Each time I selected my most important must haves for potential city work locations in NomadList, Zadar kept coming up as the answer to my top three. These were 1. fast internet. 2. affordability and 3. beaches. Further research gave me a strong enough push to give Zadar a go.

I’m looking at what makes this quiet under the radar city a great destination for digital nomads and other location independent workers. For those of you looking for a quieter spot to do some thinking, writing, planning and working, but at a reasonable price, I encourage you to consider Zadar as a surprisingly good and appealing work hotspot.

Now, Croatia isn’t a hot (literally) south-east Asian destination such as Thailand, Malaysia or Bali in Indonesia. But it does have a more temperate climate than some other European cities, it is relatively cheaper than living in London or Berlin yet still boasts good restaurants, food and hotels, decent wi-fi hotspots and, now, in Zadar, a central co-working space in the shape of COIN. A downside is that it does go very quiet outside the holiday season, with Ryanair flights to/from Zadar paused between November and March.

While there are interesting and fun things to do in the city, it’s not known for its hard partying scene. But all the better. For any freelancer, entrepreneur or remote worker serious about his or her work, Zadar deserves strong consideration at least as a temporary base.