Croatia
Hvar
Hvar: A Venetian Harbor Town Under Its Fortress
Hvar town is the largest settlement on its island off Croatia's Dalmatian coast, and its walls, palaces and churches are Venetian in style but built with local stone and local craftsmanship. Two forts watch over it from the hills, one Venetian and one Napoleonic.
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Arriving in Hvar Town
Your ship will tell you how you come ashore at Hvar town, whose harbor lies in a natural bay sheltered from the south by the Pakleni Islands. From the waterfront, the Pjaca, the main square, leads straight to the cathedral.
- The Pjaca covers 4,500 m², the largest square in Dalmatia. It was paved in 1780, when this end of the old bay was filled in.
- From early April to mid-October, fast catamarans link Hvar town with Split and with the islands of Brač, Korčula, Vis and Šolta.
- The town is at its busiest from May to September, especially in August.
Hvar on Your Own
The square, the cathedral, the Arsenal and the fortress can all be reached on foot from the waterfront. On a longer call, a water taxi to the Pakleni Islands is the short ride worth taking.
- The cathedral: St. Stephen's Cathedral closes the eastern end of the Pjaca. It was built in the 16th and 17th centuries, and each story of its four-story bell tower is more richly decorated than the one below. The cathedral treasury is in the Bishop's Palace next door.
- The Arsenal: On the square, the Arsenal holds the town's theater of 1612, one of the oldest surviving theaters in Europe, and the Arsenal gallery of modern art in the theater's lobby.
- The fortress: An easy but uphill walk leads to the fortress above the town, with views over the harbor and the Pakleni Islands, a small café inside and a collection of ancient amphorae.
- The Pakleni Islands: Water taxis leave the town for these protected islands, with their pine woods, coves and walking paths.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.
Tipping in Croatia
A tip of 5 to 10 percent is usual in Croatian restaurants, and people often just round the bill up. Service is not added to the bill, and the tip is voluntary.
- With taxi drivers it is somewhat customary to leave small change.
- Croatia uses the euro.
Lace, Lavender and Living Traditions
Hvar keeps several traditions that UNESCO recognizes, from lace made of agave thread to a night-long Easter procession. The island is also known for its lavender.
- Agave lace: Benedictine nuns in Hvar town make lace from the threads of agave leaves. Their convent has been here since 1664, in what was the home of the family of the Renaissance poet Hanibal Lucić.
- Za Križen: The "Following the Cross" procession walks through the night of Maundy Thursday, linking the villages of Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirče, Vrbanj and Vrboska.
- Lavender: It blooms in summer across large areas of the island, and bunches and oils are sold as souvenirs.
- Hvar Summer Festival: Concerts and performances run from late June to late September.
A Brief History
Hvar town grew as a fortified Venetian naval harbor from the late 13th century, and most of what you see dates from its Venetian centuries. Its story as a destination began early too, in 1868.
- Prehistory: A hillfort stood where the fortress is now, and pottery found there shows trade over long distances from the 8th century BC.
- 384 BC: Greek colonists settled on the island and divided the Stari Grad Plain into long rectangular plots bounded by dry stone walls. The plain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 1278: The islanders asked Venice for protection, and Venice fortified the town as a safe harbor for its fleet. Venetian rule lasted, with one break, until 1797.
- 1571: The Ottoman fleet sacked the town on its way to the Battle of Lepanto, and only the fortress saved the townspeople.
- 1579: Lightning struck the gunpowder store in the fortress, and the explosion badly damaged it.
- 1612: The theater in the Arsenal opened.
- 1776: Venice moved its naval base to Kotor, and Hvar went into decline.
- 1811: Under Napoleon's rule, a second fort was built on the higher hill to the northeast.
- 1868: The Hygienic Association of Hvar was founded to look after visitors, one of the first tourist organizations in Europe.
- To learn more ashore: Hanibal Lucić's Summer Residence, a Renaissance country house of about 1530 at Hanibala Lucića 8, is reached from the main square.
Hvar with Children
With children in Hvar town, mix the walk up to the fortress with time on the water.
- Younger children: Take a boat out to the islands across the harbor for a swim from a quiet cove.
- School age: Climb to the fortress, look for the old amphorae, and pick out the Pakleni Islands below.
- Teenagers: The Ivan Vučetić Museum of Mystery, at Kroz Burak 39, is set in the house where Vučetić lived, the first person to use fingerprints to solve crimes.
Beaches
Most of Hvar's beaches are rocky or pebbly, though there are some sandy ones. Near the town there are pebble beaches, and the Pakleni Islands have quieter coves.
- Near town: A pebble beach lies by the Hotel Sirena in Vela Garška bay.
- Pakleni Islands: Water taxis from the town reach secluded coves, some with patches of white sand, under the pines.
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