Introduction
North Dalmatia, south of Kvarner, is centred on the port of Zadar, its historic centre packed with Roman ruins, Byzantine churches and Venetian-style town houses. It was once the capital of all Dalmatia and, in nearby Nin, a small town built on an island accessed by a stone footbridge, the medieval Croatian royal family held their court.
The most interesting island in the region is Pag, renowned for delicious salty paški sir (sheep’s cheese) and a long tradition of lacemaking. Its chief settlement, Pag Town, is a perfect model of Renaissance urban planning, having been designed entirely by one architect, Juraj Dalmatinac. On the northern tip of Pag, Novalje has fine pebble beaches and one of the hottest night-clubbing scenes in Croatia.
However, North Dalmatia’s main attraction, especially for yachters, has to be Kornati National Park, a unique seascape of almost 90 scattered islands and islets. Dry, rocky and practically devoid of vegetation, the islands are uninhabited. If you don’t have your own boat, it’s possible to visit them on an organized day trip, while the more adventurous might even consider renting a Robinson Crusoe-style cottage here. No electricity or running water: just sea, rocks and solitude.
If you prefer terra firma and the sweet smell of meadows and pinewoods you can retreat to Paklenica National Park on the seaward slopes of the rugged Velebit mountain chain – an area criss-crossed by well-marked hiking paths and much loved by free climbers.
