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Zadar in Croatia may not be very big, but it’s certainly full of character and charm! If you get the opportunity, make sure you spend a day in Zadar to get a true feel for ‘Croatia’s new capital of cool’. So, stock up the picnic basket, pack the suncream and head out with the family to explore our pick of the best 8 things to do in Zadar, Croatia with kids!

Zadar’s Land Gate – Zadar Croatia with kids

Once the main entrance to the city, the Land Gate can be found by the Foša harbor. It’s a lovely walk through the harbour with views out across the water.

It was built in 1543 and is adorned with the winged lion of St Mark, a reminder of Venice’s long history of rule over Zadar.

Sea Organ

The organ looks like a series of steps that lead down into the water right next to The Greeting to the Sun. Both are situated on the right hand side or the western end of Zadar’s Riva.

The project was created by Nikola Bašić and was awarded the European Prize for Urban Public Space in Barcelona in 2006.

The organ works by using the tide to pushing air and water into special chambers underneath the bottom steps. This air then gets funnelled up through more chambers and channels and the sound produced is eventually released through holes on the top steps. Pretty cool.

A great place to sit and listen to the tide and sea with your kids in more ways than one!

The Greeting to the Sun

The Greeting to the Sun is hundreds of layers of glass plates arranged in a circle that measures 22 metres in diameter.

As the Sea Organ communicates with the sea through sound the Greeting does the same through light and produces a show that matches the rhythm of the waves and compliments the sounds of the Sea Organ.

Visit Trg Svete – Zadar Croatia with kids

For a bit of culture on your visit to Zadar with kids, make sure you find Trg Svete. While here visit the Church of Donatus which dates back to 9th century.

Trg Svete is a wonderful square surrounded by religious architecture and Roman ruins. It is also connected to an avenue lined with stalls selling art, trinkets and souvenirs that leads right down to the water’s edge.

It’s pretty, it’s interesting and there is a little bit of shopping. There is something for everyone!

Walk Along the Waterfront – Zadar Croatia with kids

The boardwalk along to the Sea Organ and the Greeting is broad, beautiful and scattered with children’s playgrounds. Great for little ones to burn off some energy!

It’s also a great place to let the kids go on their scooters! Just make sure they don’t get too close to the edge!

Lunch with the Tortoises – Zadar Croatia with kids

We decided to have lunch at Restaurant Stipe along Borelli Ul which is directly along from the Land Gate. As a lovely little added surprise we got a little more than we bargained for.

Not only had I found a restaurant in a lovely courtyard that offered some traditional Dalmatian cuisine, I had also found a restaurant with it’s very own tortoise garden!

As you can imagine, this was much better than any play area any other restaurant could have offered up. We were so preoccupied with the tortoises, it felt like the the food was out on our table in an instant!

It was such an enjoyable experience for us and the kids. I would certainly recommend when visiting Zadar Croatia with kids.

Kolovare Beach

Based near Zadar hospital, Kolovare beach is a great option if you want to spend some time by the sea. This is especially true if you plan on staying in Zadar for an extended period of time.

There are a series of cafes and beach bars along this stretch of the coast line to keep everyone entertained and there is also a little bit of free parking.

Buy an Ice Cream

One amazing thing about visiting Zadar with kids is that ice cream is cheap!

You can buy a large scoop of ice cream in a cone or a cup for €1. This is great news when you are buying ice cream in multiples. It doesn’t break the bank and because of this you don’t mind having the occasional treat once… twice, maybe three times…. a day…..

Day Trips from Zadar Croatia with Kids

Plitvice Lakes

When in Zadar, it is also worth organising a trip to Plitvice Lakes, a beautiful European UNESCO World Heritage site.

The lakes and waterfalls are a 1 hour and 30 minute drive from Zadar. You can hire a car and drive yourself, or organise a day trip from the city.

Pag Island

Pag Island is about an hours drive from Zadar and is best known for its moonlike landscape. Driving on to the island is pretty surreal. The difference between Pag and the surrounding greenery of the mainland is pretty stark. And it’s for this reason, Pag is quite a popular day trip from Zadar.

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