Zadar questions

[amacahayes]

We are coming into Zadar in July. A couple of questions:

1. Has anyone gone to Plitvice for the day? I know it is about 90 minutes but the family is up for it but would like to hear your experiences.

2. are there car rentals at the port? or if we hired a private driver for the day for 7 of us, what would that cost?

3. There seems to be mixed information on where the ships come in but it sounds like shuttle buses run often from the terminals outside of town. How much do the cost and do they accept Euro or Kuna?

Thank you!

[realnice46]

Croatia is now on the Euro.

[paulainfo2cruise]

Will you please let me know what you did and saw?  We like to hire drivers and go on our own. We are going there in 2024 for one day with the cruise line.

Thanks, Paula

[realnice46]

3 hours ago, paulainfo2cruise said:

Will you please let me know what you did and saw?  We like to hire drivers and go on our own. We are going there in 2024 for one day with the cruise line.

Thanks, Paula

This year will be our first visit to Zadar and we are doing a tour the the Krka Waterfalls. also going to be there next year not sure what we will do then. I would like to do Plitvice National Park if I can find a tour that will fit in our time frame.

[NBliving]

I'm curious what you find out about going to Plitvice also.  Hope it works out!  We will be there May 2024

[Cruisernat]

I recently did Plitvice Lakes as a private day trip from Zadar & used Romeo and Juliet Excursions. Plitvice National Park covers a large area and we found it very helpful to have a private guide navigating us through the park. It is a beautiful park and I highly recommended it. Wear comfortable shoes, as there is lots of walking. 

 

 

[Vineyard View]

So would you say then that Zadar itself is not worth a day of exploring?  Some ports do indeed seem to require you to venture off. We are visiting Zadar next year as well. 

[paulainfo2cruise]

I am still researching things. What ship are you going on and when and maybe we could meet you and hire a driver or join a group together. Paula

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

So would you say then that Zadar itself is not worth a day of exploring?  Some ports do indeed seem to require you to venture off. We are visiting Zadar next year as well. 

 

I visited Zadar some years ago when it was really off the radar. Things may have changed now, but I found it a worthwhile place to explore. There are at least two very interesting churches that were quite old (St. Donatus and St. Anastasia), as well as a very interesting museum attached to a convent that had quite a collection of religious objects and arts dating waaaay back. IIRC, the museum at the convent was specially opened for us. Perhaps it is now open regular hours. (Note: Croatia is VERY strict about not entering churches or religious sites without having knees and shoulders covered). 

 

There are also the remains of the ancient Roman forum -- less to see than many other places unless you're super interested (as I am) -- and a smallish archaeological museum.

 

There was also a lovely small harbor area (about on the opposite side of town from where ships dock) that had a lot of Venetian architecture. 

 

It was pleasant to wander through the small center of town too. I recall sampling their famous local liquor made from maraschino cherries and having some delicious gelato at what seemed like a popular local spot.

 

I say all of this with the admission that I really care little for natural sites like waterfalls and so on (although I've heard others say that some of the other options for daytrips from Zadar aren't all that great....)

 

Part of the charm of the place may have been its undiscovered novelty -- which may have changed -- but I really enjoyed a low-key day there.

[Vineyard View]

6 hours ago, paulainfo2cruise said:

I am still researching things. What ship are you going on and when and maybe we could meet you and hire a driver or join a group together. Paula

We are on Seabourn with a visiting day of 4/27 Paula

[Vineyard View]

Thank you cruisemom42. I always appreciate your insight, knowledge, and feedback. I will look closer at this and see what comes up. 

[marazul]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

We are on Seabourn with a visiting day of 4/27 Paula

Me again.  And I sure wish my posts had not been deleted.  We really enjoyed Zadar.  SB docks right in town by the sea organ.  We took the walking tour of Zadar and at the end just wandered around town.  It is a delightful place as cruisemom said.   

 

We decided not to go out of town to the park because this was a cruise tacked on to the end of three weeks in Greece.  We are glad we stayed there.  Some people who went to the park said that it was very nice, but either that the visit was too short or too long,  So whatever that means...

 

BTW - the Zara stores are named after Zadar.

[Vineyard View]

Beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate all the help you are taking the time to provide me! 
‘Good trivia about Zara!