12
Oct
2014
0

Zadar: Rambling on….

Ever seen those quizzes on Facebook ‘Which city best describes you?’? I have never come across a list which has Zadar in it – the city which best describes us! For starters, Zadar is a perfect blend of tourism and local delights. The town is Zadar was flocked with youngsters and families with kids – a place for everyone! 24 hours – Friday morning, evening and night is all that it took to make us fall in love with this town!

While our post on Plitvice National Park does detail our reasons for choosing Zadar as a pit stop, here are seven stars that made our 24 hour stay in Zadar truly memorable:

Wave Organ and Salutation to the Sun

There are only two places in the world that have this interesting structure- Zadar and San Fransisco. As the waves hit the coast, the uniquely structured columns create harmony with whistling sounds. Go on…kneel down and get your ear close to the outlet of the column!

The ‘Salutaion to the Sun’ is a bed of LEDs that is powered by solar energy. It is great to see excited children running around the random display of lights – we joined them in the crazy acts as well!

Zadar: Wave Organ (pic COurtesy - Zadar Tourism)

Zadar: Wave Organ (Pic Courtesy – Zadar Tourism)

View from the Bell Tower

After having spent a week in Croatia, we realised that the ancient Croats loved bell towers – there is one Split, one in Hvar and one in Zadar. The view from each one is awesome – blue waters, islands off the coast, and ferries plying to and from the port. The huge patina covered bells are an attraction – totally worth admiring. Why is the Bell Tower in Zadar special? You can climb up the stairs without being poked by the elbows of those walking down; you can stand on top, soak in the views, take as many selfies as you want – all in peace!

Zadar: Panoroma from the Bell Tower

Zadar: Panoroma from the Bell Tower

Sunset

Nine days in Croatia and we believe that Zadar had the prettiest sunset. The sail boats made the whole scene appear animated and perfect!

Zadar: Perfect sunset

Zadar: Perfect sunset

Food

Food in Zadar was inexpensive, especially when compared to Hvar and Dubrovnik. No compromise in quality – promise! There were so many ice cream parlours around – throw the dieticians advice out of the window; it’s valid only when you are at home, not on vacation.

Zadar: Breakfast at Hostel Forum Zadar

Zadar: Breakfast at Hostel Forum Zadar

Street Entertainment

Thronging night life till wee hours of the morning – No! Entertainment in the evening, apt for children, family and friends – Yes! We were in Zadar on a Friday evening. The sights that we saw included a magic show, where the magician pulled a bunny out of his hat, dare devils who played with fire, an ‘Aztec’ who played an interesting musical instrument, youngsters who spinned on their head, a live band that made us practise some rock ‘n’ roll moves – a perfect summer evening!

Day Trips

Zadar is the perfect place to plan day trips – Krka National Park, Plitvice National Park, Kornati Islands, Pag & Nin and more. There is enough around this little town to keep you occupied for over three days. You can add another day to it if you want to explore the historical monuments in the Old Town.

Zadar: Day trip to Plitvice National Park

Zadar: Day trip to Plitvice National Park

History

The walled town of Zadar is over three thousand years old. We spent a few hour exploring the ruins around St Donatus Church. Also, we would highly recommend visiting the Anastasia Cathedral – the oldest cathedral in Dalmatia.

Zadar: Exploring the ruins...

Zadar: Exploring the ruins…

Where to stay?

Our base in Zadar was Boutique Hostel Forum in the heart of the walled city. The location does not get better than this, in the midst of the historical monuments, with sea views! The hostel has dorms and private rooms. The dorms have the most classy bathrooms, with bold colours and mirrors et al. There are blinds that you can pull down around your bed if you do not like your dorm mates, for a little personal space that you would want in a hostel.

Zadar: My space at Hostel Forum Zadar

Zadar: My space at Hostel Forum, Zadar

The private rooms are thoughtfully designed – the view is perfect when you face the window and also when you have your back towards the window – they have a mirror on the opposite wall!

View from the room (pic courtesy: Hostel Forum Zadar)

View from the room (pic courtesy: Hostel Forum Zadar)

Where to eat?

We picked slices of pizza and ice creams as we pottered around in the old town. However, we would highly recommend Pasta and Svasta for it’s fresh pasta. Vegetarian souls, do not worry – they have plenty of vegetarian options as well!

As always… Send me an e-mail if you need any further details. Glad to help!

Let the travellers’ tribe grow!

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