Jasenice

Jasenice occupies the southern foothills of Velebit, between a stark karst hinterland, the Novigrad Sea and the Zrmanja canyon. The name refers both to the administrative centre and to a wider municipality that includes Maslenica, Rovanjska, Zaton Obrovački and Modrič, so most seaside facilities are found in those coastal settlements. The defining mountain landmark is Tulove grede, a rocky ridge about one kilometre long. The historic Majstorska cesta adds another distinctive line across the landscape: 24 kilometres of the road cross the municipality through Podprag, Prag and Kraljičina vrata towards Mali Alan. A few kilometres east of Maslenica, the Zrmanja canyon is recognisable from the Winnetou films. The local bora is more than background weather; around Prag it can reach hurricane force and substantially affect driving, hiking and time by the shore. Swimming is concentrated on the pebble coves of Maslenica, Rovanjska and Modrič, while the two bridges spanning Novsko ždrilo remain the clearest landmarks for travellers arriving from the Zagreb–Split motorway.

Jasenice draws its identity from the unusually close meeting of Velebit and the Novigrad Sea. The older settlement consisted of hamlets from which present-day Modrič, Rovanjska, Maslenica and Jasenice developed, while Zaton Obrovački extends the municipality towards the Obrovac hinterland. Views of Tulove grede, the powerful bora around Prag and the old olive groves that gave Maslenica its name define the scenery. Jasenice is also a road gateway to the Zrmanja canyon: viewpoints and landscapes used in the Winnetou films are approached in the direction of Obrovac. This meeting of sheltered sea, exposed mountain karst, film locations and the historic Majstorska cesta sets Jasenice apart from conventional beach resorts on the Zadar coast.