What to Do in Hvar
Based on my last summer holidays in Hvar, Croatia, I can guarantee it’s worth visiting. The combination of nature, crystal-clear beaches, historic old towns, good culinary, great wines and friendly people can give you a clue why Hvar has left great memories for me and my husband. I’m sharing in this blog post our perceptions, tips, and tricks which might help you to organize your trip or maybe encourage you to visit Hvar.
Planning
We went to Hvar in August 2019 and we started to plan the trip around March the same year, researching hotels, flight tickets, and itineraries. The first decision was where to fly to Croatia. Flying from Dublin, where we live, there are two popular options: Split and Dubrovnik. From there the only option to get in Hvar is by ferry. From Split, it takes about 1h30 with ferries available almost every hour during the summer season. From Dubrovnik, it takes about 3h30 and there are only two options every day during the summer.
Our option was Dubrovnik as we wanted to spend some days over there as well. Dubrovnik isn’t the Capital of Croatia (the capital is Zagreb) but is probably the most important city in its history. It’s a heritage site from UNESCO and it’s a popular destination in the Mediterranean sea. We planned 7 days in Hvar and 2 days and a half in Dubrovnik on our way back to Dublin.
I booked our ticket’s ferry in advance as well, as there are just two options per day (1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon). I could see people there buying the tickets on the day, but I wouldn’t recommend it during the high season, the ferry was jammed with no spaces left. Dubrovnik is about 45 min away from the City Centre, for our journey from the airport to the Port I booked a transfer that cost us about €35. I booked it online after some research and review checking.
I decided to go for this option after I called the ferry company to ask how earlier they would recommend getting to the Port and the lady over the phone told me that the traffic in Dubrovnik is extremely busy during the summer, that would take us 30 minutes or 2 hours as the roads are just one way with plenty of hills and turns.
Cash x Card
The currency in Croatia is Kuna and one more important to know about Hvar is the fact that monetary transactions are mostly done by cash. Hotels and nice restaurants accept cards, but most of the time cash is the preference, which is not a problem as I haven’t seen a place with so many ATM’s in every single corner, even in bars near small beaches. It wasn’t a problem for us but is always good to go out covered with cash.
Hvar
The Hvar’s Port is literally in the middle of the Old Town when you disembark there you are literally at the place where almost everything happens. A lot of hotels and restaurants are located in that area. Our hotel (Riva Yacht Hotel) was almost in front of the Port, in the Hvar promenade. In my opinion, it was a great choice, we were near the boats, mainly restaurants, and tourist attractions. Besides, the hotel has 2 restaurants in front of its facade, so we could enjoy breakfast and drinks in the evening facing the promenade with a great view and nice sunset, it couldn’t be better.
I would recommend staying around this area, it’s handy and accessible for everything else that you are might plan around Hvar. Bear in mind that it’s an old town with plenty of stairs everywhere, so depending on where you are, you might end up carrying your suitcase up and down historical staircases.
Fortica
One of the main historical constructions to visit in Hvar Town is Fortica, also know as Spanish Fortress in honor of the brave Spanish men who helped to build the imposing building on top of the mountain. The Fort was completed in 1551 by the Venetians, who controlled Hvar by that time. There are pieces of evidence that the construction started, in fact, in the 6th century AD.
The way up to the hill to get to Fortica is pleasant and enjoyable with stunning views of the city. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset. During the summer it closes at 10 pm, so you will have plenty of time to take your photos or even enjoy a drink at the bar. They have a restaurant/bar inside the museum. It’s worth to pay the fee to visit it inside.
Pokonji dol and Robinson Beach
Let’s talk about what it matters, beaches! We elected Pokonji dol our preferred one. It’s located about 15 min walking from Hvar town, big and small enough to accommodate everyone, with restaurant and facilities, plenty of nature around, sunbeds and sombreros for renting for who wants to enjoy the day more comfortable.
If you fancy a discovery walk in nature and want to be mesmerized by the beauty, from Pokonji dol you can walk around 20 min in east direction through a path which starts in Pokonji dol and will lead you to Mekicevica beach, which is much more undiscovered and more natural. Walking 5 minutes ahead in the middle of the forest you will get on Robinson beach, aka paradise as you can see by our photos.
We fell in love with Robinson beach as it’s a tiny little piece of the sea surrounded by pines and trees. It’s peace and quiet, as it’s not so requested by the crowds. Robinson is also the name of the restaurant located in front of the beach in the middle of the trees and nature. The menu is pretty simple and rustic, fresh catch fish of the day, local wine, local beer, and homemade bread. So, the thing is you lay down at the beach enjoying the sun and the perfect sea and then at some point you go there order your food, pick a table or under the shadows of the trees and have your meal and wine feeling the breeze and admiring the sea.
