Day Trips from Zadar

The Kornati Islands are one of the most spectacular archipelagos in the Mediterranean — 89 islands, islets, and reefs forming a stunning labyrinth of barren white limestone and impossibly blue water. Day-trip boats depart from Zadar harbour and spend the day island-hopping, with stops for swimming in secluded bays, snorkelling over rocky seabeds, and lunch at a remote island konoba. The stark, lunar landscape is unlike anything else in Croatia.

Krka National Park is centred around the stunning Skradinski Buk waterfall — a wide cascade of 17 travertine steps surrounded by lush greenery. A wooden boardwalk winds through the park along the river, passing smaller cascades and crystal-clear pools. The park also includes the island monastery of Visovac on Visovac Lake. Krka is one of Croatia's most visited natural attractions, and the proximity to Zadar makes it an easy day trip.

Paklenica National Park encompasses two dramatic canyons — Velika and Mala Paklenica — carved deep into the southern slopes of the Velebit mountain range. The park is Croatia's premier rock-climbing destination, with over 400 routes on the towering Anica Kuk cliff face. For hikers, well-marked trails lead through forests, past caves, and up to mountain huts with spectacular views over the coast and islands.

The tiny town of Nin sits on a small island connected to the mainland by two stone bridges, just 15 kilometres from Zadar. Despite its size, Nin is one of Croatia's most historically significant towns — it was the first capital of the Croatian kingdom and home to the smallest cathedral in the world, the 9th-century Church of the Holy Cross. Combine your visit with a stop at the nearby Queen's Beach for therapeutic mud bathing and shallow sandy swimming.

Croatia's most famous national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes features 16 interconnected lakes cascading into one another through a series of waterfalls and travertine barriers. The lakes shift between shades of turquoise, green, and blue depending on the minerals, organisms, and sunlight. Wooden boardwalks and hiking trails weave through the park, with boat rides across the larger lakes. It is a longer drive from Zadar but absolutely worth the effort.

Combine two of Dalmatia's most beautiful coastal towns in a single day trip. Sibenik is home to the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece built entirely of stone and marble without mortar. Continue south to Trogir, another UNESCO site, where a perfectly preserved medieval old town sits on a tiny island connected by bridges. Both towns offer charming old quarters, excellent restaurants, and rich history that rivals Zadar itself.