Zadar and the tourist region
of Zadar are located in the very centre of the Croatian
Adriatic, in the most indented part of the Adriatic archipelago.
At a smaller or greater distance from Zadar are the national
parks Plitvice, Paklenica, Krka and Kornati, nature parks
Velebit and Telascica, as well as more than 300 islands
and islets. Natural beauties, numerous coves and beaches,
cultural and historical monuments, restaurants and hotels
offering selected national specialities make Zadar and
its surroundings one of the most attractive tourist regions
in Croatia.
Tourism in Zadar has a long tradition. More recent annals
note that in June 1879 a group of tourists from Vienna
visited Zadar; in 1892 the Society for the Embellishment
of Zadar was established (it remained active until 1918),
while "Liburnija" Hiking Club and the Tourist
Association were established in 1899. Early in the 20th
century, in March of 1902, Hotel Bristol (today's Hotel
Zagreb) opened to the public. Tourist
attraction of Zadar is also based on the combination
of yachting tourism, various types of accommodation
and catering services, atmosphere, charming beaches
and promenades, excursions to closer and farther surroundings,
as well as interesting cultural, artistic and entertainment
events and programs and on especially valuable cultural
and historical monuments.
The historical part of Zadar is
fascinating to all those who respect historical monuments
and cultural heritage. The church of St. Donat, the
symbol of the city, is a must in each itinerary, as
well as the museums of Zadar: the Archaeological Museum
(established in 1830), one of the most important in
Croatia, with about 80,000 exhibits from the Stone Age
to the late Middle Ages, the National Museum with the
Art Gallery and the Department of Natural Sciences,
the Maritime Museum with exhibits of the development
of navi-gation in northern Dalmatia, as well as the
Permanent Exhibition of Sacral Art with about a thousand
valuable exhibits from the past centuries, known under
the popular name The Gold and Silver of Zadar (Zlato
i Srebro Zadra).
In numerous restaurants and taverns
of Zadar tourists should taste home-made specialities.
Among drinks, the first place belongs to the famous
liqueur Maraskino. As early as the 19th century, this
unique drink was a favourite drink at European courts
(London, Vienna, Moscow) and has been produced in Zadar
since 1821.
Zadar has top conditions for sports
and recreational activities. It has numerous tennis
courts, as well as a football field, basketball and
handball courts. It offers great opportunities for water
activities, such as sailing, windsurfing, rowing, scuba--diving,
angling.
Numerous and rich cultural and
artistic programs are also organized. They include the
traditional Music Evenings in St. Donat, New Theatre
Performances, Zadar Theatre Summer, as well as various
visual arts exhibitions. The city celebrates the holiday
of St. Krsevan, which is, at the same time, the day
of Zadar (24th of November).
Excursions are regularly organized.
Zadar offers top yachting opportunities
and services. Borik Marina is located inside the Borik
Hotel Complex, in the Borik bay; it has 200 berths in
the sea and 100 places on the land; it also owns a charter
fleet.
Tankerkomerc Zadar Marina is situated
in the city harbour; it has 300 berths in the sea and
200 places on the land.
ZADAR, a city and port in central
Dalmatia; population 76,343. The old town, located on
a sheltered peninsula with a suitable natural harbour,
had good opportunities for establishing of traffic connections
with the hinterland. Zadar had the most favourable combination
of heavy sea routes from Ravenna, Venice or Trieste
with the Eastern Adriatic system of channel traffic.
More difficult navigation conditions for sailing ships
at the open sea in regards to channel navigation have
rendered Zadar a port of rest, where ships can be repaired
and get their supply. Together with the development
of steamships and motor ships, the port of Zadar became
too narrow and too shallow for large vessels. Also,
along with the concentration of traffic in the ports
of northern Adriatic and with the development of Split
and Sibenik, Zadar began to lose the advantage of its
relatively easy connection with the hinterland. The
development of traffic connections (the Adriatic Highway,
1959: the railroad Knin - Zadar, 1966, the port of Gazenica,
1968, and the airport, 1969), under new circumstances,
has pointed out the advantages of the geographical position
of Zadar.
The location of Zadar on the low
littoral greatly contributes to its climate. An average
air tempera-ture in July is 25 °C and 6.5 °C
in January; with 200 sunny days a year. Due to climatic
conditions, the Mediterranean vegetation prevails (in
town parks grow exotic subtropical plants).
The oldest part of the town had
developed in the north-western part of the peninsula
(4 km long and 500 m wide on average), closing the Old
Port and the Jazine bay. New suburbs, Vostarnica and
Brodarica, are located mainly along the north-eastern
coast of the Old Port, outside the peninsula. In the
north-western part of the town is the tourist zone with
hotels and restaurants (Borik). In the south-east, around
the port of Gazenica, a new port-industrial zone is
developing.
Many cultural institutions are
located in Zadar: Faculty of Arts (1956); Historical
Archives (main archives for Dalmatia, 1625), Institute
of the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences),
numerous museums, the Permanent Exhibition of Sacral
Art (1976), Musical Evenings in the church of St. Donat
(initiated in 1961). Zadar is located on the main road
(M2, E65). Ferry pier; ferry lines with Preko, Zaglav,
Mali Losinj, Rijeka, Split, Dubrovnik, Ancona. Zadar
Airport is located in Zemunik Donji.
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