Island of Hvar travel guide

Background

Hvar was first settled by ancient Greeks from the Aegean island of Paros, who founded Pharos (present-day Stari Grad) in the fourth century BC. When the capital moved from Pharos in the 13th century, the new centre was named Civitas Nova (New Town) while Pharos became Civitas Vetus (Old Town), or in Croatian, Stari Grad. The name Pharos mutated to Hvar, which later came to be used for both Civitas Nova (present-day Hvar Town) and for the entire island.

From 1420 to 1797 Hvar came under Venice. The 15th and 16th centuries saw a degree of prosperity owed principally to shipping, which could have been greater still had the Venetians not limited the tonnage allowed to the island. During this period Hvar gave Croatian literature two prominent writers, Hanibal Lučić (1485-1553) from Hvar Town, and Petar Hektorović (1487-1572) from Stari Grad. The sons of noble families were educated in Italy, though Hvar remained an island in the true sense of the word. Regular boat connections with the mainland and surfaced roads between the island’s towns and villages did not come into being until the second half of the 19th century.

The first tourists on Hvar were Austrians, who were sent to convalesce in Hvar Town as early as 1870. One hundred years later, as part of Yugoslavia, a number of large hotel complexes were constructed just outside the old town centre along the coast, and the island became known as the Croatian Madiera.

Ins and outs

There are regular ferries from Split from the island’s main port, Stari Grad. To get around the island, there are several buses daily between Hvar Town, Stari Grad and Jelsa. If you are staying for a while, however, it would be worth hiring a car. The area between Stari Grad and Jelsa is reasonably flat, making biking an option (mountain bikes are available for rent in Jelsa). The landscape behind Hvar Town is pretty steep though so not well suited to biking.

Transport

Hvar Town

Bus

Buses from Hvar Town to Stari Grad (35 mins) are scheduled to coincide with the ferries.

Car

If you plan to stay for more than several days it could be worth hiring a car. Pelegrini, T021-742743, http://www.pelegrini-hvar.hr; and Luka Rent, T021-741440, http://www.lukarent.com.

Ferry

Jadrolinija, T021-741132, run regular ferries to Split from the island’s main port, Stari Grad (2 hrs), 20 km east of Hvar Town. Jadrolinija also operate a once-daily catamaran service, from Split to Ubli on the island of Lastovo, stopping at Hvar Town en route. It leaves Split for Lastovo in the early afternoon, then passes Hvar Town again on the return journey early the next morning, 50 mins.

Taxi

There is usually a taxi and/or minibus taxi available at the bus station in Hvar Town, T021-741888 and T021-742174.