The most beautiful natural sites to discover Zadar & Šibenik

After the devastation of the Second World War, the chaotic reconstruction of the waterfront had transformed the esplanade into a giant and uninterrupted concrete wall. In 2005, an urban renewal project was launched. At the end of the river, the architect Nikola Bašić designed a staircase, made of ashlar (70 m) that leads down to the Adriatic. Under the steps are 35 organ pipes built in underground tunnels. A column of air, pushed in turn by the waves, blows on each organ pipe. The sound emerges above the ground through labiums (whistles), which play 7 chords of 5 tones each. The marine ebb and flow, with the breath of the water rushing in, thus creates a series of more or less loud sounds. The marine organ is one of Zadar's great sights. As a rallying point for the premises and visitors at the end of the day, it was immediately adopted. This unique urban creation is now part of the tourist circuits, as an extension of the promenade de la mer or the forum. In summer, there is a crowd; the mystical effect diminishes with the sounds and cries of the children, but if you are lucky enough to be accompanied by calm people, won by the inspired work, it is a place to meditate, between architecture and nature... Getting there in winter or on a stormy day, while remaining cautious, is another experience. The swell then hitting the organs, the aquatic roar resounds with force.

The genesis of this mountain dates back about 200 million years. Through the process of plate tectonics, sedimentary rocks accumulated on the sea floor rose, giving rise to the Dinaric Alps chain. Heavy rains have created caves and natural wells, accumulated limestone, shaped the water, carved superb stalactites and stalagmites. At the highest point of the massif, Mount Zavižan (1,676 m), the highest weather station in Croatia was built. The national park was established in 1999.

Winters are harsh, with frequent snowfall and a strong wind (bura) that cools the atmosphere. But as soon as the weather is good, it is a paradise for lovers of unspoilt nature. Ask the reception offices for information on access conditions (weather, schedules, practicable routes, etc.).

Several naturalistic trails. The path from Premužić leads to the nature reserve of the ridges Hajdučki and Rožanski. It was built in 1930 by Ante Premuzic, a water and forest engineer, who was the first to explore it. This great walker, at an average altitude of 1,500 m, discovered the peaks where unusual shaped limestone piles have accumulated. Between these peaks, deep funnels have deepened, opening the horizon to the Kvarner islands. On a clear day, summit hunters will also enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the mountainous coast, which literally seems to plunge into the Adriatic. Offshore, you can guess the small islands of Goli Otok, Sveti Grgur and Prvic, and the large island of Krk.

Flora and fauna. The park is home to a botanical garden founded in 1967 by Professor Fran Kušan, a botanist and herbalist. With his team, the naturalist has identified more than 2,500 Mediterranean and alpine plants. The best known are thyme, alchemilla, mountain clover, grasses, silica... To the west of the garden, a forest of oaks and maples is now protected from all human exploitation. Going up to the east, beech, black pine, fir, spruce and spruce dominate...

It will be easy for you to see lizards, many birds (180 species) including the great black heather cockerel, birds of prey, the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), master of these places. Large mammals are becoming rare, a pair of binoculars, patience and discretion in the wild will increase your chances of observing these wild animals, lynx, chamois, deer, deer or even a wolf, a brown bear.

At the end of the lagoon in the direction of Sabunike, a 3 km long beach. Its name is said to come from the first Croatian king, Tomislav I and his wife who lived in the area. The texture of the fine sand, the shallow depth of the crystal blue water and its higher temperature than elsewhere make it an ideal vacation spot. A medicinal mud deposit, the largest in Europe, is another natural wealth of the municipality, coveted by real estate investors.

In the maritime part, which borders the mountainous park, a geological curiosity is as much a fjord (50 to 150 m wide) as an arm of the sea. A protected landscape since 1964, this superb site has nearly one kilometre of elaborate banks. These are dominated by chalky cliffs and lead to a quiet bay, where swimming is permitted. To get there, car or two-wheelers are recommended. From Zadar, after Prizna on the E 65, take the road to Jablanac/Uvala Zavratnica on the left. From Stinica (ferry) take the coastal path.