The summer is coming

While filling out my CV for a competition, a thought crossed my mind “aaa student exchange in Zadar” that I attended in 2021 for my master’s studies. I have to admit, someone who spent the previous 9 years of his young life in Novi Sad, where I studied, and goes on an exchange to Zadar in addition to all European destinations?

Realistically, no coast, vibe, and student scholarship attracted me more than Zadar. It is a good thing to choose the summer semester because the warmer it is, the busier is it. Thank God for scholarships big enough to get by “for all the money”. During 110 days of living in Zadar, I had the opportunity to visit Zadar and its surroundings: ALONG AND ACROSS.

Greeting to the sun, Photo: Ivan Vuksa – Pixabay

My favorite hidden and interesting beaches around Zadar are definitely: Diklo, Bibinje, Bilotinjak, Kožine, Kolovare city beach, Nin and Sukošan beaches, Petrčane and Vir. Something that cannot be explained, the saltiness of the sea and one special indescribable love: Dalmatia!

Summer is coming, Photo: Jelena Mirić

Oh, I almost forget how ambitiously I decided one day when the high sun was hitting and the lead from the church was melting, I decided to go to the island of Ugljan after the lecture, catching the ferry at noon. But you know, God protects fools too. I came back barely alive in the afternoon. But, not to lie to you, the island of Ugljan, more precisely Preko – is worth every degree that I put on my skin that day.

We were lucky to live in the center of Zadar, a few minutes from the peninsula, still arguably the most favorite location on the coast of Branimir. As we are near the coast,  focaccia in Mlinar, burek in the Branimir bakery after going out was perfect pleasure! Why right after going out? Because you forget about the calories intake guilt.

One of the good things in Zadar is the proximity of shopping centers, hospitals, the peninsula, Greeting to the sun, camps, the port, as well as the Višnjik Sports Center, where I burned calories on the athletics track, but also looking at attractive athletes at the summer preps – I admit it!

The University of Zadar offers a variety of opportunities for students and foreigners, starting from quality teaching staff to awsome food in the student canteen, where we enjoyed tuna steak as a daily routine, and my favorite memory is certainly the Department of Tourism, where colleagues are not only welcome – were real hosts for Erasmus+ students.

Zadar, Photo: Gellert Pixabay

Zadar is well connected with other cities by road, so that in a few hours you are already in Primošten, Šibenik, Split, and on the other side in 46 kilometers in Paklenica or Lika. There is certainly also Nin, the island of Pag and Vir – Don’t ask how I know everything!

Something that you must visit if you are on that route is definitely Lake Vrana, Kamenjak viewpoint, but also visit the Krka and Kornati National Park.

Primošten is the only place where we saw a cemetery with a sea view. In an informal chat, I said to my roommate Danilo: “It’s worth dying here, brother.”

Although almost every year I find myself in Zadar at least for a short time (because I have great friends from Zadar, Iva, Karlo, and Josipa), something that I truly wish for all of us – that our whole life will be a row of anchovies, pošip wine and fun.