A complete guide to visiting Hvar
We spent two nights on the island of Hvar, staying in Hvar town, and really enjoyed our stay! Here are some of our tips and experiences.
Getting there and around
Hvar is well served by ferry routes from cities like Split and Dubrovnik, as well as other islands. We caught the ferry from Korcula and arrived in Hvar Town. Some ferries also travel to Stari Grad, on the other side of the island.
We stayed in Hvar Town, and walked to all the places we wanted to visit. If you want to explore further around the island, there are buses, taxis, car hire options and even bicycle.
Accommodation
If you want to stay in the heart of Hvar Town (which we’d recommend) your main option will be apartments. We booked our apartment (Oleander Apartment & Room Centar, which we’d highly recommend) through booking.com. Our apartment was well-equipped, clean, centrally located with a beautiful view over the town to the fortress, and a super friendly and helpful host. Be aware much of the town is located uphill from the main square, so you’ll need to carry your luggage.
There are also hotels, from small boutique options to larger resorts.
Vibe
Hvar has a reputation as a party island. However, we found it to offer much more than that (and indeed most people weren’t there to party!). Hvar Town is bustling and full of restaurants and bars. There are so many great places to swim. It’s very touristy, but we were visiting as tourists so had a great time!
Activities
There is a walking path that runs along the waterfront both ways from the port of Hvar. We enjoyed walking along here and finding places to swim.
·On our full day, we walked along the coast east of Hvar Town, along roads and then following a coastal walking trail all the way to Robinson Beach. It was absolutely stunning, as we passed pebbly beaches, through groves of trees and looked out at the sparkling water. You’ll need comfortable shoes to do this walk and we’d recommend taking your swimming gear!
Heading back towards town, we stopped for a swim at Pokonji dol Beach. This is a large and popular beach where you can rent sun loungers, pull up a seat at the bar/restaurant or simply enjoy the crystal-clear water. You can walk here from Hvar Town (the quickest way is up and over a hill) or else there was car parking available.
We walked around the coast west of Hvar Town to Falko, a pretty bar set among the trees. This is a good option to get away from some of the crowds around Hvar.
We walked up to the fortress overlooking Hvar Town, which gave great views across the town, port and surrounding islands.
Another option would be to take a tour to the Pakleni Islands, which are visible from the town.
Each evening we enjoyed watching a range of boats mooring for the night – everything from tours to superyachts!
Eating and drinking
We enjoyed dinner at Alviž, a tavern-style restaurant. They serve traditional Dalmatian cuisine as well as pasta and pizzas.
Drinks at Falko bar had a lovely laid-back atmosphere, and it would be a great place to watch the sunset.
For cheaper lunch options, we got food from local bakeries which had a great range of sandwiches, baguettes, pastries and hot food. We also self-catered with supplies from the supermarket as our apartment had kitchen facilities.
