Day 1 on Hvar Island

You will most likely arrive on Hvar Island via the automobile ferry leaving from Split and arriving in Stari Grad. Explore the compact town center of Stari Grad if you are staying in the area. St. Stephen`s Church sits on the town square, known affectionately to locals as Skor. Closer to the ferry port, in the direction of the road called Riva, are two Old World villas of historic significance which are now open to the public as museums: Tvrdalj Castle and Biankini Palace. Head out of town for a little while on the road called Put Gospojice and tour the lavender fields and stone walkways of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Stari Grad Plain. After enjoying a nice sunset on the plain, go back to your accommodations and get ready for a night on the town. You're going to Hvar Town, where the hottest bars and nightclubs are, and you`re going to have a grand old time!

Day 2 on Hvar Island

For those waking up early, sun yourselves on Pokonji Dol Beach. It`s a popular hangout so getting there early ensures you`ll get a spot just for you to sprawl out. If you are thinking of driving further afield, the coastal road from Hvar runs to Sveta Nedilja, where there is a great beach, Jagodna Beach, and an interesting drive up into the mountains where there is a picturesque church, St. Spiridon`s Church, and a monastery built into the side of a cliff face!

For those waking up late after a fun night in Hvar Town, explore more today. Enjoy some shopping and a nice brunch at one of the cafes in St. Stephen`s Square. Afterward, visit St. Stephen`s Church, also called Hvar Cathedral. By now, the beachgoers should have returned to Hvar and the early-risers and the late-comers should both head up to Fortica, the fortress which keeps watch over Hvar Town and all that its walls encompass.

Take the D116 road to Jelsa. While driving through you will encounter towns such as Selca kod Starog Grada, which has a population of just 17 full-time residents! Admire this hillside village for a while, and then get back on the road to Jelsa. Jelsa is the easternmost large town on Hvar Island, and also the easternmost point tourists can buy gas! Fill up now!

While in Jelsa, stroll through Trg Krizonose and visit St. Mary`s Church, a church-fortress hybrid which saved the residents of town when it was sacked by the Turks in 1571. The town`s museum and parish church are located on the square with the same name: St. John`s Square. After having a late lunch or early dinner in Jelsa, take a walk down the main road running along the Port of Jelsa, Riva. If you`re feeling up to it, enjoy the sunset at the far east of the island, on the grounds of the Sucuraj Lighthouse. Then head back to your accommodations for the evening.

Day 3 on Hvar Island

Start your day bright and early by heading to the catamaran docks at the Port of Hvar. Take a catamaran to Vis Town, one of two large towns on Vis Island. From Vis Island, there are ferries from Komiza, Vis Island`s other sizable town, to the famed Blue Cave on the island of Bisevo; and ferries from Rukavac, a fishing community on the southeast coast, to the Green Cave a mile away on the island of Ravnik. If you have time, you can spend some time swimming in the water and tanning on the beach at Milna, northeast of Rukavac. Before leaving Vis Town, be sure to tour the Ruins of Issa, the remnants of an ancient Greek `polis` (city). As an alternative catamaran day trip option, you can explore the Pakleni Islands on boats leaving from the Port of Hvar. Its largest and most popular island is Sveti Klement. Return to your accommodations at the end of the day.

Additional Days on Hvar Island

Whether you are on your way to Hvar Island or heading back to Split, consider taking a catamaran to the island of Brac, just north of Hvar. The largest town on Brac Island is Supetar, named for St. Peter, which is also the namesake of the parish church and town square. Bol, on the western side of the island, is another sizable resort town, located just two miles from some of the most coveted holiday shoreline in Croatia, the Zlatni Rat, or the `Golden Cape`. Take time to explore the impressive stone facades of the village of Pucisca, the products of generations of stonemason expertise.

South of Hvar Island is one of the larger islands in the Adriatic, the island of Korcula. Visitors arriving on catamarans will most likely arrive in the town of Vela Luka on the northwest coast. Vela Luka means `big harbor` in Croatian, and like many other cities in the Adriatic, the town grew in and around this sizable bay. Nearby, Vela Spila (`the big cave`) is one of the oldest prehistoric caves in all of Europe. On the northeastern end of the island is a historical and archaeological treat: the peninsula which holds the fortified old city of Korcula Town. Catamaran options are also available from Hvar Town to Korcula Town directly. In the center of the fortress is the Gothic-era Cathedral of St. Mark the Evangelist.

Before you head back to the airport, take a day to explore the capital of Dalmatia and the second-largest city in Croatia, Split. Split was built around Diocletian`s Palace, a Roman-era palace which is perhaps the best-preserved building of its kind still extant in the world. The Palace was one of the first buildings in the world to be named to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. St. Duje`s Cathedral, in particular its bell tower, is now well-known as one of the most iconic images and representations of Split. Walk along Riva, the Split seaside promenade, and sun yourself on the large beach, located past the bus station. There is also an interesting archaeological museum, the oldest of its kind in all of Croatia.

Your Last Day on Hvar Island

Depart your hotel and head to the airport for your return home. We hope you enjoyed the noteworthy sights of Hvar Island!