Island Hvar is a magnificent holiday destination, with beautiful beaches, mild climate, lavender fields, and cultural heritage. The island is about 70 km long and is located along the Croatian coast south of the coastal town Split, you can reach the island by ferry. In September the temperature is perfect, not to hot, the nights get cooler and the sea is still warm, so when you are looking for a place to celebrate your holidays, go to Hvar. There is plenty to do and see besides sunbathing on it’s beautiful beaches, and of course the local cuisine is excellent with fresh baked fish, shrimps, local olive oil and excellent wines.
What to see and do on Hvar:
Town Hvar
This town with the same name as the island is one of the best visited towns on the Dalmatian coast due to it’s richness in cultural heritage inside it’s city walls. The town has one of the oldest theatres of Europe, the three main buildings of the town form three sides of the main square, the fourth side is open to the sea – this square is the main centre of activity in town. There is the renaissance St. Stephan Cathedral with a 17th century clock tower, the palace of Hektorović, and a late 16th century arsenal.
Stari Grad (Faros)
In ancient times Greeks from the island Pharos sailed along the Dalmatian coast and came upon the island Hvar where they founded the town Faros, which is nowadays called Stari Grad. This year (2016) Stari Grad celebrates it’s 2400 year anniversary.
The best known building in Stari Grad is a fort build by the Croatian renaissance poet Petar Hektorović (1487 – 1572), who loved poetry and combined this with his love for nature. This was build as his summer residence as he also lived in his castle in the town Hvar (see above) In the fort are a fish pond and dove-cot with on the walls inscriptions in Latin and Croatian. All this is concealed behind non-inviting and formal walls, however when inside you can see that it is worth a visit! The Petar Hektorović’s Tvrdalj is open for visitors from May to October.
Vrboska
The town is dominated by the fortress church of St. Mary that was build in the 16th century. Furthermore, the town is known for it’s surrounding lavender fields that bloom in June, the rest of the year you can buy all kinds of products made of lavender.
Cycling on Hvar
The province of Split-Dalmatia has made a website with all kinds of bike trails, you can choose four different regions, amongst which is the island Hvar with 13 different trails from easy to difficult.
Walking on Hvar
After the summer heat of the months July and August Hvar is also great for walking, along around the small towns, along the coast and through the interior.
Grapčeva cave
Located in the southern part of the island Hvar is an important prehistoric cave – the Grapčeva cave. In the cave items from an ancient culture were found, also in this cave the oldest image of a boat in Europe was discovered on pieces of pottery. This cave has stalactites, stalagmites and contains a large and a small hall, with numerous less accessible branches.
The simplest way to get to this cave, which lies 239m above sea level, is by car from Jelsa to Humac and then take the field path to the cave.
