Hvar Town – The 2024 travel guide

Getting to Hvar Town is easy, once you know how things are laid out. Most importantly, Hvar is an island. The nearest large city on the mainland is called Split. It’s about an hour from Hvar by speedboat. Split has an airport, a bus terminal, a train station, and a ferry port, all with routes serving national and international destinations. Bus, train, and ferry are all within sight of each other – a 10-minute walk from the historic core of Split. The airport is 30 minutes outside of the city. To get from the airport to central Split, you can grab a taxi or Uber (€25-45) or take the bus (€6). The bus makes a few stops, so it takes about an hour in total, but it is clean, modern, and easy to find.

People often confuse the town of Hvar with the island of Hvar. Hvar Town (“Grad Hvar” in Croatian) is a picturesque, Venetian outpost on the island’s southwestern coast. Hvar Island, outlined in red on the map below, is a landmass in the southern Dalmatian archipelago that is three times the size of Manhattan. There is more to Hvar than just Hvar Town. The two other larger towns on the island are Stari Grad and Jelsa (highlighted on the map). Stari Grad is known for sailing and understated luxury. Jelsa is an elegant destination for families.

Most visitors come to the island without a car or boat. If you fall in this category, then you can take a catamaran or private transfer to Hvar.

Catamarans are ticketed passenger boats that serve pedestrians. They come and go from Split to Hvar Town all day long and into the evening. The ride lasts about an hour. There are a number of providers, such as Krilo, but state-backed Jadrolinija is the cheapest and very reliable. Catamarans serve other towns on island Hvar, such as Stari Grad and Jelsa. If you arrive at another port, you will need to hire a taxi to bring you to Hvar Town, which costs at least €60.

Catamarans sometimes sell out in July and August and ticket lines can be long, so it never hurts to buy your ticket online a day in advance. Board your catamaran a half hour before departure to grab a good seat. Catamarans always have restrooms and canteens with snacks, espresso drinks, and beverages.

A private transfer often first involves a driver meeting you at Split Airport to drive you to the ferry port, followed by a speedboat directly to Hvar Town. Private transfers are of course more expensive than public catamarans, but can be well worth it in certain situations. For example, we advise families coming directly to Hvar Town from North or South America to hire a private transfer, because most will have already endured an overnight flight to Split Airport. The additional transit time spent getting to Split central, waiting for the ferry or catamaran, and then taking the boat ride over to the island can be too much, especially for children, and set a wonderful holiday off on the wrong foot.

It can also make sense to hire a boat if your flight gets in too late to Split to be able to catch a catamaran or ferry. With a private boat, you can be on Hvar in an hour, rather than overpaying for a hotel and meals in Split, then going through another round of transit the following day.

Of course, if you are a Hvar Away guest, making arrangements for your private transfer(s) will be taken care of by our dedicated team member assigned as your concierge.

There are only two car ferry ports on the island of Hvar: Sućuraj and Stari Grad. The island has other ports (Hvar Town and Jelsa) but they only serve catamarans, which are boats that carry only pedestrians. The only company that runs car ferries is Jadrolinija. Tickets cost about €50 per vehicle and should be booked well in advance, because the car ferries usually fill up. Plan to park your car in the ferry boat line at least an hour ahead of time as an additional precaution.

The car ferry to Sućuraj leaves from a beautiful little village on the mainland called Drvenik. This is in the Makarska region of Croatia, an hour and a half south of Split and two hours north of Dubrovnik. Although lovely, Sućuraj is on the complete opposite side of the island from Hvar Town, separated by a truly hair-raising road. Unless you are coming from Makarska or a southern destination like Dubrovnik or Bosnia, we recommend that you select Stari Grad as your port of entry.

The ferry to Stari Grad port departs from Split. It takes two hours in normal weather. The drive from the port to Hvar Town is easy – and strikingly beautiful. Just follow the signs on the main road, and you will arrive at your destination in about 25 minutes.

The area around Hvar is one of the world’s best for yachting and sailing, boasting gentle waves, exceptional beauty, and innumerable ports and anchorages with inviting amenities. There are few better ways to enter Hvar Town than aboard a sailing vessel, with the wind in your hair and a glass of wine in your hand. If you have the pleasure of coming by private sail or yacht, your skipper or charter company will handle docking or provide detailed instructions. As a word to the wise – berths are limited, so reserve well in advance.

Hvar Town represents pure hedonism: first-rate food, fun, design, and relaxation. There is more to do here than most people could manage in a lifetime, and plenty to fill a holiday with unforgettable moments. Here are a few of our top suggestions:

Maybe you just dropped off your bags and are ready to refresh yourself with a swim, or maybe you’re looking for a quick dip before coffee in the morning. For convenience and liveliness, these nearby beaches can’t be beat.

