THINGS TO DO
Ascend to the Fortica for the Harbour View
Ascend to the Fortica fortress above Hvar town for the panorama over the harbour, the Pakleni islets and the sea.
Cities & Culture
Hvar
The sunniest island in the Adriatic — a Venetian town, lavender hills and the Pakleni islets.
QUICK INFORMATION
- COUNTRY
- Croatia
- REGION
- Central Dalmatia
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
- May–June and September for quiet and lavender
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THE DESTINATION
Hvar is the sunniest of the Croatian islands, a long spine of lavender, vineyards and olive groves whose main town is a Venetian harbour of a hilltop fortress, a square bounded by the oldest municipal theatre in Europe and a Franciscan monastery. The Pakleni islets offshore give it some of the clearest swimming water on the coast, and the island ranges from the busy town to the older, quieter settlement of Stari Grad on the north side.
MAP & LOCATION
Hvar
THROUGH THE LENS
From the road
HISTORY & CULTURE
The Story Behind the Place
Hvar was a Venetian naval and trading port, and its old town preserves the arsenal, the loggia and the 1612 theatre — the oldest municipal theatre in Europe. The island’s lavender boom came in the 20th century, when the collapse of viticulture after phylloxera led the islanders to plant lavender, which became the symbol of Hvar. Stari Grad, on the north side, sits on the site of the oldest Greek settlement in Croatia, founded in 384 BC, and the Stari Grad Plain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its preserved Greek land division.
TOP THINGS TO DO
Experiences Not to Miss
TOP ATTRACTIONS
Sights & Highlights of Hvar
FOOD & DRINK
WHERE TO EAT
01
Konobas in Hvar town and Stari Grad
02
Inland restaurants for lamb and local wine
HOTELS & STAYS
WHERE TO STAY
01
Hotels in Hvar town for the harbour
02
Villas and apartments in Stari Grad for quiet
ITINERARIES
Keep Driving
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
NATURE & WILDLIFE
The Living Landscape
Hvar’s nature is the lavender interior and the clear sea. The island’s interior is a ridge of lavender fields, vineyards and olive groves, with the pine and the Mediterranean scrub of the karst, and the lavender blooms in June and July fill the air with scent. The Pakleni islets offshore are protected for their pine forest and their coves, with the seagrass meadows between them that hold fish and sea urchins, and the clear water that draws snorkellers. The island is one of the sunniest places in the Adriatic, with around 2,700 hours of sun a year, which is why the lavender and the vines thrive here.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Practical Information
Getting There
Hvar is reached by ferry from Split to Stari Grad (car ferry) or to Hvar town (passenger catamaran), and from the mainland at Drvenik to Sućurje on the island. The nearest airport is Split. Ferries are busy in summer — book ahead.
Getting Around
Hvar town is walkable; a car or bus is needed to reach Stari Grad, the interior and the island’s other villages. Water taxis run to the Pakleni islets from the harbour.
How Long to Stay
One day covers Hvar town and a Pakleni trip. Two days add Stari Grad, the Stari Grad Plain and the lavender interior.
When to Go
May–June for the lavender bloom and quiet; September for warm sea and quiet; July and August for the beach clubs and the busiest season.
WEATHER
Hvar — Current conditions & forecast
Forecast data from Open-Meteo. Updated regularly.
TRAVEL GUIDES · STORIES
More here soon — the road is still being mapped.
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