Before Archipelago Trail Run first took place in 2024, there was already a long story of friendship, shared work, and love for the islands of the Zadar archipelago behind it. We spoke with the Ivan Košta, director of the Ugljan Island Tourist Board, who has held the position for the past eight years and three months, about how the idea of connecting the islands was born, what makes them so special, and why visitors keep coming back.
An idea two decades in the making
The idea of connecting the islands of the Zadar archipelago became reality once the Law on Tourist Boards made it possible for several boards to join forces on projects aimed at jointly developing tourism potential.
“When we talk about the idea behind this connection, I have to mention my dear colleague from university, Ivana Čarić, who has for years been the director of the Sali Tourist Board, and my colleague Ina Kolega, director of the Kali Tourist Board,” explains Ivan Košta. It was these two who, twenty years ago, were already developing the idea of connecting the archipelago’s islands and saw great potential in it.
“Throughout history, our islands have always been connected — culturally, in transport, economically, and in every other sense. Today, tourists and visitors can experience them as a whole: an island archipelago that tells one and the same interesting story, while still showing off the distinct character of each island,” he adds.
Unlike some other Adriatic islands, which have historically been self-sufficient “continents” of their own, the Zadar islands are not large enough for that, so they have always needed shared life and exchange with one another. Similar island archipelagos around the world often act in unison, and some are world-famous for it — and that, our host says, is exactly where the Zadar islands’ richness lies: similar to one another, yet each different.
From the Soča Outdoor Festival to a friendship that sparked an event
The story behind Archipelago Trail Run goes back even further. Years before the event was created, the Ugljan Island Tourist Board used to promote the island’s active tourism at similar events in Slovenia, especially at the Soča Outdoor Festival. That’s where they met Jan Klavora, Boštjan Mikuž, Sara Mavrič, Matevž Hribar and other colleagues.
“They’re wonderful people who put on excellent events of this kind. Year after year, I loved going to Slovenia and watching how effortlessly and warmly they worked. I often thought to myself — something like this could never work down south, in Dalmatia, where the heat and easy-going ‘fjaka’ spirit take over,” Ivan Košta recalls with a smile. It was through those trips that friendship and trust were built — without which Archipelago Trail Run simply wouldn’t exist.
After nine tourist boards from the archipelago joined forces, they worked together on a shared outdoor project covering the islands — cycling and hiking trails, maps, signage — and produced films about cycling, trail running and kayaking, while presenting the islands at specialized trade fairs across Europe. The effort paid off in 2023, when they received the prestigious national tourism award in the “Active Tourism” category at Croatian Tourism Days in Rovinj.
“I drove a van from Zadar to Rovinj and back with eight female colleagues — you can imagine the noise,” he laughs. On the way back, everyone was thrilled about the award, and that’s when the first ideas began to take shape for a multi-day outdoor event that would connect several islands through island hopping, great energy, and genuine island hospitality. “The brainstorming took over the whole van,” he says. He told his colleagues then that he knew just the right person who could help make such a project happen — and in the following days he reached out to Jan Klavora. The rest is history.
What Zadar Archipelago means?
“To me, Zadar Archipelago is a unique space surrounded by the sea, where natural beauty, rich heritage and the authentic way of life of island people come together in perfect harmony. To truly experience it, you have to come to the island and surrender to its rhythm,” says Ivan Košta.
He believes the islands are the ideal setting for trail running, offering everything that makes the sport special — challenging trails, striking landscapes, beautiful views and a spectacular sense of peace and freedom. “On the island, you quickly leave everyday life behind and immerse yourself in nature, which feels completely different from classic races held elsewhere.”
Island hopping, he says, feels like visiting several different worlds in just a few days. “Every island has its own rhythm, atmosphere and story, even though they all belong to the same whole. Sailing from island to island is part of the adventure and an unforgettable sense of discovery.”
Three islands, three stories
Ugljan, Pašman and Dugi otok have historically always been the largest of the Zadar islands, in every sense. “Ugljan is defined by its olive groves, mild climate, picturesque villages and its strong connection to Zadar. Pašman is known for its untouched nature, its wonderful people, its peace and quiet, and a special relationship with the sea and nature. Dugi otok, meanwhile, impresses with its size, wild landscapes and the contrast between steep cliffs and calm coves — it’s something of a shield protecting the archipelago from the open sea,” explains Ivan Košta. Each of these islands, he says, offers a different way of experiencing the archipelago.
Unlike regular tourists, Archipelago Trail Run participants get to see the islands’ hidden corners, far from the usual tourist routes. They get to feel the peace of the island’s interior, see old dry-stone walls, olive groves, and places you simply can’t reach by car.
In three words, he sums up the experience as: authenticity, beauty, adventure.
Why people keep coming back?
“People keep coming back to the islands because they offer something that’s today the most valuable thing of all — space, peace and a sense of freedom. They come back for the emotions, the memories, the nature, and the people who make the island space even more precious. The moment you set foot on the island, you’re in another dimension,” he says.
Asked what “guštanje” — the Dalmatian art of savoring life — means to him, he answers: “Guštanje, to me, is the art of enjoying simple things that make me happy. Morning coffee by the sea or on a boat, an unhurried conversation with friends and loved ones. That inner feeling of being exactly where you’re supposed to be, right now. The island is the medium that gives us islanders everything we need for guštanje — we’re masters of it. Come visit us, and we’ll teach you how it’s done.”
His recommendations
- Viewpoints: Ugljan — Sv. Mihovil and Šćah; Dugi otok — Grpašćak; Pašman — Ždrelac Bridge
- Favorite sunset spot: Svitla Bay on the island of Ugljan
- “Crnilo kup” — traditional squid fishing as a gastronomic experience with a special island energy
- Hidden corner: Kobiljak Bay on Dugi otok (“and there’s one more place I’m keeping jealously to myself”)
- The village of Sali and its “Saljske užance” traditions
