Hvar in 5 days

Lavender fields, Venetian stone, Pakleni island coves, and Dalmatia's best nightlife. Best time to visit: May-June and September. Average daily budget: $120 to $220 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Hvar Town, The main stage: St Stephen's Square, the Spanish Fortress, harbour bars and clubs.

Morning: Spanish Fortress (Fortica). Climb above Hvar Town for the classic view over the harbour and Pakleni islands.

Afternoon: Explore Hvar Town, The main stage: St Stephen's Square, the Spanish Fortress, harbour bars and clubs.

Evening: Taxi-boat to the Pakleni Islands. Palmizana and Jerolim offer the island's best swimming and lunch spots.

Eat: Gregada, the island's fisherman's stew of white fish, potato and wine

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Stari Grad, One of Europe's oldest towns, quieter, with a lovely bay and stone old core.

Morning: Stari Grad Plain. Walk or cycle the 2,400-year-old Greek field system, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Afternoon: Explore Stari Grad, One of Europe's oldest towns, quieter, with a lovely bay and stone old core.

Evening: Hvar wine tasting. Taste plavac mali from the steep southern slopes at Zavala or Sveta Nedjelja.

Eat: Peka, meat or octopus slow-cooked under an iron bell (order hours ahead)

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Jelsa, A relaxed mid-island harbour town with family beaches and easy ferry links.

Morning: Velo Grablje and Malo Grablje, near-abandoned stone villages in the lavender hills.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Jelsa, A relaxed mid-island harbour town with family beaches and easy ferry links.

Evening: The south coast road through the single-lane Pitve tunnel to Zavala's quiet beaches.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Plavac mali reds from Zavala and Sveta Nedjelja

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Pakleni Islands, Pine-covered islets minutes offshore with the clearest water and beach clubs.

Morning: Dubovica bay, a pebble cove with one stone house, below the main road east of town.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Pakleni Islands, Pine-covered islets minutes offshore with the clearest water and beach clubs.

Evening: The Benedictine convent lace made from agave fibre, a UNESCO-listed craft in Hvar Town.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Hvar lavender honey and local olive oil from the Plain

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Vrboska / The Plain, A tiny canal village beside the UNESCO-listed Stari Grad agricultural plain.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Vrboska / The Plain, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Vrboska / The Plain, A tiny canal village beside the UNESCO-listed Stari Grad agricultural plain.

Evening: Dinner at Gregada, the island's fisherman's stew of white fish, potato and wine, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Vrboska / The Plain.

Eat: Gregada, the island's fisherman's stew of white fish, potato and wine

Hidden gems

Velo Grablje and Malo Grablje, near-abandoned stone villages in the lavender hills.
The south coast road through the single-lane Pitve tunnel to Zavala's quiet beaches.
Dubovica bay, a pebble cove with one stone house, below the main road east of town.
The Benedictine convent lace made from agave fibre, a UNESCO-listed craft in Hvar Town.

Getting around

Hvar has no airport; most people fly to Split, then take a catamaran to Hvar Town (about an hour, foot passengers only) or the car ferry from Split to Stari Grad. Buses connect Hvar Town, Stari Grad and Jelsa but time themselves to ferries rather than sightseeing. Hvar Town is pedestrianised with limited paid parking on the edge. A scooter, car or boat rental is worthwhile for the south coast and wineries; taxi-boats handle the Pakleni islands.

Safety

Croatia is very safe and Hvar is no exception, with petty theft the main urban concern in peak-season crowds. Hvar Town enforces public-behaviour fines for drinking or walking around in swimwear away from the beach, which catch out visitors every summer. Beaches are pebbly and rocky, so water shoes prevent cuts and sea urchin spines. If renting a boat or scooter, check licence requirements and drive the narrow south-coast tunnel road with care.

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