Seeing it from two wheels is a great way to have an up close and personal experience with the city and greater region of Zadar itself. Whether you cycle the islands of the Zadar Archipelago, its pristine coastal areas or head inland to the mighty Velebit mountains and Paklenica National Park, you will be amazed at the variety of landscapes and cycle routes on offer.
One of the most popular cycling routes in the Zadar region is the Zadar - Vir cycle route. This round trip route has a dedicated cycle path for most of the route and is super easy riding. In fact, most weekends you'll find cyclists making their way to Vir along this coastal cycle trail because it's such a pleasant ride. The route starts in Zadar where you'll hug the coastline out of the old city through Diklo and Borik and make your way to the main road which takes you to Vir.
On the main road, there is a dedicated cycle path all the way to Vir, allowing you to stay off the main road. Along this cycle path, you will be riding through a pine forest until you reach Zaton. Once you're in Zaton, pay attention to your left as you pass by the Iconic Church of Saint Nikola, which perched upon an earthen mound in a field. This is a great spot for a quick photo.
Time to get back on the bike as the next stop is Nin where you can pay a visit to the historic old town of Nin where you'll see remains of a Roman temple and the Museum of Nin Antiquities has some fascinating pieces from as far back as the Illyrians and two original Croatian boats from the 11th century.
Now it's time to get back on two wheels where you'll ride through the village of Privlaka here you can take a short detour onto the Artić Promontory which is the Western most point of mainland Dalmatia and provides some incredible unobstructed views of the Zadar Archipelago.
From there its back on the road for Vir. To get to Vir, you'll need to go over the Vir bridge and at the top of the bridge you'll get impressive panoramic views taking in the islands, the Velebit mountains, and Privlaka. Time to carry on pushing those legs as it's off to the Northen tip of Vir which means you'll pass through the pass through the settlements and into the Vir natural environment where various shrubs are the prevailing flora. Take a break when you reach the northern tip and keep you eye on the sea as dolphins will often put on a performance here as they hunt for fish and play.Don't be surprised if you see them jumping way out of the sea. From there head back to Vir town
Take a break when you reach the northern tip and keep you eye on the sea as dolphins will often put on a performance here as they hunt for fish and play.Don't be surprised if you see them jumping way out of the sea. From there head back to Vir town center and take a well-earned break before turning the bike around and make your way back to Zadar. The round trip to Vir is 60km so if that is beyond your abilities you can easily make the return leg from Nin shortening the journey to a 45km round trip.
All that's left is for you to get on your bike and cycle in Zadar region.
