Hvar Beaches, Villages & Wine Tasting

Hvar Google Map, Attractions, and Self Guided Tour

Hvar is the fourth largest island in Croatia Hvar Town a lively place and as a tourist favorite has the reputation of being little pricey compared to other destinations. The main resort towns are Hvar Town, Stari Grad, Vrboska, Jelsa and Sucuraj

Ferry Port to mainland

Sucaraj

While not part of this tour, Sucuraj is worth mentioning as you may use this location (Sucaraj ferry port) to go to the mainland ferry port Dvrenick and then continue onto Dubrovnik. Be warned the drive from Hvar Town to Sucuraj is treacherous. We ran into a police office on the ferry who mentioned that they are constantly pulling tourist cars out from the ditches. The corners are sharp, the roads can be narrow, with no railings and ranging from a gentle to a steep drop if you take the corner fast

Driving and or Boat Tour of Hvar Island

Video of Island Visits

This tour can be customized and used as a Wine Tour, Beach Tour or Harbour Village tour. Customize your stops as you may not have time to do everything in one day or split the tour out over two days. Most of the stops can be reached by using the local bus system, scooter, car or boat. If you want to visit the beaches and harbor towns on the island, you can charter a boat (with or without a captain) and tour Hvar from the sea.

Wine Tour

Beach Tour

Harbour Fishing Village Tour

Fuel or Petro Stations

Hvar Island has very few petrol stations. Fill up in Hvar Town or Vrboska as Stari Grad has no fueling station

Highways

The main highway is D116 and connects the towns of Hvar, Nilna, Stari Grad, Jelsa and Sucuraj. D410 is a state road connecting Hvar Town with Stari Grad. There are many roads that are narrow, windy, next to cliff tops without guard rails and therefore caution is urged when driving the highways, state roads or inner roads. Many inner roads are graveled and not paved. If you are going to be visiting wineries, you will not be permitted by law to drink if you are the driver whether you have a car, scooter or boat or any other motorized form of transportation

To download INTERACTIVE map, click HERE

Map of attractions on Hvar Island, Download the map and follow the attractions guide below to the sites on Hvar Island Hvar Island Driving Tour, Click HERE to Download PDF Map

Stop 1 – Stari Grad

Video of Stari Grad and Stari Grad Plain

On the north corner of the island, it is the first stop on the driving tour. This pedestrian friendly Old Town consists of stone houses, red-tiled rooftops and narrow alleys. The car ferries from Split arrive at Stari Grad, however many make their way to the livelier Hvar Town. As the oldest settlement on the island with a long history, its name Stari Grad means Old Town. Dating back 2400 years, it is the historical heart of the island and the “quieter” cousin to Hvar Town.

The first settlers in the year 384 BC were Greek, and they established a colony on the island they called Pharos. The Greeks transformed the large plain adjacent to the town that occupies the central area of the island into an agricultural landscape. Supreme human labor over thousands of years transformed this area into an historical agricultural grid segmented by stone walls. It known as Stari Grad Plain, and has been a UNESCO World heritage site since 2008

3 Things to do in Stari Grad, Hvar Island

Start by strolling the river front and walk through the Old Town Streets visiting Škor Square, the Town Museum and Petar Hektorović Castle, all within a 5 min walk from each other. Wander the alleys and backstreets of this ancient town for cheap and friendly restaurants and konobas (authentic Dalmatian eatery)

1. Škor Square, Stari Grad town

Small, picturesque square surrounded by stone houses, it is also used to host cultural events in the summer. Originally covered in water, it was once the home of a shipyard. It was transformed in the 17th and 18th century into a public square. Škor in Dalmatian dialect means shipyard

2. Petar Hektorović Castle, Stari Grad

The home of the Croatian poet and aristocrat Petar Hektorović. The summer house is known for its well-stocked fish pond

3. The Town Museum in Stari Grad

Once the palace home of the Biakani brothers, it dates back to the 19th century. The museum showcases the long history of Stari Grad

Stari Grad Tourist Center

Obala dr. Franje Tuđmana 1, 21460, Stari Grad, Croatia. Tel: +385 21 765 763

Stop 2 – Stari Grad Plain

On the way from Hvar Town to Vrbosca, you can stop by the Stari Grad Plain. A cultivated piece of land largely preserved from the days of the Greek Settlement on the island, currently a UNESCO World Heritage site

Stop 3 – Vrboska

4 Things to do in Vbroska, Hvar

An overview of Vrboska

A small fishing town with a harbor, it is located on the northern coast of Hvar island in a scenic, deep cove surrounded by vineyards, olive gloves and a pine forest. It was founded in the 15th century and is divided into two parts – Pjaca in the east and Pdva in the west. It has numerous small bridges and is often referred to as “Little Venice”. The architecture is Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque mixed with modern urban housing. Vrboska has several interesting churches: the 16th century Church of St Lawrence, the 15th century Church of St Peter and the most impressive of all Churches, the fortified Church of St. Mary which has a magnificent view of the whole area and the open sea.