Walk right (westwards) on the Riva (the waterfront promenade) as you’re facing the harbour, and you’ll encounter the following beaches, from first to last:

Walking left (eastwards) on the Riva brings you to another set of beaches.

The Pakleni Archipelago is one of Hvar’s best known attractions, floating just opposite the town’s graceful Venetian riva. The islands are so close to Hvar that in the old days, men used to swim between the two. You can reach them by water taxi, a group tour or private transfer, and even sea kayak there. There are three great ways to enjoy these small islands:

Hvar Town is on the famous south side of island Hvar. It’s a short boat ride to dozens of unforgettably beautiful beaches and picturesque seaside villages, curtained by vertiginously steep vineyards and limestone cliffs. Some of these locations are accessible by vehicle or boat. From closest to farthest, west to east:

Going into its 63rd year, the Hvar Summer Festival is the marquee cultural event on the island, offering classical music performances, folk ensembles, and headliners from the world of Croatian popular music.

Ultra is a series of electronic dance music festivals held around the world, from Korea to Peru. Ultra Europe takes place in Split, and then the party continues to Carpe Diem Beach Bar on Hvar.

Hvar is home to the highest number of UNESCO heritages of any island in Europe, which range from music to organic agriculture to a delicate lace made from the agave plant. Hvar Town alone is home to two fortresses, a monastery with a rare book library, a convent, an intact Renaissance villa with gardens, a superb Venetian cathedral, and numerous chapels and churches. Let yourself get lost in the town’s cobble-stone side streets, where bright purple bougainvillaea and blood-orange caper flowers tumble through gothic windows and over courtyard walls.

Who would have guessed that the centre of Hvar Town is also home to a tiny, ornate, and historic theatre – one of the oldest in Europe. It’s well worth a visit, and you will get to admire the restored ornate decoration, see a VR experience, and view a short Hvar Town historical film.

Don’t be deterred by the trinket shops. Past the first row of stores on the sea, there are dozens of outstanding local boutiques, selling everything from handmade toys to traditional silver jewellery. Here are a few of our favourites:

As mentioned above, Hvar is well-known as a nightlife destination. The big clubs are Carpe Diem, Hula Hula, and Pink Champagne. For a wild night, we personally love the scene at Jazz Barrr, Kiva, and Nautica.

For visitors whose days of late night revelry are mostly in the past – or who just want a mellower change of pace – check out these favourites:

Hvar Town is a mecca for outdoor sports. Scuba diving, kayaking, biking, rock climbing, hiking – it’s all here. Croatia as a whole is an athletic country, punching way above its weight in European and international tournaments. Because of its natural beauty and superb terrain, the island has attracted a number of passionate athletes who now serve as guides to visitors in a variety of pursuits.

Of course, you don’t need to be a serious athlete to enjoy the outdoors. There are a number of gentle hikes and walks in the vicinity of Hvar Town – up to Fortica, along the southern coast to Milna. Kayaks and SUPs are generally inexpensive and available for full or half-day paddles around the bay.

Hvar has also attracted a deep and diverse community of mindfulness practitioners, offering experiences from yoga to sound healing and Reiki to massage. Suncokret Yoga has been recognised by The Guardian as one of the world’s best yoga retreats, and the Pharomatiq Spa of Maslina Resort in Stari Grad offers a deep immersion in luxurious self-care.

For Hvar Away guests, our collection of wellness-based Experiences draws on our network of holistic therapists and specialists to provide in-villa treatments to help restore balance.

Hvar Town is connected by catamaran to half a dozen gorgeous destinations:

There are four ways to approach coffee in Hvar Town:

1. Savour Croatia’s legendary cafe culture. If the sun is shining, the terraces at every cafe in every town in this entire country are full of people – men and women, from babies to salty old fishermen – sipping a “kava” and having a chat. What could possibly be more important than taking time out of your day to catch up with friends, family, and acquaintances – according to Croatians, “baš ništa” (absolutely nothing)!

2. People-watch. Your best perches for people watching are Palace Elizabeth and Hotel Adriana, with generous terraces and indulgent lunch buffets with excellent views of the waterfront thoroughfare and all the splashy yacht traffic.

Get it done right. If you like your cappuccino just so or just prefer plant-based milks, head over to Kava 37 where skilled baristas serve up superb drinks.

4. Enjoy it at home. Let us know ahead of time if you have a penchant for filter coffee (looking at you, Americans!). It’s hard to find in Europe, and we can make sure that your villa is stocked with a machine and appropriately ground coffee.

Please, please bypass the Mlinars and grocery stores, and instead make your way to the handful of really exceptional patisseries in Hvar Town. You won’t regret it!

There are dozens of great restaurants in Hvar Town, so we will not try to review them all, but just to highlight a few standouts:

Where to stay in Hvar Town