Zadar Cruise Port Guide
Photos: dronepicr (CC BY 2.0) · via Wikimedia Commons; Tomasz Grynfelder, Vladimir Iliev, Gabriel Matis · via Google Maps
- Country:
- Croatia
- Region:
- Adriatic & Croatia
- Coordinates:
- 44.1142° N, 15.2275° E
About Zadar
Zadar, historically known as Zara, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. Situated on the Adriatic Sea at the northwestern part of the Ravni Kotari region, it serves as the seat of Zadar County and the wider northern Dalmatian region. The city proper covers 25 km² with a population of 75,082, making it the second-largest city in Dalmatia and the fifth-largest in the country.
Your cruise ship arrives at a port with eight highly-rated attractions within easy reach. The Sea Organ lies just 0.7 km away and has attracted thousands of visitors, whilst the Roman Forum and Narodni trg historical landmark are both within 0.3 km of the terminal. The Greeting to the Sun and The Five Wells Square offer further cultural exploration, alongside the Museum of Ancient Glass, Queen Jelena Madijevka Park and The Sphinx of Zadar.
What to see and do
Walking distance from the port, you'll find centuries of history and natural beauty. The Roman Forum reflects the city's ancient heritage, whilst nearby parks and waterfront installations provide modern attractions. Most attractions are rated between 4.3 and 4.7, based on thousands of visitor reviews.
Zadar connects easily to other Adriatic & Croatia cruises ports including Dubrovnik, Split, Kotor, Ravenna and Bari.
Zadar, historically known as Zara, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serves as the seat of Zadar County and of the wider northern Dalmatian region. The city proper covers 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) with a population of 75,082 in 2011, making it the second-largest city in Dalmatia and the fifth-largest in the country.
Read more on Wikipedia (text CC BY-SA)
Things to do in Zadar on a port day
Top-rated sights within reach of the cruise terminal. Ratings, hours and reviews from Google — check opening times before you go.
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Photo: Demytr Katriy · via Google Maps Tourist attraction
Sea Organ
4.7 (75,661) 0.7 km from port
Large experimental musical instrument mounted beneath a staircase & played by the waves on the sea.
Near: The Greeting to the Sun (42 m) · Orgulje Cafe (98 m)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “A unique experience in Zadar. The waves moving through the underwater pipes create the sound of the Sea Organ, which…” — Jen
- 5 · “The view is very pretty. But I would prefer coming earlier cuz it's very hard to find a parking spot…” — Lillian
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Photo: Mauricio Rozo · via Google Maps Historical landmark
Narodni trg
4.7 (8,302) 0.0 km from port
Iconic ancient square surrounded by an 11th-century church & other historic buildings, plus cafes.
Near: Tisak (39 m) · Restaurant Malo Misto (52 m)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “Beautiful historical square, great photo op!” — Andy Rolstone
- 5 · “What a amazing place, great bars except the Terracotta bar as very rude.” — David Munro
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Photo: zlatko turkovic · via Google Maps Historical landmark
Roman Forum
4.7 (6,432) 0.3 km from port
Near: Stalna izložba crkvene umjetnosti (70 m) · Church of St. Donatus (71 m)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “If you are in Zadar,I absolutely recommend you to visit this place.It is located in the hearth of the old…” — Dzeno
- 5 · “An impressive free open-air museum where 2,000-year-old Roman ruins—including the infamous medieval "Pillar of Shame". It’s absolutely a must see…” — Sam Mortazavi
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Tourist attraction
The Greeting to the Sun
4.6 (5,323) 0.7 km from port
Modern monument to the sun, consisting of solar panels that create a colorful light show at night.
Near: View-Point (28 m) · Sea Organ (42 m)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “We visited the Monument to the Sun (Greeting to the Sun), located right next to the famous Sea Organ, in…” — Deividas Zinkevičius
- 5 · “The Greeting to the Sun is one of Zadar’s most attractive touristy attractions. The large circular installation made of solar…” — Sam Mortazavi
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Historical landmark
The Five Wells Square
4.6 (3,971) 0.2 km from port
Public square anchored by 5 ornate 16th-century stone wells, overlooked by medieval city walls.
Near: Svarog Bar (22 m) · Queen Jelena Madijevka Park (57 m)
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “Nice part of town. Close to a nice park, restaurants too” — Justin Nails
- 5 · “This is a place to meet up and experience something—whether it’s the Mediterranean lifestyle by day or the bustling nightlife.…” — Gerald Fritzsche
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Park and Garden
Queen Jelena Madijevka Park
4.7 (2,543) 0.3 km from port
1800s public park built on top of Zadar's old fortifications offering shaded promenades & a cafe.
Near: The Five Wells Square (57 m) · The Park of Vladimir Nazor (135 m)
- Good for children
- Dogs allowed
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “Please give him some water and maybe food if he's still there, he can't fly away ☹️🐦⬛ Poor crow, somehow…” — Dalma Zs.
- 5 · “Very beautiful small park with a cafee” — Lechero
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Museum
Museum of Ancient Glass
4.5 (910) 0.1 km from port
Modern museum featuring ancient glass artifacts, glassblowing demonstrations & a gift shop.
Near: Zadar City Walls (23 m) · Muzej Iluzija Zadar (44 m)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Good for children
- Toilets
Opening hours
- Monday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Tuesday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Wednesday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Thursday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Friday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Saturday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Sunday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- 5 · “Ignore any old bad reviews. This place was great. I could have spent 2 hours there. If you want the…” — Eric Rowe
- 5 · “So much to see and we had only a short time. Don't believe the reviewers claiming not much to see.…” — Barb Joppa
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Tourist attraction
The Sphinx of Zadar
4.3 (823) 1.3 km from port
Near: stone wall (13 m) · Franje Petrić Gymnasium (99 m)
- Good for children
Opening hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
- 5 · “It's in a park next to the road and sea, separated with a fence wall. Lot's of grass to sit…” — Nelly Yelling
- 3 · “It’s inside a park, can see from the fences as well. Its huge tho, but not maintained. No rush.” — rohit barik
Map of Zadar and nearby attractions
Best time to visit Zadar
Cruises to Adriatic & Croatia mostly sail april to October.
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Cruises calling at Zadar
Deals update daily — see all Adriatic & Croatia cruises.
