Some tourists haven't even heard about it: this seaside city in Europe impresses with warm weather in October

The Mediterranean coast offers many options for beach vacations even in October. The velvet season here is quite busy, which means that crowds of tourists are unavoidable in popular places.

However, experts advise paying attention to a rather underrated destination. It's about Zadar, a small city in Croatia that offers a unique combination of history and active beach recreation.

Zadar is a city in Dalmatia, Croatia, Adriatic coast. It is the economic and cultural center of the region and the fifth largest city in the country. Zadar has long been a major trading and fishing port. Today it is a major industrial and cultural center of the country.

Zadar is quieter, more comfortable, and calmer than Split and Dubrovnik. It is a real hidden gem of the Adriatic. Zadar has quiet beaches, beautiful sunsets, large cliffs and ancient Roman streets.

The city offers a lot to do - from island tours by speedboat to walking around ancient ruins. The region boasts an impressive history, including Roman rule, the Venetian period, and even prehistoric settlements. In the Old Town, it's worth taking a stroll through the ancient Roman forum created by Emperor Augustus.

Before the First World War, Zadar was part of the Habsburg monarchy, and afterwards it became an Italian enclave along with several nearby small settlements and was declared a free port. In 1943-1944. Zadar was heavily bombed, destroying 80% of the historic Old Town.

The main sights of Zadar that are worth visiting:

• Ancient Roman forum and ruins of Roman buildings;
• Church of St. Donatus of the pre-Romanesque period from the IX century;
• Gothic St Thomas's Church;
• Borelli Palace;
• Bell Tower;
• Mainland Gate, built in 1543;
• Land Gate, built in 1573;
• Monastery of St. Francis Assisi of the XVI century;
• Baroque palaces;
• City Hall.

The gastronomy in Zadar is a true gourmet's paradise. You should try the fish and crab stew known as Brodet, dried pork soaked in red wine (Ninski šokol), traditional cured meat sausage (Šokol), Pag cheese and, of course, fresh seafood. All this is served with a traditional local drink made from maraschino cherries.

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