The Zadar Archipelago is so close and yet so far away: Ugljan and Pašman are just two of the myriad islands comprising the lacelike islands and are among the largest and the easiest to reach from Zadar. More than 15 ferries a day run the 5-km (3-mile) distance between Zadar and Ugljan, a 19-km-long (12-mile-long) island whose narrow width of just a couple of kilometers runs parallel to the mainland, with its midway point across from Zadar. From the ferry landing on Ugljan, your best bet may be to head north along the seafront for 10 minutes on foot to the heart of Preko, a fine access point to several worthwhile destinations (very) near and (not too) far. Going south will get you to the unassuming fishing village of Kali. From Preko's harbor, you can walk about 1 km (½ mile) farther north to a shallow bay locals like to swim in, or better yet, take a taxi-boat to Galevac, a charming wooded islet less than 100 yards from Preko that has not only splendid swimming but also a 15th-century Franciscan monastery set in a lush green park. And then there's the Tvrđava svetog Mihovila (Fortress of St. Michael), a 13th-century landmark atop a hill roughly an hour's walk west of town. Though mainly in ruins, the fortress offers spectacular views of nearby Zadar to the west and, on a cloudless day, the Italian coast.
Meanwhile, 10 km (6 miles) farther north is the quiet village of Ugljan, accessible from the ferry port by a handful of buses daily. For a somewhat sleepier island experience, hop aboard one of eight buses daily from Preko to the village of Pašman. You can eventually get to Tkon, Pašman Island's largest village, from which some 10 ferries daily can get you back to the mainland south of Zadar.