A variety of cultural and entertainment events are put on during the tourist season. Walk the charming backstreets of Vrboska and explore the system of canals lined with quaint stone houses. Visit the fisherman’s museum, the Churches, the Pinjata Winery, Carić Winery in town or visit the beautiful beaches very close to the town

1. Fisherman’s museum, Vrboska

Vrboska was founded by seaman and the fishing museum opened in 1972, preserves the history of the Vrboska. You will find items on display such as traditional fishing nets, fishing tools and fish processing equipment and a reconstructed fisherman’s house displays the harsh living conditions of the historical inhabitants

2. Pinjata Winery, (Vina Pinjata, Konoba Špiro, Gabelić), Vrbosca

A creation of Vrboska’s Gabelić family, the location is in the old part of Vrboska, just behind the Fortress Church of St. Mary. It is part winery, part konoba and part restaurant (t+385 (0)21 774 262). The family has created an authentic konoba atmosphere worth visiting even if you are not a wine fan. If you can, step into the storage cellar that houses a small table for wine tasting among the oak barrels and wine racks store with wine dating back at least 50 years. It does get quiet busy with wine tastings during the tourist season

3. Carić Winery, Vrboska

Residing in Vrboska, the Carić family led by Ivo Caric and his wife Ivana have opened their tasting room on the canal. They cultivate 5-hectares of vineyards and export their wines to as far as California. They purchase the grapes from locals growers and offer wine tasting out of their facility in Vrboska ( +385 98 160 6276) . You can taste 4-5 different wines with the help of a wine guide who will provide information on each of the wines. Pair the wine with some appetizers



4. Beach in Vrboska

Soline Peninsula and associated beach is a short walk from Vrboska town. It is a popular fine, pebbly, family friendly beach with parking and a restaurant

Vrboska Tourist Center

Vrboska bb, 21 463 Vrboska. [email protected] + 385 (0)21 774 137

Stop 4 – Vrbanj, Hvar

A quiet little village of 500 located in the center of Hvar Island. It dates back to the roman times and has the remains of a leisure villa and two ancient oil presses.

Most people earn a living through agriculture but the village does have all that a tourist could want: cafes, grocery store, shops, a post office, restaurants and a wine tasting center. The village boasts an authentic Dalmatian Konoba and is a must visit if you go to Vrbanj. It is called Vinarija Braća Plančić, and coincidentally it is also another winery

Vinarija Braća Plančić, Winery Plancic, Svirce bb, Vrbanj

With the arrival of Ante Plančić from Stari Grad in 1919, the family began wine production in the area. They modernized in 1985 and it is one of the two largest wine-producers on the island (+385 (0)91 2769 681). Bring cash as they do accept credit cards. It has a friendly atmosphere with knowledgeable family members who will tell you stories about the wines served with appetizers such as olives, bread and cheese

Stop 5 – Jelsa, Hvar

A brief overview of Jelsa

The small town of Jelsa is located beside a beautiful bay with hotels on either side of the bay. It is less crowded that Hvar Town and noticeably cheaper. Once a busy fishing village, Jelsa now relies mainly on tourism. It has several good beaches and littles coves on which to relax.

1. Fine Dining, Jelsa

Jelsa boasts more than 20 fine restaurants during the summer season serving mostly Dalmatian cuisine. Among the best restaurants are Artichoke – food & wine, Me & Mrs Jones (Napoleon), Konoba FAROS, and U smokve, all within walking distance or on the Riva Promenade

2. Town Square, Jelsa Jelsa

St. Ivan’s (St. John’s) Square is one of the most beautiful squares from the Renaissance-Baroque era, with a small octagonal church from the 15th century, built in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.

Pjaca, Main Square. It is situated in the center of Jelsa with a natural water spring located on its west side and walking distance to the Riva

3. Wine Tasting, Jelsa

Wine Country: Ivo Dubokovic, winery Duboković d.o.o Winery

A 9 min walk west of the main square in Jelsa, the Ivo Duboković winery is regarded as one of the leading boutique winemakers in Croatia. He produces about 25,000 liters of wine per year with a surprising range of 11 wines. This brand, Duboković is one of the most sought after in the finest restaurants in Croatia

Wine Country: Teo Huljić, Tavern Huljić

A 2 min walk east of the main square, Toe Huljić is a well known winemaker and chef who has preserved the islands winemaking traditions and continues working with some of the almost extinct grape varieties. His winery and restaurant, Tavern Huljić, are hidden in the backstreets of Jelsa and provides 15 types of wines as well as traditional gourmet meals. Huljić produces 7000 liters of wine a year mostly from local grapes and some international varieties. His delightful restaurant is in the Old Town with uneven stones tables and it is well worth a visit

