One Night in Zadar: What to Do Before or After Your Croatia Paddleboarding Trip

Zadar tends to get skipped over in favour of Dubrovnik. That’s fine — it means fewer queues and better tables. What it is: a compact, lived-in old town on the Adriatic coast, with good food, a Roman forum, and one of the most genuinely original public installations you’ll find anywhere in Europe. One night here is well spent, and if you arrive a day early or stay on after the trip, you won’t be stuck for things to do.

Here’s what’s worth your time.

The Roman Forum

One of the largest and best-preserved Roman forums in this part of the world, right in the middle of the old town. It dates back to the 1st century BC, and unlike a lot of ancient sites, it doesn’t feel roped off and out of reach — you walk through it, past it, around it. For panoramic views over the old town and the coast, climb the 180 steps of St. Anastasia’s Cathedral Bell Tower. It’ll cost you €3 and about five minutes of effort. Worth both.

The Sea Organ

Built into the stone steps along the waterfront, the Sea Organ uses the movement of waves to push air through a series of underwater pipes, producing a low, shifting sound that’s somewhere between music and ambient noise. It sounds gimmicky written down. It isn’t. Designed by Croatian architect Nikola Bašić and opened in 2005, it’s one of those things that’s genuinely hard to walk away from.

Right next to it, the Greetings to the Sun — 300 multi-layered glass plates set into the ground — collects solar energy during the day and produces a shifting light display after dark. Go twice: once in daylight, once in the evening.

Eat and drink well

Zadar’s food scene is straightforward and good. Fresh seafood, local olive oil, grilled fish at a traditional konoba (Croatian tavern) — hard to go wrong. If you want something different, The Botanist is a well-regarded vegan restaurant that’s worth a visit even if plants aren’t usually your thing. For ice cream, Gelateria Eva is the one.

While you’re at it, try Maraschino — a cherry liqueur that was invented in Zadar. There’s nowhere better to have your first glass.

The Riva promenade at night

When the day cools down, the old town waterfront comes into its own. Walk the Riva, find somewhere to sit, and watch the boats. No agenda required.

If you have an extra day: Plitvice Lakes or Krka

Plitvice Lakes National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is about 1.5 hours from Zadar and worth the trip if you have a full day spare. Sixteen cascading lakes connected by waterfalls, set in a limestone canyon. Wooden walkways and hiking trails throughout. Electric boat rides across the larger lakes. It’s busy in peak season — get there early.

Krka National Park is slightly closer, around 1.5 hours by bus, and arguably less crowded. Seven waterfalls, including the impressive Skradinski Buk, with boardwalk trails and swimming in the clear water below. Unlike Plitvice, you can swim here — worth knowing.

Your base: Molat Island

The paddleboarding trip itself is based on Molat Island — part of the Zadar Archipelago, the densest island group in the Mediterranean. Molat covers 23 square kilometres, has more fishing boats than cars, and is almost entirely traffic-free. Everything is within walking distance. It’s the kind of place that slows you down whether you want it to or not — which, after a full day on the water, is exactly what you need.

Getting to Molat

The nearest airport is Zadar. From there, a 20-minute taxi or 30-minute local bus will get you into the old town. A catamaran runs from Zadar to Molat every Saturday and Wednesday at 14:05 — the crossing takes about an hour. On your last day, the early morning catamaran back departs at 07:50, arriving into Zadar in time to catch onward flights.

Low-cost flights to Zadar run from a range of UK airports including London, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Bournemouth.

The paddleboarding trip is six nights, so depending on your flight times, a night in Zadar at the start or end is likely — and as above, there’s plenty to fill it with.

Where to stay

The Old Town is where you want to be — it’s where the catamaran departs from, and it’s where you’ll want to spend your time. Use the WhatsApp group to coordinate room or apartment sharing if you’d like company or want to split costs.

Downtown Boutique Hostel — A solid budget option. Female dorm beds are around £39/night; private rooms around £93. Self-check-in and no extra charge for late arrivals.

Mid-range and above — Booking.com and Airbnb both have good options in the Old Town. Private rooms typically run £60–£120+ depending on the season. Staying within the Old Town walls is recommended — it keeps everything walkable and avoids any faff on the morning of departure.