Travelling by boat is a great option in summertime. Why waste your time frying in traffic when you could be sunning yourself on the deck with a cool drink, watching the islands go by, or enjoying the cool night breeze? Your arrival in Zadar is spectacular: the ferries dock right on the Old Town peninsula. All the amenities of the Old Town are just behind that defensive wall you see there.
Jadrolinija's international services connect Zadar with Ancona (Italy) almost every day.