Novigrad, Dalmatia
A village on an enclosed inland sea, under the fortress where a queen was imprisoned in 1387.
Updated 30 August 2026
Novigrad stands on the Novigrad sea, a sheltered basin connected to the Adriatic only through the narrow Novsko Zdrilo channel, so the water in front of the village is calm and almost lake-like. On the hill above are the ruins of the fortress where Elizabeth of Bosnia and her daughter Mary, queen of Hungary and Croatia, were held after being captured in 1386; Elizabeth was strangled there in 1387 in front of her daughter, one of the more brutal episodes of the dynastic conflict of the period. The village below lives on fishing and shellfish, and the eels and mullet of the basin are a local speciality.
The main sights
- An enclosed inland sea - reached only through a narrow channel.
- A fortress with a queen's murder - Elizabeth of Bosnia, killed there in 1387.
- Fishing and shellfish - what the basin supports.
- Calm water in front - almost lake-like, unlike the open coast.
When to go
May to September. Half a day.
Things to know
The fortress is a ruin with an unmade path up and no facilities. The village is small and services are seasonal. There is no sand beach - the shore is stone and concrete. It is a detour from the main routes.
Nearby
Zadar is west; the Zrmanja canyon runs inland from the basin.
What to pack for Novigrad, Dalmatia
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Travel rod + reel - A packable multi-piece rod fits in a case and covers most holiday fishing. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A small tackle selection - Hooks, weights, line and a few lures or flies suited to local waters. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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