Zadar is a 3,000-year-old city on the Dalmatian coast, and for centuries it was the capital of the entire region. The old town sits on a narrow peninsula, still laid out on its ancient Roman street grid. A Roman forum — the largest on the eastern Adriatic — anchors the center, and the 9th-century Church of St. Donatus stands beside it, a round pre-Romanesque structure that has become the city's signature landmark.
What sets Zadar apart from other Croatian coastal cities is its willingness to mix old and new. The Sea Organ, built into the waterfront steps in 2005, plays haunting chords as waves push air through underwater pipes. Nearby, the Sun Salutation — a circle of glass solar panels — lights up in patterns after dark. These installations sit comfortably alongside medieval churches and the Venetian-era Land Gate.
Alfred Hitchcock reportedly said Zadar had the most beautiful sunset in the world, and the west-facing waterfront does put on a show. The city is less overrun than Dubrovnik or Split, with better prices and a more relaxed pace. It also makes a good base for visiting Plitvice Lakes and the Kornati Islands.