Congratulating this seaside city for this prize, the director of the European Best Destinations web portal, Maximilien Lejeune, said that Zadar won this title owing to its rich cultural and historical heritage and scenery.
The director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Ratimir Ivicic, said that this award was also important for Croatia.
Zadar was voted the best European destination in 2016, winning the title among 20 selected destinations, the European Best Destinations website reported recently.
Online voting was conducted earlier this year and of a total of 288,992 votes every fifth vote or 57,616 went to this Croatian Adriatic resort.
Zadar was elected for this prestigious title of the Best European Destination 2016 ahead of Athens, Plovdiv, Nantes, The Azores Islands, Paris, Novi Sad, Brussels, Kotor, Milan, Prague, Rome, Vienna, Madrid and Nicosia.
The EBD web portal describes Zadar as "the urban center of northern Dalmatia" and as "administrative, economic, cultural and political center of the region with 75,000 inhabitants."
"The coast is particularly indented, the islands and the untouched nature allures many boaters to this regions. The archipelago counts 24 bigger and about 300 smaller islets and rocks, 3 nature parks - Telascica, Velebit and Vransko Jezero Lake and 5 national parks - Paklenica, the Plitvice Lakes, Kornati Islands, Krka and Sjeverni Velebit classifying Zadar and its surroundings at the very top of the Croatian tourist offer."
"Zadar is a city monument, surrounded by historical ramparts, a treasury of the archaeological and monumental riches of ancient and medieval times, Renaissance and many contemporary architectural achievements such as the first Sea Organ in the world," the web portal notes.