Boatmen of Zadar in Croatia: Take a Ride for a Unique Local Experience

This unique Croatian experience definitely proved the value of staying with a local. We learned about the Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski) from our Airbnb host and little did we know we were in for an amazing ride! We were glad we stayed with her because otherwise we wouldn’t have guessed this method of transportation even existed.

We stayed in a more modern and residential area of Zadar, farther away from the Old Town which is located on a peninsula. In order to see the various historical sights of Zadar, we had to cross a narrow body of water.

How to get to the Old Town of Zadar

To cross the channel and get to the Old Town of Zadar, we had 2 options:

1. Walk across a pedestrian bridge, called City Bridge (Gradski Most) OR

2. Take a boat ride with the Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski)

Fortunately for you, we had a chance to do both!

City Bridge (Gradski Most) – FREE

The City Bridge, itself, is 152m (~500ft) long walk to get to the other side. It isn’t a long trek to get across the bridge however it also depends upon where you’re located in the city. Depending on where you’re staying, either could be a shorter walk for you.

From the bridge, you’ll be able to walk straight into the city.

At night, taking the bridge is the best option since the boats will stop running after dark. The view from the bridge is also much more picturesque at night.

Where is the Bridge?

On mainland Zadar side (east)
Obala Kneza Branimira & Ulica Stjepana Radića

On the Old Town of Zadar peninsula (west)
Liburnska Obala & Ulica Nova Vrata/Ulica Jurja Barakovića

Check out the map at the end of the post for specific locations.

Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski) – 5HRK

Due to the distance, this was the quickest way to get from our Airbnb to the Old Town. For us, it was also the best way to get to the Old Town of Zadar.

This was also, by far, one of our favorite experiences in Zadar, and maybe even in all of Croatia. Let me tell you why!

For only a few kuna, the Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski) take riders on a roughly 2-minute ride from the modern side of Zadar to the Old Town. The distance between the two boat docks is only about 71m (232ft), the ride is super quick, make sure you enjoy the unique experience! The boatmen use a 2 oars to sail the small rowboats across the harbor.

The boats are small, they are only able to hold 10 people at a time. Fortunately for us, we didn’t see any capacity issues since we were traveling in the off season. But the ride is short, less than 5 minutes long (we didn’t time it), and the boat leaves immediately as passengers arrive so we can’t see the wait being too lengthy. Keep in mind that might not be the case during peak season, but I’ve also seen photos online of 2 boats running at the same time. 

We noticed that the guy who took us to the Old Town earlier in the morning was a different person than the boatman who brought us back to the new side in the afternoon. We’re glad they run on a shift system since it is a very laborious job.

It’s a really cool service though, and the boatmen are super friendly. They’ll hold their arm out to help you get on and off the boat.

Note that this is a super no-frills, off the beaten path mode of transportation, don’t be expecting Venetian gondoliers here, there’s no singing or entertainment on these rowboats. Honestly it’s probably more similar to a shuttle service. It just offers an easy way to get from point A to point B (Old Town of Zadar) with a lot less walking, so you can save your energy for exploring the old city!

Cost:

5HRK (Croatian Kuna)/83¢ US one way (as of Nov 2017) – cash only. Coins or small bills are probably preferred as it didn’t look like they had much change. 

Where Do I Find the Boatmen?

On mainland Zadar side (east)
Walk down Ulica Ivana Meštrovića to Obala Kneza Trpimira, follow the signs to the Boatmen of Zadar “Zadarski Barkajoli” and down the pier to the striped column/lighthouse. At the very end of the pier is where you will be boarding the small boat. 

On the Old Town of Zadar peninsula (west)
Liburnska Obala by the benches (see above), there is a set of stairs leading down to the dock across from the benches (not shown in photo above). There is also a sign that says “Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski)”

The 5 kuna is well worth the money for the boat ride and it’s definitely worth the experience! Save walking the bridge for nighttime after the boatmen have retired from their shifts for the day.

Map of the Locations

We sincerely hope that this unique tradition is able to survive modernization and continue for generations to come!

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