Other Places and Beaches Around Hvar
Hvar island is 68 kilometers long and only 10.5 kilometers at its widest point, which means that is feasible to get around by car, bus or even taxi boat. We rented a car just for one day to discover further beaches and small towns and it was enough. On that day we visited Milna, Zaraće, Dubovika, Stari Grad, Vrboska and Jelsa, we had lunch at Jelsa and came back to enjoy the beach and swim in Milna. Around 7 pm we were back in Hvar Town. We started our journey around 10 am and we also had plenty of time to enjoy the beach in Dubovika and walk around Stari Grad.
Below I described a little bit more about each one of these tows and beaches.
Milna
Milna beach is around 10 min by car from Hvar town. One of its facilities is that you can park the car almost in front of the beach, it’s easy to access for elderly people and kids, for example. There is no rock climbing to access the beach area, there are plenty of facilities around, restaurants, bars, etc. You can access it using a taxi boat from Hvar as well.
Zaraće
About 20 minutes away from Milna you will get to Zaraće. From the D116 motorway, you go down to an extremely narrow pavemented road until seeing a kind of parking area in the middle of olives and grape fields. It’s a narrow road for 2 ways, so drive carefully and you will have time to give some space in case you face someone coming from the opposite direction.
For me, it was a great surprise to see fields growing so near to the sea. It’s the kind of landscape that we don’t usually associate with beaches, at least for me. Once, you manage to park the car, it takes probably a 5/7 minute walk down the hill in the middle of the village to get to the beach area. Out of a sudden, you emerge from the bushes to face that crystal-clear water facing the hill. It’s magnificent!
Dubovika
Ah Dubovika, what a place! It’s not easy getting there though, but worth every single drop of your sweat thought the rocks. From Hvar town, Dubovika is around 20 min by car on the D116. It’s possible to get there by taxi boat as well, and I would recommend this option if you have kids with you or someone not willing to do some rock climbing for around 15 minutes.
The rocky path is part of the experience and you get great views during the journey. I personally prefer the more natural way, so we can experience that feeling of reward and discover that our ancestors might have experienced when they were discovering our beautiful world.
Besides the incredible sea, which I guess at this point is not a surprise for you anymore, Dubovika has an ancient house near to the shore, it looks like it was planted there as a piece of decoration. Picture that! When I was there, there was classical music coming from the house, which made the visit, not just enjoyable but a little bit of magic too.
I couldn’t see many facilities around, just one kind of bar/restaurant, so you better pack snacks and supplies for the day. It’s a must go, please include it in your list.
Stari Grad
Stari Grad is one of the oldest towns in Europe and has that great holiday atmosphere, with cafe’s, shops, and restaurants facing the bay, families walking or cycling together, runners keeping their millage. We couldn’t resist getting intentionally lost in the old town and stop for a coffee to enjoy the surroundings.
We heard there that Stari Grad is a great option for holidaymakers, who want to avoid Hvar and its busy streets and quite pricy options. It’s located at 20km on the north side of the island of Hvar. There are buses running every day between the 2 cities.
I wish we could have more time to explore Stari Grad, the old town is full of hidden gems, such as cool cafes, unique shops, nice and small restaurants. It’s definitely worth spending the entire day over there if you have time.
Vrboska
Our next stop was Vrboska, which is quieter than Stari Grad and its main attraction is the fact that they say it can remind Venice because of the canals around the city. I mean we need to make a huge effort to compare it to Venice, besides the canal, there is nothing similar. I would rather stay more time in Stari Grad or Jelsa (our next stop) than visit Vrboska.
Jelsa
Our final destination following the D116 was Jelsa, which is a bigger city than the previous ones and it’s just gorgeous. From the promenade, you face that immense blue sea with mountains in the background. The Bay is really preserved in a mix of modern infrastructure with the old town as a scenario. Quite difficult to describe it, but my first feeling when I got there was: I like this place a lot. Let’s have lunch here.
There are some nice restaurants facing the bay and the mountains which make a good option if you want to enjoy the view and get some breeze as well. I guess that places get really busy and cool during the evening, making a perfect spot to get some booze. Walking in the west direction around the bay you will find a good place to swim and enjoy the beach. It’s not a big one, but it’s central.
Boat Excursion
There are several options available when the topic is boat trips in Hvar. If you can afford the ideal option is to rent a boat for you and your group. Obviously, if you share with more people, it can be pretty affordable. They are the best option to visit the islands around, swim in the caves, etc.
