Zadar County: Velebit, Coast and Culture
Accommodation in Zadar County
Zadar County encompasses a wide variety of landscapes: Velebit and its slopes, Bukovica and Ravni Kotari, as well as the coast and the islands. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can first consider which experiences you want to shape your holiday: marked trails and climbing, coastal landscapes or culture. The region can be reached by land, sea and air and has direct connections to larger cities in Croatia.
Climbing and trails in Paklenica National Park
Paklenica National Park has around 600 well-equipped and marked climbing routes of varying difficulty and length. The routes therefore do not all offer the same format: length and difficulty are specific criteria to consider if you are thinking of making climbing a focus of your trip. When planning a trip together, you can first discuss whether climbing days should be among the group’s interests, without assuming that one particular route will suit everyone.
The national park also has 150 to 200 kilometres of marked trails and paths, including routes to the highest peaks of Velebit. Alongside the climbing routes, there are therefore dedicated opportunities for hiking. With their summit destinations, these trails and paths lead back to the mountains that help shape the county’s landscape. If you are weighing up climbing and hiking, they are two different ways to include Paklenica in your holiday plans.
Cliffs and diving in Telašćica
In Telašćica Nature Park, the cliffs of Dugi Otok define the coastal landscape. They rise up to 161 metres above sea level and extend down to a depth of 90 metres. These measurements illustrate the height of the cliffs without reducing their extent to a single location. Diving is also possible at several attractive spots near the cliffs in the nature park. For travellers who would like to plan an activity by the sea in addition to mountain trails and climbing routes, this offers a distinct focus for their holiday.
Historic sites and architecture
In Zadar, the Church of St. Donatus is considered an outstanding example of pre-Romanesque architecture. It gives travellers interested in culture a specific reason to explore the city’s architecture. The county also offers other historical points of interest, each distinct in its period and form.
The old town of Pag dates back to the 15th century. It is known for its streets laid out according to a planned design and for the centrally located Church of the Assumption of Mary, which also dates from this period. Both the layout of the streets and the church are characteristic features of the town. Kaštel Benković in Benkovac provides another historical highlight: the castle was built in the second half of the 15th century. Zadar, Pag and Benkovac thus offer different points of interest for those wishing to include architecture and history in their trip.
Pag and its culinary specialities
Pag is known for its eponymous cheese and lamb. These two culinary highlights add another dimension to the island’s landscapes and historical attractions. If you would like to combine different travel themes, you can include Pag’s renowned specialities in your plans alongside the old town.
Visitor facilities and travel
The Cerovac Caves Visitor Centre has a visitor reception centre, paths to and inside the caves, and modern interpretation and educational content. This means that a visit focuses not only on the caves themselves, but also on how they are presented to visitors. Compared with the marked trails in Paklenica, the emphasis here is on the caves and their associated educational content.
As Zadar County can be reached by land, sea and air and has direct connections to larger cities in Croatia, you can factor travel into your regional holiday plans. You can then prioritise the places and experiences that matter most to you, from mountain trails and climbing to island coastlines, history and culinary discoveries.
More places in the county
For an overview of the destinations below the county level, you can also explore Mali IzOstrovicaMunicipality of SaliMunicipality of Sveti Filip i JakovMunicipality of ZadarMunicipality of BenkovacMunicipality of ObrovacMunicipality of PolačaMunicipality of BibinjeMunicipality of Biograd na MoruMunicipality of PakoštaneMunicipality of GračacMunicipality of RažanacMunicipality of JaseniceMunicipality of NinMunicipality of NovigradMunicipality of PirovacMunicipality of PoličnikMunicipality of PosedarjeMunicipality of PrivlakaMunicipality of Zemunik DonjiMunicipality of StankovciMunicipality of StarigradMunicipality of SukošanMunicipality of ŠkabrnjaMunicipality of Lišane Ostrovičke .
For the broader travel overview: Croatia.
