St Michael's Fort, Ugljan

St Michael's stands at 265 metres on the spine of Ugljan, the island directly across the channel from Zadar, and it was built by Venice in the thirteenth century on the site of an earlier Benedictine monastery to watch the approaches to the city. What remains is a walled enclosure with the shell of the church inside, ruined and open. The reason people climb is the view: from the wall the whole Zadar archipelago lies below in one sweep, with Zadar itself, Dugi Otok, the Kornati and, in clear weather, the Velebit ridge behind them all. The walk up from Preko takes about an hour.

What you actually see

• A thirteenth century Venetian fort - on an earlier monastery site.
• A walled enclosure and church shell - ruined and open.
• The whole archipelago below - Zadar, Dugi Otok and the Kornati in one view.
• An hour's climb from Preko - or a narrow road most of the way.

When to go

April to October; the climb is hot at midday in summer. Three hours.

Honest expectations

The walk up is steep, stony and unshaded. The ruin itself is modest - the view is the visit. There are no facilities on the ridge. Ferry times from Zadar govern the day.

Nearby

Preko is below; Zadar is across the channel.