Hvar - town with the oldest communal theatre in Europe...
Hvar is situated on the south-western coast of the homonymous island, in a marvellous bay protected by the Pakleni otoci...
Once a town of turbulent history, today it is one of the most prominent and visited tourist centres in the Adriatic.
Among the monuments which will bring you back into the times when Hvar was under Venice, Austria and Napoleon, there are fascinating communal theatre, the oldest in Europe, the Fortress, the Arsenal, the City Loggia, the Cathedral, the Franciscan Monastery...
However, it is not only the monuments that make Hvar an extraordinary place. It is its port open to the sea and the Pakleni otoci, a unique climate perfect for health treatment, swimming beaches, restaurants, clubs,... which over the century and a half give off a splendor of a trendy tourist resort.
Just come and see at first hand...

Beaches

The most popular beaches of the town Hvar are situated on the Pakleni islands. 21 islet make archipelago of  Pakleni otoci, with numerous bathing places and a myriad of small, secluded beaches. We will mention just few of the most popular ones:

JEROLIM - is a well-known and long-established naturist beach, equipped with showers and a shop.
Restaurant: "Jerolim"
You have an organized transfer by boat from the port of Hvar.

STIPANSKA – naturist beach equipted with showers and small shop.
Restaurant: "Relej"
You have an organized transfer by boat from the port of Hvar.

ZDRILCA - A cove on Pakleni Otoci, with several pebble beaches and many secluded spots ideal for relaxing and enjoying the sun and sea of Hvar and the picturesque seabed.
Restaurants: Tartaja, "Antonio", Tri grede

PALMIZANA - is a spacious cove with a shallow sandy beach. It is surrounded by a thick pine forest, fragrant heather and rosemary shrubs and a number of exotic plants.
Restaurants: Meneghello, Novak, Zori
You have an organized transfer by boat from the port of Hvar.

POKONJI DOL - pebble beach situated cca 2 km from the centre of Hvar.
Restaurant: Mustaco

MEKICEVICA -  is situated only 2.5 km east of the center of Hvar, it  consists of two pebble beaches.
Restaurant: Robinson

Entertainment

Early-morning cup of coffee you will have in Kofein or Loco bar listening to the good jazzy music, and you will be served by attractive scantily clad waitresses. Next step would be to get on one of the small boats which will take you to the nearby archipelago of Pakleni otoci where you will probably find yourself looking for your place in the sun under a magnifying glass. The positive side is that you will definitely meet a lot of young people eager for fun and very soon, as soon as you get ashore you will be dancing in the rhythm of the Latin music at the after beach party in the famous cocktail bar Carpe diem.
Even better, drive off to the bay of Dubovica for swimming. You can leave your car by the road and walk some 10 minutes to the beach. If you are lucky, an eccentric count Kasandric will take you through his summer house built there during Renaissance  for the need of his noble family. On your way back to Hvar go down to the bay of Zarace and reserve a unique table on the cliff in the restaurant Zarace where you will have undoubtedly fresh fish and sea food for dinner, served with home made wine and brandy, in a silent atmosphere surrounded by the sea.
If you are still full of energy after dinner let your choice be Veneranda, a disco club situated within the walls of onetime monastery. Since you will find there a big crowd already dancing and a deep sound of bass maybe you should go to the Kiva bar for adjustment. Their specialty is tequila dum dum – the waiter hits the helmet on your head with the glass of tequila.
Now you are at the open swimming pool in Veneranda,fit into the atmosphere, dawn is breaking, the program is about to end and you are still awake... Get back into the car. Leaving Hvar there is Atlantida club, ex Kopito. The underground club where eminent techno DJs approach mixing desk with the first rays of the sun.
Those more romantic should take the old road toward Brusje.When you see a narrow road on your right side proceed by it and you will arrive to the astronomic observatory with, as it is said,the best position in Europe. You are watching the sun rising and replacing the stars while the peak of islands of Hvar archipelago emerges from behind the clouds. Keep that sight while driving home for rest because today is a new day.

Sights

HVAR is an island full of sights. In each part of the town generations left traces of different stories, stories about travels, conquistadors, ancient cultures, rulers and common people... A part of the story can be read on its historical monuments, marvellous buildings and preserved collections...

Fortress, erected above the town was built at the beginning of the 16th century. It was damaged in explosion of powder-chamber in 1579, but its final appearance came after many reconstructions. It hosts a prominent collection of amphorae and other objects from the ancient times and the Middle Ages. From the fortress toward the town square lead the city walls, built in the Middle Ages.

On a nearby hill there is a building called Napoljun, erected by the Emperor Napoleon in 1811. Due to its favorable position, it was always a look-out post. Today it houses the astronomical observatory of Croatia...
In front of the port of Hvar, on the islet of Galesnik, the Austrians built another fort which served as a prison and quarantine in 1830...

