Zadar and Split are two of Croatia’s most iconic cities on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Both cities are home to Roman ruins and some of the country’s most historic buildings. If you are trying to decide between Zadar or Split, this is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city you should visit.
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Zadar or Split Overview
Zadar
Zadar is the 5th largest city in Croatia with over 75,000 people. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the country, dating back to the 9th century BC. It has both ancient Greek and Roman influences.
Today, the city is known for its beautiful old town and its fortifications. The waterfront promenade is home to the famous Sea Organ. Zadar also has some of the oldest and most iconic buildings in all of Croatia. Zadar is also known for being one of the least expensive cities in the country.
Split
Split is the second-largest city in Croatia, only behind Zagreb, with just under 200,000 living in the city and 350,000 in the metro area. It is also the largest city on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Split is known for its well preserved old town and its beautiful coastline. The old town is home to some of Europe’s best-preserved ancient Roman ruins. Split is also has a great location as a starting point for exploring the islands off the coast of Croatia.
Things to See
Zadar
Church of St Donatus is one of the oldest continuously used structures in Zadar, dating back to the 9th century.
The Sea Organ is part of the sea-side promenade. It plays music based on the waves.
The Roman Forum dates back to the 3rd century and was destroyed by an earthquake in the 6th century.
The Land Gate was built is 1543 as the main entrance to the city. It was created when the city was under Venetian rule.
Cathedral of St. Anastasia is the largest church in the region of Dalmatia. Image
Split
Diocletian’s Palace is an ancient Roman palace constructed in the 4th century. What remains of the palace still covers much of the old town.
Saint Domnius Cathedral was constructed in the 7th century. It is considered to be the oldest Catholic church in the world with continual use and without major renovations.
Split Promenade is a must to explore the beautiful waterfront of the city.
Klis Fortress was built in the 3rd century and is located just outside of Split. It was also featured in Game of Thrones.
Split Old Town was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Food
Zadar
As another city that sits on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, Zadar is another city that consumes a great amount of seafood. Along with seafood, Zadar also eats a lot of pasta, most likely because of its Italian influences. There are quite a few seaside restaurants that offer some of the best food in Zadar and have some incredible fees. Zadar used to be the capital of Dalmatia so it is also known for dishes like black risotto, brudet, and prosciutto.
Split
Being the largest city on the Adriatic coast, you can expect an abundance of fish and other kinds of seafood. Crni rizot, or black risotto, can be found at basically any restaurant serving seafood and is a must-try when you are in Split. Another traditional dish you might want to give a shot is Dalmatian Brodetto which is a Croatian fish stew that can be made in many different ways, with many different sorts of seafood. For a snack or for a dessert, you should try Dalmatian Fritters!
Getting Around
Zadar
If you only want to see the old town and the waterfront, you should be able to explore the city on foot. If you want to go to Kolovare Beach or the Imperial Fountain, you might want to use public transportation. Buses are the only form of public transportation in Zadar. Renting a bike would not be a bad idea, especially if you just want to ride on the waterfront promenade or explore the eastern side of the city.
Split
The city center is extremely pedestrian-friendly so you won’t have a problem explore most of the sights on foot. Walking the promenade around the waterfront is another great way to see the city. The public transportation in Split is made up of a system of buses. You can download the Split Bus App to make using public transportation a little easier. If you want to call a taxi you will have to go to one of the taxi stations where there will be taxis waiting to take you. Uber is also an option in Split.
Nightlife
Zadar
Zadar is mainly known for having a great bar scene. They do have nightclubs but the majority of the nightlife revolves around bars although, many of the bars start to feel like clubs later in the night. The highest concentration of Zadar’s nightlife is within the old town. There are quite a few open-air bars here as well, like Ledana and The Garden Lounge. Some of the best club experiences are Svarog and Arsenal Zadar. Many people come to Zadar before they head to places like Pag Island for some of the craziest festivals in Europe.
Split
Split has one of the best, if not the best, nightlife scenes in all of Croatia. A big reason why Split has become such a haven for party-goers is that the music festival Ultra Europe started coming to Split in 2013. Bacvice beach is a great place to drink and have fun during the day because there are beach bars and younger people all having a good time. There are also nightclubs right by Bacvice beach like Tropic Club and Night Club & Beach Bar Zenta.
You should also consider joining one of the bar crawls (it’s worth it!). Other places you should check out is inBOX Bar, Zenta Club, Bačvice Club, and Academia Club Ghetto. Arguably the best club in all of Croatia is Central the Club.
Day Trips
Zadar
Plitvice Lakes National Park is just 1.5 hours to the northeast of Zadar.
Paklenica National Park is a mountainous area just 40 minutes outside of Zadar.
Pag Island and the town of Pag are just to the north of Zadar.
Split
Hvar Island is just a short ways away from Split and is known for being a vacation spot because of its beautiful beaches.
Brac Island is another popular island to visit from Split.
Krka National Park is one of Croatia’s most famous natural attractions. It is stunningly beautiful.
If you decide to visit either Split or Zadar, you may just want to find the time to visit both cities. Also, just south of Split is the beautiful city of Dubrovnik, which is definitely worth a visit.
Overall
Split and Zadar are two of the most historic coastal cities on Croatia’s Adriatic coast. Both cities have Roman ruins and beautiful beaches. Split is a much larger city and makes for a better option if you want to go island hopping or if nightlife is important to you. Zadar is smaller and easy to explore and it is also much closer to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Zadar is also going to be a bit cheaper than Split. When choosing between Zadar or Split, you need to decide which aspects of a city appeal to you most because both Split and Zadar are wonderful cities to explore.