As we didn’t have a group of people to share this experience, we booked a one-day boat trip with a local company. Our package included two sea stops to swim and the main stop at Palmizana beach, where we could enjoy the beach and visit the island. As I’m not a big fan of boats for me it was enough.
Palmizana, as you can see by the photos, is a beach with more sand than rocks, that’s why it attracts people. The island has a marina too, so because of that, there are plenty of facilities facing the marina. The walk to get to the side of the island where you can enjoy the beach is full of nature and beautiful trees. Once you get there, plenty of beach clubs and restaurants welcome you. You can easily spend the whole day and be treated like a queen if you wish.
Restaurants and Food Experiences
As any touristic city, there are loads of nice restaurants in Hvar for all kinds of tastes and pockets. During my research period, before the trip, I studied a little bit about restaurant options and their culinary. As an island obviously fresh seafood is in all menus, it doesn’t mean that other options aren’t available. I’m listing here the remarkable dinner experiences that we had and the ones that I would definitely recommend to anyone else.
Divino Restaurant
I read great reviews and blog posts about Divino when I started to research about Hvar, so I had no doubt about booking it. I reserved it in advance and I would recommend you to do the same, to guarantee your place at the terrace facing the sea and enjoying the sunset. For me and my husband was an unforgettable night, it’s worth the investment.
We went for the degustation menu with wine pairing (remember Croatia is famous for their good wine). Every dish was a positive surprise, really tasty and well combined with the wine. For example, I’m not a huge fan of Foie Gras, but the way that they served the dish with different layers and textures combined with orange wine, which I didn’t even know that existed, it was just impressive.
The whole experience cost us around €250.00, which in my opinion was a fair amount of money to pay considering the view, the attention that you get, the amazing food and wine.
Dalmatino
Dalmatino was on our wish list as well because of the good reviews and texts that I had previously read, but I didn’t book it in advance. Differently, from Divino, this one is located in the middle of the old town with that amazing fresh and old looking atmosphere reinforced by the narrow paths in a mix of houses, restaurants, bars, etc.
We went for a seafood option and with no doubt, it was a wise decision. One particular thing about Dalmatino which got my attention was all the free liquors that they served us during the meal. In total, we tasted 3 liquors in different moments, 1 during the appetizer as entrance, 1 digestive after the main meal and 1 with the dessert. All of them for free and delicious.
If you want to get a table at restaurants like these in Hvar without booking it in advance during the high summer season, I would recommend going out for dinner around 18h30 or 19:00. That was our strategy and it worked well most of the nights. Late at night, you will experience long waiting lists, the restaurants in general still working until late, so it wouldn’t be a problem if you don’t bother waiting. More time to have drinks and wines.
Konoba Menego
We were walking around the old town at one night when someone handed me out a leaflet about this restaurant. I had a look, it was not really well designed, but with a nice photo of a traditional dish. We decided to give it a goal and it was a great surprise. The place is a kind of tavern-style, small and with few seats, old photos from the family hanging on the walls and a traditional Hvar menu. They just serve wine, no beers, no soft drinks.
Alex went for gnocchi with tuna steak in a kind of brown sauce that was unique and extremely delicious. I have never had anything like that dish. I went for gnocchi as well with prawns and wine sauce, which was really good too, but the tuna steak was a way better. We asked for the house wine and we were pretty happy with the decision.
Kava Cafe
As a coffee lover and a person really fussy about them, one of the first things that I noticed was that I couldn’t stand the bland coffee served at our hotel. Kava was our closest choice! So, every morning after had breakfast and packed our beach stuff for the day we would head off to Kava to get our take away coffee and enjoy it on our way to the beach. I can’t imagine a better life or have a better retirement plan.
aROMA Gelato Experience
My recommendation is to skip all your desserts from the restaurants that you visit and walk directly to this place, once you finish your meal. The best gelato that I tried outside Italy. This small shop always has a queue at their door, even in the morning, but it's worth waiting. They have traditional flavors, such as Madagascar vanilla, for example, and special ones, like vanilla with mascarpone. Just delicious! So, don’t stop at the first ice cream parlor that you see.
There are plenty of restaurant options in Hvar. It really depends on how much do you value food experiences. For us, it’s really important during our trips to source for local food and authentic dishes. People who prefer to invest their money and time in more universal and simple options, wouldn’t be disappointed there too.
We felt in love with Hvar and Croatia in general, such an incredible experience. A perfect mix of nature, relaxing beaches, clean and transparent sea waters, historic towns and great food options to discover. The wines and olive oils are amazing, they don’t lose in anything from the Italian ones, for example. We can’t wait to go to Croatia again and get a chance to visit more Islands.
