experience.
Zadar Day Trip Prices
While all of these locations can have a variety of pricing options based on when you go, we've got some of the optimal price ranges you can expect to pay throughout most of the year: Please note prices here are variable and not guaranteed:
Novalja: In Novalja, the amount you can potentially spend will vary wildly. It all depends on what you choose to do. For a basic experience, which includes local meals, transportation, and beach activities, one can expect to pay between €50-100 euros.
However, if you're planning to indulge in upscale dining, take part in watersports, or enjoy the vibrant nightlife, or even VIP service, at the nightclubs on Zrće Beach, expenses can quickly escalate
Kornati Islands: While you can explore the islands well enough on your own, standard tour rates are generally around €30 a person while specialized sailing tours or kayak excursions are a bit more (though greatly recommended!).
The full-day tour lasts roughly 9 hours, regardless of whether you're doing the standard tour or sailing or kayaking.
Trogir & Split: Most trips from Zadar to Trogir & Split will usually take an entire day. This is true whether you're going on your own or taking a guided tour.
For those that do opt for a guided tour, they can expect to pay just under €100 per person with the trip lasting just over 4 hours total.
Krka National Park Waterfalls: To get into the Krka National Park, you have to pay an upfront entrance fee. This fee pricing can vary based on the time of season.
Generally guided tours to the waterfalls start at around €50 per person and are around 9 hours from start to finish.
Velebit Mountains: Meant as more of a hiking and mountain climbing experience, there aren't any established tours available. You can drive up to the Winnetou Rocks by car, but after that, you're going to need to be okay with hiking.
Dugi Otok & Sakarun Beach: To get onto the island, there are two ideal ways: either by way of a self-organized ferry ride or by driving directly there from Zadar. You can also book a guided excursion tour through an online booking site.
There are three different adventure options available. The half-day is around 8 hours while the full-day lasts roughly 11 hours and the full-day guided tour from Zadar meets in the middle at 9 hours.
Nin: Nin can be visited relatively easily on your own. As such, there are no inherent booking prices to visit the town. Instead, you can visit either by car or by taking public transportation.
Public busses normally run hourly between the small town and Zadar.
Old Town of Zadar: Not only is traveling Old Town incredibly easy on your own, but guided tours are easy to obtain and incredibly affordable. Most guided tour options run for as little as €15 a person and can be picked up from most touring sites online.
Tours take only around two or so hours, making them very easy to get through before having enough time to enjoy yourselves after the fact.
Plitvice Lakes: Excursion prices from Zadar to the Plitvice Lakes usually cost around €50, though there is also a wide variety of different guided tours available online.
Both the full-day guided tour as well as the National Park tour take around 8 hours to complete, giving you enough time to have breakfast before and dinner after.
Telascica Nature Park: For those interested in visiting Telascica, excursion prices start at around €40 per person. You can also have a sailboat tour through online sites like GetYourGuide.com whom we are partners with.
Zrmanja Canyon & Rafting: There are several rafting tours available along the Zrmanja River that all range at a starting point of €40 per person and are all around 5 or 6 hours.
Day Trips From Zadar: Summary
Zadar, an ancient coastal city in Croatia, acts as the ideal headquarters for numerous day trips from Zadar, each promising a different experience and adventure.
From the tranquil lunar landscapes of Novalja and Pag Town to the adrenaline-inducing activities in Zrmanja Canyon, visitors are offered a blend of both serene and exciting experiences.
In terms of financial considerations, travellers should be prepared for extremely variable expenses depending on what they actually end up doing. That’s kind of logical.
While some places like Nin or Old Town of Zadar can be explored relatively inexpensively, others like the Krka National Park or Zrće beach may require a more significant outlay - especially if you opt for any VIP services.
So to end, it's advisable to research and budget accordingly, ensuring a seamless and memorable day trip from Zadar.