The 12 Most Beautiful Beaches in Zadar + Insider Tips
The beautiful beaches make Zadar one of the most popular holiday regions in Croatia. We personally consider these swimming spots to be among the most beautiful in all of Dalmatia. Whether directly in the city or in the surrounding holiday resorts, the variety of fantastic places to swim here is truly exceptional. From simple city beaches to picturesque bays, well-maintained pebble beaches, and even soft sandy beaches—Zadar offers the perfect spot under the sun for everyone! Many of these dream beaches have also been awarded the Blue Flag, a certification for excellent sea quality and top beach facilities. But where exactly are the best beaches in Zadar, what are the real insider tips, and which swimming spots are especially ideal for a holiday on the Adriatic coast?
In this travel guide, we’ll show you the most beautiful beaches in Zadar and also reveal the best bays in the surrounding area. This guide is based on our yearly trips to Croatia, during which we have explored the region around Zadar in great detail several times. We share our personal experiences, real insider tips, and helpful information for planning your trip.
Borik Beach
For us, Borik Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Zadar. Along this 1.5-kilometer stretch of coastline, you’ll find a variety of excellent swimming spots, most of which are pebble beaches. What makes this area special are the beautiful sea colors and the excellent water quality, which invite you to swim and splash around.
Tall pine trees provide natural shade and give the coastline a very unique charm. Borik Beach stretches west from Falkensteiner Club Borik, past Hotel Adriana, through the Diklo holiday area, and further east toward Borik campsite.
Tip: The Falkensteiner Club Borik is a popular family hotel. It is located directly on the Borik coast and impresses with its magnificent location on the small, picturesque sandy beach.
Camp Borik Beach
Camp Borik Beach is a highly recommended spot for a beach holiday in Zadar and, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful beaches within the city. This picturesque pebble bay with a sandy seabed is located right in front of the 5-star Falkensteiner Premium Mobile Homes and Camping Zadar, but it is also open to the public.
Families with children especially love this gently sloping beach, which is perfect for playing and snorkeling. Plus, the almost unreal turquoise sea colors give this bay a truly paradise-like atmosphere.
Tip: Directly behind the beach Camp Borik is the 5-star Falkensteiner campsite with Acquapura SPA, outdoor pool and really nice Mobile Homes close to the bathing bay!
Kolovare Beach
Just south of the old town lies Kolovare Beach, one of the most beautiful bays in Zadar. Both tourists and locals love coming here to swim. You’ll find a mix of very fine, almost sandy pebbles and well-maintained concrete sunbathing areas. Cool shade is available under pine trees at the northern end of the beach or beneath rentable umbrellas.
What surprised us most was the incredible water color. The beach also offers great infrastructure, with affordable restaurants, café bars, small kiosks, and ice cream stands nearby.
Tip: Only 100 meters from Kolovare Beach is the Karuzz Apartment, a lovingly furnished vacation apartment with a huge terrace.
Puntamika Beach
Puntamika Beach is a small and peaceful beach in Zadar, known for its cozy atmosphere and beautiful sea colors. This clean, coarse pebble beach is lined by a small seaside promenade. At one end, you’ll find a small marina, and at the other, a lovely café next to the lighthouse.
This romantic city beach is especially popular with locals, although more and more tourists are starting to discover it. Just behind the beach, you’ll find privately run apartment houses that are perfect for a seaside holiday.
Tip: Really great for a beach vacation at the beach Puntamika is the Apartment Nino, which inspires with the location directly on the beach and a phenomenal view!
Beach Riva (Zadar Old Town)
A very popular place for sunbathing is the waterfront promenade known as the Riva, located right in Zadar’s old town. Especially during a city trip or if you’re staying in the old town, this is a great place to cool off on hot summer days. Along the approximately 1-kilometer promenade, you’ll find countless entry points and ladders leading into the crystal-clear water.
The most popular spots for swimming and sunbathing are the steps of the Sea Organ—one of Zadar’s main attractions—and the long concrete pier in the middle of the promenade.
Tip: For a vacation in the charming old town, we recommend the Almayer Art & Heritage Hotel, a gorgeous boutique hotel with an artistic and modern ambience.
Punta Bajlo Beach
Punta Bajlo Beach is one of the most idyllic beaches in Zadar, and we would gladly return here anytime. It’s located on a small, wooded peninsula about 3 kilometers from the old town and is popular with both locals and tourists. The atmosphere here is relaxed and laid-back, giving this coastal area a very special charm.
You’ll find a wonderful mix of pebble beach, rocky sections, and concrete sunbathing areas, all with stunning sea colors that invite you for a swim. Just behind the beach is a fragrant pine forest that provides cool shade and a peaceful ambiance.
