Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

98  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

2 Zadar Archipelago Venetian fleet. One side ends
in a sheer cliff and the other in
The Zadar Archipelago is made up of more than 300 islands thick pine woods. This area is
surrounded by crystal-clear waters. The larger islands being reforested after a
are covered in Mediterranean scrub and olive trees. The disastrous fire in 1995. The
archipelago is what remains of a mountain chain which once southern part of the island has
been designated the Telašćica
ran parallel to the Velebit mountains, but which is now almost Nature Park (see p100).
submerged. Only about a dozen of the islands are inhabited,
and the small communities live by fishing, farming and rearing Ugljan
animals. There are a few hotels on the larger islands closer to This lush, green island is 22 km
Zadar, and private accommodation can be found on all the (13 miles) long and covers an
area of 50 sq km (19 sq miles).
others. Daily ferry services link Zadar with the main islands.
It has a population of 7,600 and
the small villages lie along the
eastern coast of the island. In
desolate but beaches and bays the main village, Ugljan, is
punctuate the eastern coast. the Franciscan monastery of
Proximity to Zadar means St Jerome, built in the 15th
that since Roman times it has century. It has a pretty cloister
been a popular place for the and the library contains
city nobles to build holiday numerous works written in
villas. In the Renaissance period Glagolitic script.
more summer residences were A more newly built village
built here, particularly in Sali. is Preko, where the wealthier
This is the largest town and citizens of Zadar own villas.
port on the island and there are There are also rooms in private
some houses in the flamboyant houses available for renting.
Gothic style. The Renaissance The village is dominated by
Church of St Mary has some the large Venetian fortress of
Dugi Otok, the largest island in the paintings from the same St Michael which stands on a
Zadar archipelago period by Juraj Čulinović. hill 265 m (869 ft) high. A bridge
The fishing village of links the island to Pašman.
Dugi Otok Božava, at the island’s
Covering an area of 124 sq km northernmost point,
(48 sq miles), this is the largest is also a popular
island in the archipelago. The yacht marina. It
inhabitants live in about ten has a small church,
villages. Fishing and farming dedicated to
takes place in the northern part St Nicholas, which
of the island and on the flatter dates from the 10th
areas of the island, while the century. Inside the
southern, hillier terrain is given church a sculpture
over to sheep farming. The depicts Arab saints.
western coast is steep and The long bay of
Telašćica, to the
south, is a natural
harbour and
OLIB was once
used by the View from the fortress of St Michael, Preko

SESTRUNJE
SILBA
IST MOLAT Brgulje Sestrunj
Zapuntel Molat
ŠKARDA Ist
PREMUDA
J
Premuda Božava Dragove
Veli Rat
0 kilometres 10
0 miles 10 DUGI OTOK
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp228–30 and pp240–45

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