Where to stay in Zadar
The Old Town sits on a peninsula where zone 0 parking belongs to residents. Beyond the old walls, Kolovare and the coast north-west are simpler bases for a driver.
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How the areas differ
The Old Town fills a small peninsula: the Roman Forum, the cathedral and the promenade along the sea are all on foot, and stays are apartments in old buildings and a few hotels. Kolovare, south-east of the walls, is the best-known city beach, which the parking operator puts 500 m from the centre, with a Blue Flag since 2014.
North-west, Borik and Puntamika spread along the shore around two marinas, about 2 km from the Old Town. Diklo and Kožino continue along the coast, quieter and further out, and Petrčane, about 15 km by road from the Old Town, is a coastal village with a seasonal city car park. Nin, 17 km from Zadar by the airport's figures, is a small old town beside Queen's Beach, 3 km of sand.
Staying with a rental car
Obala i lučice runs street parking for the city in zones 0 to 4. On the peninsula, zone 0 streets such as Poljana Plankit and Narodnog lista are reserved for residents; anyone else may stay one hour, charged around the clock at EUR 1.60 an hour from 15 June to 31 August and EUR 0.80 the rest of the year. The harbour fronts along Liburnska obala and Obala kralja Tomislava are zone 1, and the other bays on the peninsula are zone 2.
From 15 June to 31 August zone 1 costs EUR 1.60 an hour with a 3-hour limit, or EUR 22.40 a day, and zone 2 EUR 1.30 or EUR 18.20 a day, charged every day from 08:00 to 22:00. In May, the first half of June and September the rates fall to EUR 0.80 and EUR 0.50 and Sundays are free; from October to April parking is charged on weekdays until 16:00 and on Saturdays until 14:00. Zones 3 and 4 cost EUR 0.40 and EUR 0.30 an hour. Pay at a meter, by SMS or in the Bmove app.
The city is studying an access zone for the peninsula. On 8 August 2026 it closed the peninsula waterfront from 19:30 to 01:00 for an event, letting through only residents, utility and emergency vehicles, and said it would weigh the effect in that study. Borik, Diklo and Kožino do not appear on the operator's list of parking meters, and their street rules were not verified as of September 2026. Petrčane has a seasonal city car park at EUR 0.30 an hour from 15 June to 31 August.
In strong bura, the A1 north of Zadar and the Pag bridge can close, and the Croatian auto club HAK posts the road status. GetCar's guide Driving in Zadar: Parking Zones, A1 Tolls, the Bura and the Island Ferries covers the tolls, the wind closures and the car ferries.
What the tourist tax and registration rules mean for a guest
The Zadar County Assembly set the 2026 tourist tax in December 2024, with one season from 1 April to 30 September across the county. For the City of Zadar and for Nin, the rate in hotels and other commercial accommodation is EUR 1.50 per person per night in that season and EUR 1.50 in the rest of the year, so the dates do not change it. Children under 12 pay nothing, ages 12 to 18 pay half, and people staying for work are exempt with proof such as an employment contract.
In private household apartments the host pays EUR 50 per bed for the year and must post in each unit that the tax is included in the price. Every host registers each guest in eVisitor within 24 hours of arrival, so expect to show a passport or ID. A household host may advertise only the type and category in its official decision, and since the December 2024 amendments a flat in a block needs the co-owners' written consent before it can be licensed.
When to book what
In Zadar the parking calendar matters more than the tax. From 15 June to 31 August zone 1 limits a stay to three hours and every zone is charged on Sundays; outside those weeks the rates fall and Sundays are free.
For island days, the car ferry from Gaženica to Preko on Ugljan takes any departure that day, while the crossing to Brbinj on Dugi Otok sells tickets for a set departure, so book that one ahead in summer.
Which area for which trip
A first visit on foot, with the car parked outside the old streets: the Old Town.
The city beach with the Old Town in walking distance: Kolovare.
A stay by the marinas, with the car close by: Borik and Puntamika.
A quiet longer stay by the sea: Diklo and Kožino.
A beach holiday by car: Petrčane.
A long sandy beach: Nin.
Questions
Can a visitor park in Zadar Old Town?
On zone 0 streets for one hour at most, since they are reserved for residents. The harbour-front car parks are zone 1, three hours at most from 15 June to 31 August, and the other peninsula bays are zone 2.
How much is parking in Zadar in summer?
From 15 June to 31 August zone 1 costs EUR 1.60 an hour, or EUR 22.40 a day, and zone 2 EUR 1.30, charged every day from 08:00 to 22:00. Zones 3 and 4 cost EUR 0.40 and EUR 0.30 an hour.
Is the tourist tax in Zadar higher in summer?
No. In 2026 the rate in commercial accommodation in the City of Zadar and in Nin is EUR 1.50 per person per night both from 1 April to 30 September and in the rest of the year.
Do guests in a private apartment pay tourist tax per night?
Not by law. The host pays EUR 50 per bed a year in Zadar and must display in the unit that the tax is included in the price.
How far is Nin from Zadar?
17 km by the airport's figures, and about 27 km by road from the airport. Its Queen's Beach is 3 km of sand.