The scent of lavender arrives even before descending from the ferry. On the island of Hvar — Hvar in Croatian — the purple fields stretch along the hills of the inland, cultivated for centuries by the inhabitants as a source of income and identity. About 68 kilometers long and at some points just three wide, this strip of land in the heart of central Dalmatia is one of the most elongated islands in the Mediterranean, with a shape that seems almost designed to maximize contact with the sea.
Hvar holds the record for being one of the sunniest islands in Croatia, with an average that exceeds 2,700 hours of sunshine per year. This figure is not just a tourist boast: it explains the dense and aromatic Mediterranean vegetation, the vineyards that produce indigenous wines like Bogdanuša, and the quality of the light that at sunset tints the walls of the old town a nearly unreal pink.
The Walled City and Its Square
The historic center of Hvar Town is organized around one of the largest main squares in Dalmatia, Pjaca, which faces directly onto the harbor. The Cathedral of St. Stephen dominates one side of the square with its facade made of local limestone: the construction lasted between the 16th and 17th centuries, and the interior houses valuable sacred artworks, including a Madonna from the 14th century. Walking through the narrow alleys that rise towards the fortress, one can notice the Gothic bifora windows of the Venetian palaces, a sign of the long dominance of the Serenissima over the island, which lasted from 1278 until 1797.
Climbing to the Spanish Fortress — named so because it was expanded in the 16th century during the wars against the Ottomans — takes about twenty minutes on foot from the center. The view from above encompasses the entire harbor, the Pakleni islands in front, and, on clear days, the distant silhouette of Mount Biokovo on the mainland. Entrance to the fortress costs a few euros and includes access to a small collection of amphorae and underwater artifacts recovered from the Adriatic seabed.
Stari Grad and the Greek Traces
About 20 kilometers away from Hvar Town lies Stari Grad, the oldest town on the island. It was founded by Greek colonists from the island of Paros around 384 BC under the name of Pharos, and the agricultural land surrounding it — the Stari Grad Plain — has remained virtually unchanged in its division into rectangular plots since the Greek era. For this reason, UNESCO included it in the World Heritage List in 2008: it is one of the best-preserved ancient agricultural parcel systems in the world. Walking among the olive groves and vineyards of the plain, one can still see the dry stone walls that mark the original boundaries.
Stari Grad is quieter and less crowded than Hvar Town, with an atmosphere of an authentic fishing village. The small local museum houses Greek and Roman artifacts, and the palace of the Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović, built in the 16th century, is open for visits: inside, there is a fish breeding pool directly connected to the sea, a rare and perfectly preserved architectural detail.
The Pakleni Islands and the Coves
In front of the port of Hvar Town lies the archipelago of the Pakleni Islands, a group of islets covered in pines and connected to the town by taxi boats that depart continuously during the summer season. The name comes from the Croatian word for pine resin — paklina — historically used to waterproof boats. The waters between these islets are a deep turquoise, and underwater visibility can exceed 20 meters, making them ideal for snorkeling.
Some coves are only accessible by sea, which ensures relative tranquility even in the months of July and August. Those renting a kayak or a small inflatable boat in Hvar Town can independently explore the coast, finding rocky nooks and seabeds rich in sea urchins and octopuses.
How to organize the visit
Lesina can be reached by ferry from Split: the fastest route is that of the fast catamarans that connect the port of Split directly to Hvar Town in about an hour. Car ferries, on the other hand, depart from Drvenik and dock at Sućuraj, at the eastern end of the island. The most useful advice is to avoid bringing a car to Hvar Town in high season: parking is very limited and expensive, while the island can be traversed by local bus or rented scooter on site. May and September are the best months to visit the island: the sea is already warm, the lavender fields are in bloom in June, and the summer crowd significantly decreases, returning to the island that quality of isolation and silence that makes it truly special.
