Zadar day trip from Split

Zadar is 155 km north of Split, connected by the A1 motorway and then the D8 coastal road. Drive time: approximately 2 hours on the motorway route or 2 hours 30 minutes on the coastal route through the islands' ferry crossings and Šibenik.

The drive

The motorway route (A1 north from Split to Zadar interchange) is the same road used for Plitvice but exits earlier. Motorway quality is high, standard Croatian motorway toll applies (approximately €5.50 for the Split-Zadar stretch).

The coastal alternative follows the D8 past Šibenik and Skradin. This adds 45 minutes but passes through Šibenik, which has its own Cathedral of St James (UNESCO, 15th-16th centuries, famous for its stone barrel vault constructed without mortar) and is worth a 45-minute stop.

Zadar old town

Zadar's old town is on a peninsula connected to the mainland by a bridge. The Roman forum (1st century CE) is the best preserved in Croatia outside Split and contains a standing 6m stone column from the original forum. The Church of St Donat (9th century) is built directly on the Roman forum foundation, the bases of Roman columns are visible in the church interior (€6 entry).

The Cathedral of St Anastasia (12th-13th centuries) next door has a 3-storey Romanesque campanile that can be climbed for a view of the old town and the Zadar channel.

The Sea Organ

The Sea Organ (Morske orgulje) is an installation on the Zadar waterfront designed by architect Nikola Bašić and opened in 2005. It is a 70-metre marble staircase descending to the sea with 35 organ pipes built into the steps below the waterline. Wave movement pushes air through the pipes and produces continuous sound. The sound is genuinely musical and changes with wave conditions, the description "sea organ" is accurate.

The Sun Salutation installation (Pozdrav suncu) is adjacent, a circle of solar panels on the quay that charges during the day and generates an LED light display visible after dark. The evening light show is better than the daytime experience.

For guests who have never visited Zadar, the Sea Organ and the Roman forum together are the two most distinctive things about the city and justify the drive from Split.

Is it worth it from Split?

This depends on what the guest has already seen. For guests who have not visited Zadar, yes, it is a different urban experience from Split and Dubrovnik, and the Roman forum combined with the medieval churches and the Sea Organ makes for a strong full day.

For guests who have been to Zadar before or are choosing between Zadar and Dubrovnik as the one long-drive day trip, Dubrovnik's old town is more dramatic visually. Zadar is more interesting for guests interested in the depth of Croatian urban history.