The settlement and small port of Starigrad is the seat of the municipality of the same name in Zadar County. The place is often called Starigrad – Paklenica. It is located by the Velebit Canal, on the main road Reka - Split, at the foot of the southern Velebit mountain.
It is located near Velika Paklenica, about 45 km from Karlobag. Starigrad has been inhabited since Roman times and was then known as Argyruntum. The inhabitants left the settlement during the invasions of the Turks in the 16th century. Starigrad was rebuilt again in the 17th century. The pre-Romanesque church of St. Peter, which is surrounded by medieval Bogomil tombstones and the ruins of a tower called Vecka kula. The tower was built to defend against Turkish incursions. In the nearby bay of Rovanjska are the remains of the old Croatian church of St. Yuri. In Starigrad, the harsh mountain climate meets the mild Mediterranean climate. The Paklenica National Park administration is located in the settlement.
The place is the starting point for visiting the Mala and Velika Paklenica gorges. Starigrad is the center of the Pakleniska Riviera with picturesque sandy beaches, which is about 20 kilometers long. The main economic activity in the settlement is tourism.