Exploring the National Park

Motovun is a picturesque medieval hilltop town located in the heart of Istria, Croatia. Perched atop a 277m hill, it offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Mirna River valley and lush vineyards. The town’s rich history is evident in its well-preserved architecture, including ancient city walls, narrow cobblestone streets, and Romanesque-Gothic buildings.

The westernmost island of the Zadar archipelago is Premuda, a small, intimate strip of land in the Mediterranean where even the pine trees smell of the sea, and the sound of the waves sings the most beautiful lullabies.

Sakarun is a beautiful bay in the northwest of the island of Dugi Otok. Here is one of the few sandy beaches in the region. Even the bottom consists mainly of sand, which is why the bay shines in such beautiful shades of blue. The bay provides good shelter from Bura and Tramuntana.

It seems that the number of islands is even bigger because an old saying says: “As many days in a year, as many Kornati islands”. The biggest part of the Park is in fact its main island, Kornat, and the entire archipelago was named after it. The greatest fans of the Kornati islands are the boaters who find there what they seek the most: a sunny labyrinth of sea and islands, and the peace of the untouched nature.

The bay-rich Pasman is a paradise for boaters and has, in addition, some very beautiful, idyllic sandy beaches. Furthermore, the island is characterized by lush Mediterranean vegetation and spectacular diving. The Pasmanic villages are all well protected on the side facing the mainland. The rolling landscape provides hikers and mountain bikers with excellent conditions.

Island Iž is an unspoiled, quiet Croatian island without the crowds. It is nested in the Zadar archipelago, between islands of Ugljan and Dugi Otok and can be reached by ferry or catamaran daily from Zadar. It is one of the 18 islands that are located between the mainland and the Kornati archipelago.

Not to be missed are Zadar’s numerous churches, many of which were constructed in the medieval period. St. Donatus Church is the city’s most symbolic monument and is located near the iconic bell, which was dedicated to St. Anastasia. The western end of the Old Town offers stunning views of the Adriatic. Here you will also find the famous sea organ of Nikola Bašić, which produces music with the waves.