In the middle of the town the square of Hvar, the Pjaca is situated. It is perhaps the most beautiful and largest town square on the Adriatic. The Pjaca was erected in 1780 by filling in a deep swampy bay, and then paving it with stone slabs.

The Cathedral of St Stephen stands at the far end of the Pjaca. It was built on the site of an early 6th century Christian church. Present appearance the Cathedral received in the 16th and 17th century... In the interior of the Cathedral many cultural works from different periods have been preserved: wooden late-Gothic choir seats from the 16th century, the paintings by Domenico Umberti and Andrea Celesti. The bronze door-frames are the work by Kuzma Kovacic, contemporary sculptor who also designed today's Croatian kuna coins... The examples of late-Gothic and Renessaince liturgical vestments as well as the work of goldsmiths are exhibited in the Bishop's Museum.

The city well, Gustirna, in front of the Cathedral was built in 1529.

The Arsenal is a most impressive example of secular architecture. It was built between 1579 and 1611 on the site of a building from the 13th century. With its 10 m span arched doorway this building served as a store for war galleys...
The archeological excavations to the south of the Arsenal reveal late-classical civitas from the 4th century. Some archeologists suppose that a still unidentified Heraklea might have existed on the site of present-day Hvar town, as could be indicated by the coins found bearing the name of that town...

Count Semitecolo of Hvar had a theatre built on the first floor in 1612. That was one of the first communal theatres in Europe. A figure head from a Turkish galley captured in the battle of Lepanto in 1571 is exhibited in its entrance-hall.

The City Loggia is the most beautiful loggia built in 1479 by stonemasons from the island of Brac. Today the City Loggia serves as the registry office... Next to the Loggia there is a clock-tower, Leroj, with the bell from 1562.

The Franciscan monastery was built in 1465. It was a hospice for sailors. In front of the main altar the poet Hanibal Lucic was buried, the author of "Robinja", the first Croatian drama. Within the Franciscan monastery there are the artefacts exhibited in the monastery collection which is also the oldest on the island. It consists of paintings, manuscripts, old coins and incunabula.

The most valuable part of the collection is the famous painting of the Last Supper by Matej Ponzoni-Poncun who belonged to the circle of the Venetian painter Palma the Younger. The painter made this work for the Franiscans in gratitude for saving his life after a shipwreck. The collection includes the Ptolemy's Atlas.

The building of the Palace of Petar Hektorovic, the most prominent poet of Hvar, started in 1463 and was never completed. Along with other late-Gothic and Renessaince palaces it embellishes the town streets...

The archeological collection and the collection of stone monuments of Grga Novak is placed in the once famous Dominican monastery of St Mark in Hvar, and exhibits from prehistoric period, the Roman and the Greek times can be seen. The collection is enriched by the hydro-archeological collection - amphorae, lead anchor,...

The Hanibal Lucic art collection is within the complex of the Benedictine Convent. 
Exhibits of lace from agave, made by the Benedictines, are a real treasure.

Surroundings

Beatiful bays near the town of Hvar which you should visit.

ZARACE - protected bay with beautiful graveled beach and a stunning seabed… Divers and snorkelers may be interested to hear that this part of Hvar boasts a particularly picturesque underwater seascapes.
You have an organized transfer by boat from the port of Hvar even though it is reachable also by car.

DUBOVICA - 8 km east of Hvar you encounter a picturesque pebble beach with extraordinary seabed. On the very coast stands out the summer house of the noble family Kasandric belonging to the 17 – 19 century.
Resaurants: Summer house Kasandric, Dubovica. You have an organized transfer by boat from the port of Hvar even though it is reachable also by car.

PISCENA -  8 km east of Hvar you encouter beautiful pebble beach with dense pine woods inbetween...

RED CLIFFS - the ground after Dubovica and the bay of Pišcena is sloping and reaches the sea. On this strech of the coast towards Sveta Nedjelja a natural phenomenon of aslant stratified red cliffs  stands out in its beauty, steeply reaching the sea...

MILNA - the village of small family board and lodging. Founded cca 40 years ago, today has about 100 inhabitants. It is situated in a protected bay with beautiful pebble beaches with pine woods inbetween... Further to the west of the bay there is the Baroque summer house of the Ivanic family from the 17th  century. The summer house is the most beautiful example of the rustic architecture on the island of Hvar.
It is only 6 km from Hvar... If you are looking for a peaceful and comfortable vacation, away from the frenzy of the town, away from all the problems and stress, Milna is the right place for you.
Restaurants: «Kod barba Božjeg»- restaurant with 30 years of tradition

BRUSJE -  a village only 6 km from the town of Hvar was founded for sheperds at the beginning of the 16 th century. Along the road you can find many rustic stone houses forming a picturesque complex of architecture. Approaching the village you can see the ruins of two summer houses from the16th  century....

DISTANCES:

HVAR- STARI GRAD 17 km
HVAR - JELSA 25 km
HVAR - SUCURAJ 78 km

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