On foot

Walking is the best way to see Zadar`s Old Town, because nearly all of it is pedestrian. The Old Town sits on a peninsula in the Zadar Strait that is approximately 112 acres in size, making it quite compact. It is a little over a quarter of a mile from west to east, and two-thirds of a mile from north to south. Feel free to lose yourself exploring the winding streets and alleys. You should combine walking with a taxi or public transportation if you want to reach the beaches and marinas off the peninsula.

By taxi

As a rule in Zadar, it is important to either check that the taximeter is turned on, or you agree on a price before departing. The average price for a taxi from Zadar Airport to the Old Town is approximately 150-200 kunas. Some travelers have been overcharged by unscrupulous taxi drivers who work for smaller companies, or for themselves, so it is important to know that if even with a group of people with baggage, it is not common to have a fare as expensive as 500 kunas from the airport. If you book ahead of time with certain taxi companies, they will be able to tell you the price in advance. The largest and most-utilized taxi company in Zadar is Taxi Lulic (www.lulic.hr/taxi/en, +385 (0)23 494 494). Taxi Lulic vehicles are white in color with yellow and black TAXI lights on the roofs. Other recommended taxi companies include Taxi Cammeo (+385 (0) 23 414 414) and Taxi Denis (www.taxi-zadar.com.hr, +385 (0)98 424 071).

To take a taxi from the Old Town, you can call for a taxi using the number +385 (0)23 251 400; from there, you meet your taxi near the Jadrolinija pier on the eastern side of the Old Town, along Liburnska obala, one of the few roads on the peninsula accessible to cars. Taxis from the Old Town to Borik and Puntamika should cost in the neighborhood of 50 kunas. You will pay slightly less to go to Kolovare and Karma Beaches. There are taxi ranks at the airport, the city bus and train stations, the travel port of Zadar, the Jadrolinija port, and on the mainland side of the foot bridge that connects to the Old Town and Liburnska obala.

By bicycle

As the area along the coast is relatively flat, Zadar and environs are great to explore on the bicycle. Calimero Rent-a-Bike (www.rent-a-bike-zadar.com, Ulica II Zasjedanja Zavnoh-a 1, +385 (0)23 311 010) is the most popular bike rental shop in Zadar, with English-speaking staff and an English-language website. The bike rental is located to the southeast of the Old Town, halfway to the City Galleria shopping mall. Bikes start at 40 kunas per hour and 120 kunas per day (with a discount for four or more days).

By bus

Bus service in Zadar is operated by Liburnija (www.liburnija-zadar.hr/index.php?lang=en). Ten different bus routes service Zadar and environs. There are also bus routes which traverse the important villages on the islands of Pašman, Ugljan, Iž, and Dugi.

Bus routes 2 (green), 4 (magenta), and 9 (brown) make a circular loop of the pedestrian streets of Zadar`s Old Town. There are five stops: two along Obala kralja Tomislava (one in front of the Jazine Basketball Hall and the other near the City Bridge), one along Istarska obala (near the Sea Organ), and two along Ulica Zadarskog Mira 1358 (in front of Green Square and People`s Square). All three routes stop at Green Square and People`s Square. Routes 2 and 4 stop at Jazine, while 9 stops at City Bridge. All three of these routes also stop at Kolovare and Karma Beaches before traveling to the city bus station. Route 8 (red) connects the beaches and the marinas; you can pick up a bus from the beach which will take you to the marinas and Puntamika/Borik (by way of the city bus station). To see the current Zadar bus map, visit www.liburnija-zadar.hr/karta/index.php.

Tickets cost 10 kunas each way and can be bought on-board from the driver. If you need to connect to the beginning of another route (such as taking the bus from Kolovare to the bus station and then to Borik), the bus journey will cost 16 kunas. There is an airport shuttle which takes travelers to and from the airport, stopping at the city bus station off the peninsula and at the Old Town bus station on Liburnska obala. The buses to and from the airport travel on average at least a dozen times daily, with each leg priced at 25 kunas (no extra fees for baggage). For more information on the airport shuttle and its timetable, visit www.zadar-airport.hr/javni-prijevoz (website in Croatian).

By ferry

Ferries are the best way to reach the Adriatic islands off the coast. There are two ferry ports. First and foremost is the main travel port, which is located off the peninsula and is the port where cruise ships dock. If you are traveling further afield, to Ancona in Italy for example, you will be leaving from this port. There is a smaller Jadrolinija port on the Old Town peninsula, and from there you can catch ferries to Pašman, Ugljan, Iž, and Dugi, among other destinations. To find a direct ferry from Zadar, you can search online and buy tickets at www.jadrolinija.hr/en/about-us/ships/ferries. The choice "Zadar (Gaženica)" is the travel port, while "Zadar" is the Old Town port.

By car

We do not recommend driving in Zadar. All of the points of interest are within ten miles of Zadar`s Old Town, including most of the islands offshore. You can take a bus, taxi, or ferry, but there is really no need to rent a car of your own. If you want to explore the more rural parts of Zadar County, and you reserve your car during the booking process with TripMasters, you will be picking it up at Zadar Airport and not in Zadar.