After the Croatian soccer team captured the world’s attention in the World Cup last summer – its team captain Luka Modric’s inspiring play was particularly notable – soccer fans revved up their search engines and learned that Mr. Modric hails from Zadar, a pretty, compact town on the Dalmatian Coast. Zadar is often ignored as visitors hopscotch from Istria in the north to Split and Hvar and then down to Dubrovnik. Beyond Zadar’s medieval core, the city’s seaside promenade and music-making 'sea organ' created by the architect Nikola Basic, is a must-see (or hear). The magical sunsets alone were enough to wow Alfred Hitchcock, who visited the city in 1964, and said he’d witnessed the most beautiful sunset in the world there. The town is also a gateway to the untrammeled Kornati Archipelago especially Dugi Otok, a sparsely populated island with uncrowded beaches and taverns serving seafood. Seeking ultraclean waters? Then head to the island of Pasman, where the currents frequently change, making the surrounding waters some of the cleanest in the Adriatic.