Hvar is the sunny island, the party island, the lavender island, and the celebrity island. All of it true, none of it the full picture. Beyond the yachts in the harbour and the crowds on the main square, Hvar island has quiet villages, empty beaches, and a history that stretches back further than most countries.
The main town sits on the southwest coast, facing the Pakleni Islands across a sheltered channel. A thirteenth-century fortress overlooks the harbour. Renaissance palaces line the square — one of the largest in Dalmatia. Restaurants spill onto the waterfront, cocktail bars fill up after dark, and in peak season the people-watching alone is worth the trip.
But Hvar Town is small. Really small. Walk from one end to the other in fifteen minutes. Climb to the fortress, wander the backstreets, grab lunch, and you’ve seen the highlights. What comes next is up to you — beach club, wine bar, or back on the boat to somewhere quieter.
Most visitors never leave the main port. Their mistake. Stari Grad, on the north side of the island, is older and calmer — a UNESCO-listed plain of ancient vineyards and stone walls, Greek in origin, still farmed today. Jelsa, further east, has a local feel that Hvar Town lost years ago. Zavala, on the south coast, faces the open sea with nothing between it and Italy.
The interior smells like lavender in June and July. Fields of purple cover the hillsides around Velo Grablje, a half-abandoned village now known for its annual lavender festival. The roads meander through pine forests, pass by stone churches, and offer breathtaking views that halt your progress.
Forty-five minutes from Split by speedboat. The ferry journey takes two hours and arrives in Stari Grad, rather than Hvar Town — please allow an additional thirty minutes for the bus transfer. A boat tour from Split delivers you straight to the Hvar waterfront, ready to walk off and explore.
Hvar island works as a daytrip. It also works as a place to spend a week. For a first visit, one day covers the town, the fortress, and a swim at the Pakleni Islands on the way back. For everything else—the villages, the vineyards, and the empty south coast—you’ll need to return.
Custom-built speedboats, professional crew, stunning islands. Just pick a date.
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