Zadar Walking Tour sponsored by Gligora Cheese and deli.
Overview
Explore Zadar’s Old Town with a Local Guide | History, Culture & Hidden Gems
Step back in time and uncover the rich heritage of Zadar on this walking tour with a licensed local guide. Wander through the charming stone streets and discover highlights like the Roman Forum, St. Donatus Church, and the Cathedral of St. Anastasia.
Hear fascinating stories and legends as you pass through the Land Gate, Sea Gate, and along the historic City Walls. Visit the Square of Five Wells and hidden spots only locals know.
End the tour with free time at the famous Sea Organ and enjoy the magical atmosphere as the sun sets over the Adriatic Sea. Your guide will gladly share tips on local restaurants, shops, and things to do after the tour.
✅ Small group experience
✅ Great introduction to Zadar
✅ Perfect for first-time visitors
✅ English-speaking licensed guide
Gallery
What's Included
✓ Included
- All Fees and Taxes
Itinerary
1
Stop 1
People's Square has its roots in the Middle Ages. It was formed as Platea Magenta (the center of public life). On the northern side of the Square, the City Guard (Gradska straža) can be found. Designed by Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli, it was built in 1562
2
Stop 2
St Lawrence church The remains of this pre-Romanesque church (11th century) are the oldest part of Narodni trg, and are reached through the premises of Cafe Lovro on the square.
3
Stop 3
In the Church of St Simeon in Zadar, in a silver casket of immeasurable artistic value, there is a mummified body of Simeon the God-receiver (Šimun, Šime), a God-fearing old man and sage who held the child Jesus in his arms. From the New Testament Gospel of Luke, we learn that Simeon the Elder, a man inspired by the Holy Spirit and one of those who were called prophets, came to the Jerusalem temple to take the Child of God in his arms and greet the one in him, who would bring salvation to all peoples. His body is kept in Zadar, the city whose patron saint is Saint Simeon, and the casket in which the body of the biblical God-receiver is preserved, is considered to be the most valuable work of Medieval goldsmith art in Croatia.
4
Stop 4
The Square is located on a site between the medieval City Walls with a cornice and the Renaissance bastion Grimani, where the oldest park in Croatia is located that’s named after Queen Jelena Madijevka. The Square features exactly what its name suggests – five wells lined up in a row. In the Middle Ages there was a defensive ditch below the old city walls. During the 16th century, the Venetians helped the city withstand Turkish sieges by building a large water cistern with five ornamental wellheads, giving the square its name.
5
Stop 5
Queen Jelena Madijevka park the park named after Queen Jelena Madijevka (Medici), built on top of the Grimaldi bastion by Five Wells Square. Founded by Austrian commander Baron Franz Ludwig von Welden in 1829, a passionate botanist and admirer of Dalmatian flora, it was the first public park in Dalmatia. To create a garden on top of a military object was an unusual move, but one Zadar is eternally grateful for.
6
Stop 6
Zadar's main green market, located in the old part of the city on the peninsula, as a whole with a closed fish market, is one of the most important, traditional places of urban life in Zadar. It is certainly Trzhnica, or as Zadar Radio calls it, Pijaca, the place with the longest uninterrupted history in Zadar.Although the main Zadar market has been in its current place "only" since 1952, it used to be at the spacious ancient Roman Forum. This place is actually an uninterrupted exhibition with a permanent display - locally grown organic food; fruits, vegetables, freshly caught fish and home-grown meat, traditional indigenous local products and souvenirs.
7
Stop 7
The Church of St. Chrysogonus (Croatian: Crkva sv. Krševana) is a Roman Catholic church located in Zadar, Croatia, named after Saint Chrysogonus, the patron saint of the city. The Romanesque church was consecrated by Lampridius, Archbishop of Zadar, in 1175. Built at the site of a Roman emporium, it replaced the Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit and is the only remaining part of a large medieval Benedictine abbey. In 1387, Elizabeth of Bosnia, the murdered queen dowager of Hungary and Dalmatia, was secretly buried in the church, where her body remained for three years until being moved to the Székesfehérvár Basilica. The construction of a bell tower began in 1485, but was abandoned in 1546 and never finished.
8
Stop 8
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Zadar's cathedral has a richly decorated facade and an impressive three-nave interior with the remains of frescoes in the side apses. The cathedral was badly bombed during WWII and has since been reconstructed. On the altar in the left apse is a marble sarcophagus containing the relics of St Anastasia, while the choir contains lavishly carved stalls. A glass vestibule allows you to peer inside when the cathedral's closed, which is often
9
Stop 9
One of the most intriguing things about Zadar is the way Roman ruins seem to sprout randomly from the city's streets. Nowhere is this more evident than at the site of the ancient Forum, constructed between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD. As in Roman times, it's the centre of civic and religious life, with St Donatus' Church dominating one side of it
10
Stop 10
Dating from the beginning of the 9th century, this unusual circular Byzantine-style church was named after the bishop who commissioned it. As one of only a handful of buildings from the early Croatian kingdom to have survived the Mongol invasion of the 13th century, it's a particularly important cultural relic. The simple and unadorned interior includes two complete Roman columns, recycled from the Forum. Also from the Forum are the paving slabs that were revealed after the original floor was removed. The church hasn't been used for services for around 200 years and these days it often serves as a concert hall or exhibition space.
Meeting & End Point
📍
Meeting Point
Simply meet the guide at the meeting point "Narodni trg" (Peoples square) under the Lamp Post 10 minutes beforehand. Look for a white umbrella with Zadar Walking Tour sign .
🏁
End Point
Simply meet the guide at the meeting point "Narodni trg" (Peoples square) under the Lamp Post 10 minutes beforehand. Look for a white umbrella with Zadar Walking Tour sign .
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Good to Know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Known For:
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Traveler Reviews
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