©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Northern Dalmatia % 022, 023 Why Go? Zadar . 168 Isolated from Continental Europe by the Velebit moun- Plitvice Lakes tains, northern Dalmatia is an incredibly scenic and tem- National Park . 176 perate region. It’s prime holiday country and given the Paklenica National exquisite coastline, historic cities, sublime off shore islands Park . 178 and national parks it’s easy to appreciate why. Yet North- Starigrad . .180 ern Dalmatia is far from being overrun: whole stretches are pristine and retain a ravishing natural beauty. Sali . 181 Zadar, the main gateway, is a cultured city rich with Telašćica Bay . .182 museums, Roman ruins, restaurants and music festivals. Božava . .182 Nearby Šibenik has an extraordinary medieval quarter. Of Pag Town . .183 the dozens of Adriatic islands, Pag hosts Croatia’s premier Novalja . .186 summer clubbing scene while Dugi Otok and the Kornati Islands are an escapist’s heaven. Šibenik . .187 Croatia’s most impressive national parks are here too: Krka National Park . .190 Paklenica off ers exceptional hiking and rock climbing Kornati Islands . .192 while Krka and Plitvice boast waterfalls and lakes in abundance. Best Places to Eat When to Go » Pelegrini (p 189 ) Zadar » Boškinac (p 186 ) °C/°F Te m p Rainfall Inches/mm » Foša (p 173 ) 30/86 8/200 » Taverna-Konoba 20/68 6/150 Marasović (p 180 ) » Bistro Na Tale (p 185) 10/50 4/100 0/32 2/50 Best Places to -10/14 0 Stay J FDNOSAJJMAM » Boškinac (p 186 ) April & May Mild June & July August & » Hotel Bastion (p 172 ) temperatures are Catch Šibenik at September ideal for hiking its best during Petrčane hosts a » Hotel Adriana (p 172 ) Paklenica and the city’s famous merry bunch of » Pansion Eco-House (p 177 ) Plitvice national Children’s music festivals. parks. Festival. P E65 l Rab Island V j Biha™ D8 Plitvice Lakes r 167 Rab Town National Park š Korenica Dolin A1 e Jablanac v Mišnjak Kruš™iøko 50 E Lake i c Peruši™ a K Šatorina Prizna (1623m) E71 v Liøki Osik Ozeblin REGION DALMATIA NORTHERN ZADAR Æigljen L a Novalja (1657m) Karlobag Una Straško Gospi™ r Udbina D Lapac 25 Mandre n Šimuni E Škrda e Siljevaøa Maun Pag Town r (1451m) Vaganski vrh Silba E65 B (1757m) i Pag Island Olib ™ D8 Paklenica E71 Srb Virsko National Park I A1 Ist Sea Vir Graøac P o Starigrad- Privlaka T š Molat Paklenica t V Crnopac a Molat Petrøane Maslenica 27 Novogradsko (1402m) k Diklo E65 Sea Obrovac Sestrunj E71 Ugljan D8 Novigrad BoÅava Zadar Veli Rat Zemunik Ervenik Ugljan Donji Brbinj Preko Bibinje Ošlijak Benkovac Kali Sukošan IÅ Knin Dugi E65 Kistanje Otok Ædrelac Zaglav Pašman Krka Biograd A1 Monastery Sali Pakoštane Telaš™ica Bay Tkon Vransko Roški Slap Lake Krka Drniš Prolaz Passage Æut National Murter Park Levrnaka Tisno Skradin Kornat Murtesko Skradinski Buk Murter Vodice Lozovac Piškera Sea Tribunj Bilice Lavsa Prvi™ Šibenik Kornati Kaprije Tijat National Kakan Zmajan Mandalina A1 Park Zlarin A D R I A T I C Æirje Æirje S E A Primorski Primošten Dolac E65 0 30 km D8 0 20 miles To Split (15km) Northern Dalmatia Highlights 1 Hike the incredible canyons 4 Discover Zadar (p 168 ), 7 Explore the eerie beauty of and alpine trails at Paklenica one of the coast’s most the Kornati Islands (p 192 ) National Park (p 178 ) underrated and historic towns 8 Learn about raptors at the 2Party in Petrčane (p 175 ), 5Enjoy the delights of Pag Sokolarski Centre (p 191 ) home turf of some of Europe’s (p 183 ) – heady nightlife, 9 Zone out in style at most innovative music festivals stunning scenery and the state-of-the-art spa 3Marvel at the turquoise exquisite cheese Acquapura Thalasso (p 171 ) lakes and waterfalls in Plitvice 6 Wander the medieval a Swim in the pristine lakes Lakes National Park (p 176 ) streets of Šibenik (p 187 ) at Krka National Park (p 190 ).