Hvar island

Hvar belongs to a group of Middle Dalmatia Islands and is considered the sunniest Croatian island, with an annual average of 2726 hours of sun. Hvar is recognizable for its numerous bays, some of which completely inhabited, and some reachable only by the sea. Larger centers on the island of Hvar are Hvar town, Stari Grad and Jelsa. Along all the island coast and interiors there is a large offer of quality accommodation services and here we recommend these private accommodations.

Name of the island comes from the Greek colony called "Pharos", however it is important to know that traces of life on the island of Hvar goes back to Neolithic period. In Roman times on the island were built villas and agricultural estates, which resulted in a long tradition of viticulture, but also the high culture of residence. Hvar is called the island of lavender since that plant grows here in abundance, as well as rosemary and sage.

Particularly interesting site for visiting are "Paklina otoci" (pulp islands), a group of small islands scattered around the town of Hvar, covered with low trees and bathing in the azure blue sea.

There are two ferry lines that connect the island with the mainland: Split - Stari Grad and Drvenik - Sucuraj. During the summer season Hvar island is a short station on ferry lines between Ancona and Split and Pescara - Split. There is also a speedboat line connecting Split directly to Hvar town during the whole year. It is recommended for those travellers who come to the island from the southern parts (rivieras Makarska, Peljesac, Neum or Dubrovnik), or plan to spend their holiday on the southeast coast of Hvar, to take ferry at mainland port of Drvenik to reach Hvar at Sucuraj port (45 min trip), which runs during the summer months a dozen times a day.

The main road connecting the island's major localities: Sucuraj, Jelsa, Stari Grad, Vrboska and Hvar town, and it is separate from local roads to smaller places. Local buses drive several times a day, buy the tickets on the bus.

The largest number of historical monuments on Hvar island were built during the Venetian domination (16.-18.st.). In Stari Grad in the 16th century was built one of the architectural examples of a countryside residence on this side of the Adriatic sea - Hektorovicev Tvrdalj. The town of Hvar as a whole is kind of a monument due to the size and layout of buildings mostly built of stone, among which should be set aside Cathedral of St. Stephen, which dominates the main town square, and the Spanish fort, which sat up over the city. Especially interesting are the church-fortress found in Jelsa and Vrboska, which were established in the 16th century because of the danger from the Turks. In some churches to keep a very valuable paintings, of which some attributed to Paolo Veronese. Rural history of the island can be introduced with the village of Humac, a pastoral village located 7 km east from Jelsa, and in the villages Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirce, Brusje and Poljica in the interior of the central part of the island.

Thanks to the extremely favorable climate on Hvar island is produced high quality wine, brought by Greeks in the 4. century BC and later refined by Romans. The accommodation of vineyards on steep slopes that stretch south of the island, across from Zavala, Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedilja is particularly important for the Hvar wine. In such conditions all vineyard labors are carried out manually, thereby continuing the tradition of indigenous farming and maintain the high quality wines.

Salted sardines are probably the simplest dishes, while gourmets would prefer Gregada of Hvar, a thick soup of fine piece of white fish with the addition of potatoes, tomatoes and onions, and olive oil and spices. The restaurants offers goat cheese in olive oil or a young goat cheese fried in sugar.

Plenty of sun favors the growth of aromatic plants that produce essential oils and other products used for various purposes. The traditional medicinal products are lavender oil and rosemary distillate oil used to rinse the throat.

During the Holy Week in Jelsa is held the procession of The Holly Cross. Contemporary form of the procession resulted from the penitent processions held in 1510 when a crucifix in Hvar, according to legend, let tears. Hvar is held and one of the oldest Dalmatian cultural events in general: Hvar summer events which last about a hundred days, and are open to the international artists.