hvar island travel guide

Wearing: May the Label top | Vintage floral skirt | Lack of Color Spencer boater | Bared wattle sandals in mint | Fjallraven Kanken Backpack in sky blue |  Fossil original boyfriend chronograph watch in navy***Hvar island was again another one of my favourite day trips out of Split. We only spent one day there however I would definitely recommend staying overnight as this island is large and has two main towns and plenty to do! Our day at Hvar was based around Hvar town and this is where the bulk of the attractions are. We took the ferry from Split - it's about an hour long and very easy to buy tickets & catch from the ferry port at Split Harbour. However, do be sure to buy in advance if you want to catch it during peak season as they often sell out by the morning of the trip! Whilst we spent the majority of our time attempting to make it up the fortica under scorching heat (really this sounds pretty weak because if you've been there, you'd know that the walk is so easy but the heat and humidity reduced us to a sweaty mess, completely unable to move ourselves forward haha), we also managed to fit a few other sights and things to do into our schedule. Here's a little travel guide on some of the things we got up to doing around Hvar town that we loved.

FORTICA ŠPANJOLA

Despite what I said above, the climb up to the fortress is basically not really qualified as a climb. It's a really flat and gradual uphill stroll which after about 20 minutes of leisurely walking (assuming it's not boiling hot on the day you go) you make it to the top where you can find yourself seeing a stunning view of Hvar town, as well as the tiny nearby Pakleni Islands which is also a great place for a half-day trip if you have the time. If you're at Hvar overnight, then the locals have told us that the view from the fortress is even more magical at dusk. It's hard to describe how to reach the fortress from the town but if you walk towards the general direction of it (you can see it from afar since it's so high up) and towards the back of the town, you'll eventually find yourself there.

WANDERING THROUGH THE BACKSTREETS OF TOWN

Of course, everyone knows what's happening on the main street of town as it's always bustling with people and tourist oriented restaurants and shops. It's only when you head to the backstreets and alleyways where you start to find the local gems, hidden surprises and quiet places which I love and will only be sharing with chefs taking a break outside or locals walking back home. You'll always find me wandering around the backstreets when travelling and in Hvar we spent many minutes doing so too.

PASSING BY THE MAIN STREET TOO

That said, the main street is always worth passing by. It's the main street for a reason and is extremely picturesque sitting by the harbour. Whilst there can be a lot of overpriced tourist targeted restaurants around here, you can always trust a quick online search to find out what's great and what's not.

REFUELLING AT FIG CAFFE BAR

I didn't think I'd find a cafe like this (it reminds me so much of cafes back in Melbourne) all the way across the ocean in an island off Croatia however I did! Hidden off in a backstreet just off the main street is this little gem of a cafe. It's a little difficult to find but it's definitely worth getting lost for (Google maps is not great at pinpointing small alleys but as long as you wander around the general area you'll eventually find it in a small lane way off one of the side streets. The owner, Jeff is from California and every dish here is utterly photogenic & tastes as good as it looks. The pulled pork in particular is a must try dish here and if you've got a sweet tooth, the ricotta and fig is an interesting combo too.

WALKING ALONG THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HARBOUR

After you wander around Hvar town, you should definitely head to the other aside for the most picture-perfect view of the town and its harbour from afar! It's also more quiet on this side and if you keep on going down the footpath, you'll end up on a scenic walk around the island too. I hope you enjoyed this Hvar Island travel guide! I'll be back with a new post soon which I'm almost certain will be on the jaw dropping Plitvice Lakes National Park. I can't wait to share!Photography: Thomas Debono & I