Introduction & History
Initially settled by the Greeks (a large settlement was built where the present-day Hvar Town is located), the island went into decline under the Romans, who took control towards the start of the 3rd century BC.

Under Venetian control (1420 - 1797), Hvar Town prospered as it was often used as a sailing stop-over point in the Adriatic - so much so that the town became the richest area in Dalmatia. This period, however, wasn't without its troubles. In 1510, a group of around 6,000 Croats led a rebellion which was quashed. Furthermore, in 1571, the Turks stormed Hvar Town and completely razed it to the ground.

In 1797 the island fell under Austrian rule. It was briefly held by France (1806 - 1812), before returning to Austrian control which continued to 1918. Four years of Italian rule followed, before the island finally became part of Yugoslavia in 1922.

The Island
Hvar is the fourth largest island at 182 square miles (300 square km). It is even sunnier than Brac, with almost 2,800 hours of sunshine per year. However, there is enough rain to keep the island green and to maintain the beautiful fields of lavender, rosemary, sage, marjoram and thyme and the carefully cultivated vineyards. Many people remark that in the spring, Hvar smells like a herb shop! When in Hvar, you must purchase some lavender oil, which is the major export of the island.

The hoteliers on the island pride themselves on consistently good weather - if there is more than four hours of rain per day, they give a reduction on your stay and if snow falls (which happens once a year, on average) your stay is free!

The main resorts are Hvar Town, Stari Grad, Vrboska, Jelsa and Sucuraj.

As some of you may have read, many people have left comments on our message board saying how much they enjoyed their stay on the island. So it comes highly recommended!

Hvar Town

Getting To Hvar
Split Airport is the nearest airport to the island, and the best place to fly to if you're visiting Hvar. See our Getting to Split page for details on which airlines fly there.

From Split, there are several ferries per day from Split to Stari Grad (journey time 1 hour 40 minutes). There are also daily catamaran services to Hvar Town (50 minutes, 1 hour or 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on which one you take) and Jelsa (1 hour 30 minutes). There are also daily car ferries from Sucuraj (on the eastern tip of Hvar) to Drvenik on the mainland.

During the summer months (June to September inclusive), there is a ferry between Stari Grad and Dubrovnik (6 hours 15 minutes) that operates a couple of times a week and which is part of coastal route that starts in Rijeka.

All of the above mentioned ferries are run by Jadrolinija.

Also during the summer months, there are ferries from Ancona in Italy to Stari Grad. Split Tours operate overnight ferries from Ancona during July and August.

Getting around on Hvar
If you're planning on doing a bit of travelling around on the island, the best and least-hassle way is to hire a car. Alternatively, buses do run between towns on Hvar - check local bus stations for timetables.

Top Sights on Hvar
Hvar Town
Hvar Town is a wonderful place to visit, and a great place to stay in as well if you like your holidays to be a bit more relaxed and refined. The best sights in Hvar Town include its lovely harbour; St Stephen's Cathedral (Katedrala sv. Stjepana), built in the 16th and 17th centuries, with its impressive bell tower; St Stephen's Square (Trg sv. Stjepan), on which the cathedral is located, and which is the largest piazza in Dalmatia; the loggia and its clock tower, now both part of the Hotel Palace; the Franciscan Monastery, most of which was built between 1461 and 1471, and which contains a large and impressive painting of the Last Supper; and the Arsenal, built between 1579 and 1611, and from 1612 home to a theatre on the first floor - Croatia's first theatre, and one of the first community theatres in Europe.

Stari Grad
Stari Grad's main sight is the tvrdalj building, built by local writer Petar Hektorovic between 1520 and 1569. Intended as a house for himself, it was also to serve as a refuge for travellers, and for the people of Stari Grad, if they ever came under attack. One of the building's main features is its fish pond.

The Church of St John (Crkva sv. Ivan) is certainly worth a visit - parts of the church date from the 6th century.

As Stari Grad stands on the site of the Greek city Pharos, some remanents from that time can still be seen at some places around the town - including at St John's Church (see above).

Jelsa
St John's Church (Crkva sv. Ivan) is the main sight in Jelsa - the church dates from the 15th century, although its baroque appearance is from the 18th century.

Entertainment
Carpe Diem Bar (it also has its own beach) in Hvar Town is one of Croatia's most well known and popular summer bars. Celebrity sightings aren't unknown, some think this place is pretentious, others think its the perfect resort bar.

Accommodation
Hotels and private accommodation are plentiful in the resorts on the island. See Accommodation on Hvar.

Tourist Offices
Tourist Office in Stari Grad at Obala F. Tudmana bb,
21460 Stari Grad, tel: 021 765 763, Fax: 021 765 763, Email: tzg-stari-grad@st.tel.hr

Tourist Office in Hvar Town at Trg sv. Stjepana 16, 21450 Hvar, tel: 021 741 059, fax: 021 741 059, email: tzg-hvar@st.t-com.hr

Tourist Office in Jelsa at Riva bb, 21465 Jelsa, tel: 021 761 918, fax: 021 761 017, email: info@tzjelsa.hr

Tourist Office in Sucuraj at Sucuraj bb, 21469 Sucuraj, tel: 021 717 288, fax: 021 717 288, email: tz.sucuraj@st.t-com.hr

More information
Accommodation on Hvar
Hvar.hr
Suncani Hvar
Hvar Town Tourist Office
Stari Grad Tourist Office
Jelsa Online
Jelsa Tourist Office
Sucuraj Tourist Office
SunnyIsland.info