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Hvar
Croatia's Sunniest Island
Croatia's Sunniest Island
The Spanish Fortress (Fortica or Spanjola) above Hvar Town was built in the 16th century against Ottoman raids and offers the finest view on the island: the harbour directly below, the Pakleni Islands stretching west, the Vis island on the horizon. The walk up from the main square takes 15 minutes on a stepped path through lavender and pine. Open year-round; entry €5.
💡 Go at sunset. The Adriatic turns amber and the harbour fills with the yachts’s silhouettes. The fort bar at the top serves cold drinks until dark.
The largest square in Dalmatia — the 16th-century main square of Hvar Town, the Cathedral of St. Stephen at one end, the old Venetian arsenal at the other (now a theatre; €3, the oldest municipal theatre in Croatia, 1612). The Venetian loggia, the bishop’s palace and the Franciscan Monastery (1461; €5; a Tintoretto Last Supper in the refectory) are all within a 5-minute walk of the square.
💡 The square is tourist-crowded from 10am–6pm in summer. Early morning and after 9pm it reverts to its original character — locals at the outside tables, yachts in the inner harbour.
The chain of pine-covered islets west of Hvar Town harbour is the best swimming in the central Adriatic: clear turquoise water, natural coves, minimal current. Water taxis leave from Hvar Town harbour every 30–45 minutes to Palmizana, Sveti Klement and Marinkovac (€5–10 return). The restaurant at Palmizana (Meneghello) serves grilled fish with a view that justifies the catamaran fare.
💡 Water taxis from the harbour run 9am–7pm in summer. The 9am first boat gets you to Palmizana before the beach fills. Last boat back is around 7pm.
The upland villages of Brusje (5km from Hvar Town) and Velo Grablje (8km) are surrounded by lavender fields that reach peak colour in late June. The route along the old mule track from Hvar Town to Stari Grad (6km; 2h on foot) crosses the island plateau through olive groves, lavender and dry-stone walls. The lavender festival in Velo Grablje runs in late June.
💡 Rent a scooter (€40/day) to reach the interior lavender villages — the upland road from Hvar Town to Brusje takes 20 min. A car gives more range to explore Sucuraj and the far eastern end of the island.
Hvar Town restaurants are expensive by Croatian standards but genuinely good at the better end. Order the fresh grilled fish (priced by weight; €30–60 per kg), the octopus salad (hobotnica; €12–18), or the peka (lamb or octopus slow-roasted under the bell; €18–35; order 24 hours ahead). The Prosek dessert wine from Hvar is worth trying. Stari Grad has better prices and quieter tables for the same food quality.
💡 For evening drinks without the nightclub pricing, the cliff bars south of the main square (follow the waterfront path past the Cathedral) serve the same cocktails for 30–40% less than the square terraces.
July–August Hvar Town is packed and expensive. June has the lavender, the best water clarity, and half the summer crowd.
First boat at 9am from Hvar Town harbour (€5–10 return). Palmizana has the best swimming coves. The 9am arrival gives you 30 minutes before the main crowd.
The fortress opens until dark. The 6–7pm light on the Pakleni Islands from the battlements is exceptional. The fort bar serves drinks; combine with sunset.
The upland road from Hvar Town to Brusje (5km; 15 min by scooter) leads through lavender fields and olive groves inaccessible by water taxi or on foot.
The Split–Hvar Town fast catamaran (€15–20; 1h) sells out by 10am in July–August. Book online the day before or at the Split ferry terminal early morning.
Hvar Town is the party hub; Stari Grad (15km east) is a UNESCO-listed ancient town with empty squares, a Venetian fortress and restaurants with no queue.
June for lavender season and pre-peak conditions. September for warm sea and dramatically fewer visitors. July–August is peak: crowded, expensive, brilliant.
Day 1 in Hvar Town and the Pakleni Islands. Day 2 in the lavender interior and Stari Grad.
Fortica fortress at 8am (opens early; €5; 15-min walk from the square; the Pakleni Islands in the morning light). Breakfast on the main square. Water taxi to Palmizana (9:30am; €8 return; Pakleni Islands) for swimming in the clear coves; lunch at the Meneghello restaurant (€25–40 pp; grilled fish with a view). Return to Hvar Town by 4pm. St. Stephen’s Square and the Franciscan Monastery (€5; the Tintoretto). Cliff bar drinks at sunset. Dinner in a harbour alley restaurant (€25–45 pp).
💡 The Palmizana water taxi leaves from the far-right end of the Hvar Town harbour. The 9:30am boat is less crowded than the 10am.
Rent a scooter (8am; €40/day from the ferry dock). Ride to Brusje (5km) for the lavender fields and olive groves; continue to Velo Grablje (8km) for the traditional village. Drive the central island road to Stari Grad (15km from Hvar Town). Walk the old town: the Tvrdalj fortress-palace of the poet Hanibal Lucic (16th century; €3), the Dominican Monastery, the quiet harbour. Lunch in Stari Grad at half the Hvar Town price. Return by bus or scooter.
💡 Stari Grad harbour at 11am on a weekday — the difference in crowd from Hvar Town is extraordinary. A coffee at the harbour takes 20 minutes; in Hvar Town the same coffee takes 45 minutes to order in August.
Hvar is the most expensive Croatian island. Per person per day in season.
The Bogdanuša white wine (€ 4–7 per glass; the indigenous Hvar island grape; almost never exported; available only on the island and in Split; the quintessential Hvar food experience — a single glass of the local white)
The Palmizana Meneghello restaurant (the water taxi from Hvar town Riva € 8 pp; advance reservation essential July–August; the organic garden-to-table; the grilled fish and the lobster pasta; the crystal bay swim before and)
A private boat day combining the Pakleni Islands and Vi.
Split–Hvar Town fast catamaran (€15–20; 1h). Also covers Dubrovnik–Split–Hvar route. Book 24h ahead in summer.
Free
Car ferry Split–Stari Grad (1h; €5 foot passenger). Also Hvar Town–Drvenik and connections to other islands.
Free
Download offline map for Hvar island before arrival. Mobile data is patchy in the interior lavender villages and around Velo Grablje.
Free
Download the Croatian language pack offline. Useful for menus in Stari Grad and Jelsa, and for asking locals about the lavender routes in the island interior.
Free
Available in Split for getting to the Hvar catamaran or car ferry. Useful for Split Airport to ferry terminal transfers (€6–12) when travelling with luggage.
Free
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