Even though an island destination, an additional incentive for visiting Kukljica and the islands of Ugljan-Pasman is the good transportation connection with the mainland from Zadar and Biograd, as well as the vicinity of eminent European tourist markets.
Geographic location
The
Islands of Ugljan and Pasman are
the two most populated islands in the Zadar
archipelago in Northern Dalmatia,
located in the central part of the eastern
Adriatic coast. This area is known as the
most indented on the Adriatic and probably
the whole Mediterranean . Both islands
are divided from the mainland with 2-5 kilometres
wide Zadar channel, representing first island
line to Zadar (other two are Iz and Dugi otok,
further from the mainland). The central part
of the island of Ugljan is about 10 kilometres
air distance from Zadar as the County seat
and the biggest city in the Northern Dalmatia
region in Southern Croatia. The islands are
connected with a bridge and are, therefore one
spatial entity .
Ugljan island with adjacent islets has an area
of 71,2 sq. km, Pasman 68,9 sq. km and the whole Ugljan-Pasman
archipelago 135,1 sq. km . Ugljan island includes three
inhabited islets - larger Sestrunj and Rivanj on
the Northwest and Osljak close to Preko. There
are some other uninhabited islands belonging to Ugljan and Pasman.
The archipelago is divided into five municipalities - Preko,
Kali and Kukljica on Ugljan and Pasman and Tkon on
Pasman. Kali, Kukljica and Tkon are small municipalities consisting
of only one settlement with the same name, representing all together
less than 25 per cent of the archipelago. The municipality of Preko
includes eight settlements covering the majority of the island of
Ugljan. The municipality of Pasman also includes eight settlements
covering the majority of the island of Pasman.
Bays: Otric,
Kostanj, Gnojisca, Kukljica, Zdrelascica, Kuncabok, Vela and Mala
Sabusa, Jelenica, Bacina draga, Mazevica and Mala Lamjana Capes : Zaglav (Zelena punta), Glavica, Suhi, Karantun and
Loparic Highest / lowest peaks: Straza (152 m), Veli vrh (123 m),
Strzenjak (109 m) and the rest, which are not higher than 100 m. The lowest
are Zan vrh (13 m) and among the islets Karantunic (18 m).
The Municipality
of Kukljica
is located
together with adjacent 4 islets of Bisage,
Golac, Misnjak and Karantunic at the
extreme southwestern point of the Island of Ugljan,
close to the Zdrelac channel (44° N, 15°15' E).
The Zadar channel dives it on the northern side
from the mainland (5 km of area line to Sukosan
and 9,5 km to the city of Zadar) and the Middle
channel on the South from the Island of Iz (5
km of area line). The Zdrelac channel on the
southeastern point of the island dives it, but
also connects by the bridge over the Zdrelascica
bay with the Island of Pasman.
Transport access
The main access
to Kukljica is from the city of Zadar by the
beautiful panoramic road and ferry lines via Preko (Ugljan),
with possibility of using own car or local public
transport. Very important is the bridge over
the Zdrelac channel and Zdrelascica bay that
connects both islands. On the Island of Pasman
visitors can use local public transport and ferry
line via Tkon to
Biograd.
By
car
From Austria and Hungary via Zagreb, Zadar or Biograd.
From Italy via Rijeka, Zadar or Biograd.
There are two frequent ferry lines: from Zadar to Preko (the Island of Ugljan) and from Biograd to Tkon (the Island of Pasman).