Tip: We also recommend the charming beach restaurant, which serves grilled dishes and delicious pizza with a fabulous view of the sea.
The Best Beaches near Zadar
The beaches around Zadar are also incredibly beautiful. Popular holiday destinations such as Zaton, Nin, Bibinje, Petrcane, Vrsi, Sukosan and Vir Island are all part of the Zadar region and offer a wide variety of dream beaches. The region also includes the offshore islands of the Zadar archipelago, which attract visitors with postcard-perfect beaches like the famous Sakarun Beach. Here are our top picks for the best beaches near Zadar:
Cape Radman Beach (Petrcane)
One of the most beautiful beaches in the area around Zadar is Cape Radman Beach. It is located in the charming vacation resort of Petrcane, on the picturesque Radman Peninsula, and has a particularly idyllic ambience. The fantastic turquoise sea colors and the ancient pines, which provide natural shade, are also uniquely beautiful. Cape Radman beach is a mixture of pebble and concrete beach, which is also very suitable for families with children.
Tip: Nearby is the Hotel Pinija, a 4-star hotel directly by the sea, which delights with good food and a top location.
Queens Beach (Nin)
Queens Beach near Nin is one of the most famous sandy beaches in the Zadar region and is located only 15 kilometers from Zadar’s city center. This beach jewel owes its royal name to the wife of the first Croatian king Tomislav, who once fell in love with this impressive Croatian sandy beach. Especially families, but also older people like this very gently sloping dream beach, where even small children can splash in the calm sea at will.
Tip: Nin is a very popular vacation resort in the Zadar region. Only about 600 meters from the beach, we can recommend the Kartini Apartment, which impresses with perfect equipment.
Bilotinjak Beach
A real insider tip in the surroundings of Zadar is the Bilotinjak Beach. This natural bay is located about 15 kilometers east of the city center, right near the vacation resorts of Zaton and Nin. Here you can expect a beautiful sandy beach, which will delight you with its fantastic sea colors and extraordinarily beautiful scenery. Unique here are also the reddish rock formations, which give this beach that very special something.
Tip: For a vacation at this dream beach, we recommend the Apartments Lily, which is located right behind the beach.
Sakarun Beach (Dugi Otok Island)
The Sakarun Beach is one of the most famous beaches of the Zadar archipelago and has become a popular destination for excursions from Zadar. Thanks to its sensational beauty, this dream beach is often advertised in magazines and commercials for Croatia. It is located on the island of Dugi Otok, which is known for its originality and intact nature. When swimming in the 800-meter-wide bay, you can enjoy a velvety soft, very light-colored sandy beach with the most beautiful turquoise sea colors. A real beach highlight of the Zadar region!
Tip: Sakarun Beach can also be visited via a boat trip from Zadar. On GetYourGuide you can find unforgettable trips to this dream beach!
Beach Zaton Holiday Resort (Zaton)
The Zaton beach is located in the Zaton Holiday Resort and is only 13 kilometers from the city center, one of the most popular beaches for a beach vacation in Zadar. Here you will find a 1.5-kilometer-long stretch of coastline where you can enjoy a beautiful sandy beach with partly concrete sunbathing areas. The crystal-clear sea at Zaton beach is also beautiful, shining in the most amazing sea colors. Guests of the resort also enjoy a spacious pool area, a small aqua park and leisure facilities, such as miniature golf and a tennis court.
Tip: Very popular here are also the Mobile Homes & Glamping Tents, which are a perfect choice for a vacation in Zadar!
Duboka Draga Sandy Beach (Vir Island)
The countless sandy beaches on the island of Vir, which is located about 25 kilometers from Zadar city and is connected to the mainland by a bridge, make it a real paradise. One of the most beautiful beaches here is Plaza Duboka Draga, a beautiful natural bay in the north of the island. Here, visitors enjoy spectacular scenery of red rocks, velvety soft sand beach and beautiful blue sea colors. A dream beach that you should not miss when you are in the neighborhood.
Tip: There are still no huge hotel complexes on Vir, which gives this island a lot of charm. Instead, you can find great apartments, like the Sunset Apartments or the Apartments Svetec.
Conclusion
The beaches in Zadar are among the most beautiful in Croatia. If you’re staying in the city, it’s definitely worth visiting popular spots like Puntamika Beach or Borik Beach.
At the same time, it’s also worth exploring the beaches in the surrounding area. We personally loved the quieter natural bays and sandy beaches nearby—especially Duboka Draga Beach and Bilotinjak Beach stood out with their unspoiled beauty.
More about the Zadar Region:
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Where to Stay in Zadar? Top Places for Holidays
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Top 15 Things To Do in Zadar, Old Town
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Zadar Tours: 10 Best Day Trips & Excurcions
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. Meaning that if you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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