Dalmatian Islands
Hvar
Lavender fields, limestone coves, and 2,718 hours of annual sunshine.
Introduction
Hvar is the island Croatia advertises itself with. The town is a small Renaissance theatre set facing the sea; the rest of the island is terraced lavender, century-old olive groves, and abandoned villages slowly being reclaimed by wine. It can be glamorous, it can be glitzy, and it can, if you rent a scooter and head east, feel almost forgotten.
Highlights
What you came for.
01
Hvar Town & Spanish Fortress
Climb the 13th-century walls at dusk for a 360° view over the Pakleni Islands. €10 entry, open until 9 pm in summer.
02
Pakleni Islands
Water taxis from the harbour leave every 30 min in season. Palmižana for restaurants, Jerolim for wild swimming, Stipanska for the famous Carpe Diem beach club.
03
Stari Grad Plain
UNESCO-listed Greek field divisions still in use after 2,400 years. Cycle through olive groves between dry-stone walls.
04
Velo Grablje & lavender route
An almost-abandoned hill village reborn around lavender distilling. Visit in late June for full bloom.
Sample itinerary
A trip, written out.
Practical
The bits that make it work.
Best time
Mid-June for lavender; September for warm sea and quieter bars. Avoid the first week of August unless you booked everything six months ago.
Getting in
Catamaran from Split (1h, foot passengers only) lands in Hvar Town. Car ferry from Split lands in Stari Grad, pretty, but 20 km from the action.
Where to stay
Hvar Town for nightlife; Stari Grad for stone-village calm; Jelsa for families and beaches.
Skip
Carpe Diem on a Saturday in August unless €18 cocktails are the goal.