Wine Country: Andro Tomic, wine Tomic

An 11 min walk west of the main square, wine Tomic winery and tasting center is located on a quiet street. Tomic, who is one of the most well-known and charming wine makers in Croatia has an excellent wine tasting facility but provides no meals. To protect the name of the dessert wine, Prosek, he addressed the European parliament speaking in French. He succeeded in protecting the Prosek name and brand against the objections of the Italian winemakers of Prosecco

4. Eat Ice Cream, Jelsa

With an ice cream tradition of over 50 years, Jelsa is well known as the location of the best ice cream in Dalmatia with very creative presentations. History has it that the tradition began when three brothers from Macedonia arrived in Jelsa in 1962 and rented space in the main square. Since then they have expanded and now have several outlets

5. Beaches, Jelsa

Jelsa has some of the best beaches on the island:

Mina sandy bases (just below Hotel Hvar)

Mina is a very popular family beach in Jelsa surrounded by pine forest. Its facilities include changing areas, showers, lounge chairs for rent, restaurant and café. It has a shallow bottom and is ideal for small children.

Grebisce Beach

A little further from the center of Jelsa than Mina beach, it is another local favorite family beach. It has restaurant, outdoor showers, deck chairs and umbrellas for rent on the cement portion of the beach. You will also find a variety of beach activities such as volleyball, tennis and the Croatian favorite picingin.

Jelsa Tourist Center

Mala Banda, 21465, Jelsa, Croatia T +385 21 761 017

At this stage you have the option of continuing the driving tour and going to Sveta Nedjelja or returning to Hvat Town via Stari Grad.

From Jelsa, you can drive to the next stop of Sveta Nedjelja. However to enjoy Sveta Nedjelja fully you will need a minimum of three hours. Two hours to hike up to the cave and monastery and one hour to enjoy the village and harbor restaurant and longer if you want to head to the beach. If you are running out of time, you can go to Sveta Nedjelja another day and make it your only stop. You can easily spend a full day at this picturesque village especially if you decide to spend time at the beach and sample the fine wines of the Zlatan Otak vinery located on hills in the village of Sveta Nedjelja.

The road into the village is treacherous but you can also rent a boat or take a boat taxi to the village harbor where the boat can be docked

If you decide to give Sveta Nedjejla a miss – head back to Hvar Town using the same directions but in reverse, traveling through Stari Grad Plain and Stari Grad. Otherwise you can reach Sveta Nedjelja from Jelsa via Pitve, going through a tunnel heading south This is a one-lane dark and windy tunnel which exits to a road towards the sea in a steep winding pattern and into Sveta Nedjelja harbour.

Stop 6 – Sveti Nedelja

Directions – A word of Caution accessing Sveta Nedelja

From Hvar Town to go to scenic village of Sveta Nedjelja, you either have to

take the shorter 6km gravel road or

the longer but safer one lane Pitve Tunnel that was built in the 1980’s,

Both routes lack safety barrier and have steep drops

The gravel road provides some of the best scenic viewpoints on the island, but it is better suited to an “off-road” vehicle. This is what gravel road looks like:

Drive into Sveta Nedjelja via tunnel, it’s a treacherous drive and caution is urged

Coming from Jelsa, you will be using the tunnel. Pitve Tunnel is the long way around from Hvar and takes about 45 minutes… – longer but safer than the gravel road. However it is still a treacherous journey. The tunnel is dark, windy and narrow. Once you exit the tunnel, you will be descending towards the coastline until you reach Sveta Nedjelja. In the village, turn left towards the sea and park at the sea front.

Sveta Nedjelja (optional stop), is a small village atop sheer bluffs. This is the last stop on the self guided tour before heading to Hvar Town

4 Things to do in Sveta Nedjelja

Sveta Nedjelja, meaning “Holy Sunday” in Croatian, is quite an impressive village of 130 permanent residents, located just under the islands highest peak – St. Nikola (626m). The village is set on a steep hillside with the large cave and church further up the mountainside. Sveta Nedelja village is at the halfway point from the sea to the cave and can be approached from the beach along a winding path.The village is a mixture of old stone houses from the original settlement to more modern houses, cabins and apartments. The total time from the harbor is about 2 hours depending on your speed and number of breaks. The terrain is low/medium difficulty. You will need good walking shoes and plenty of water

1. Visit the village:

The village is made up of two sections:

The newer part is on the harbor and is easily accessible. It includes a marina, restaurant and wine cellar. The cellar is unique in that it is located under the sea with a window to the sea. The restaurant and wine cellar are the wine tasting area of the Zlatan Otok winery located on the hills

The old part is reminiscent of a typical Dalmatian village with stone houses, narrow streets and it is located on the hillside with access from the path at sea level. Should you take this path to the village, you will find basic amenities required by the inhabitants including a parish church, restaurants, post office, bank, doctor’s office, pharmacy and a grocery store. You may also see a lavender oil distillery and the bottle plant of the Zlatan Winery

2. Cave Monastery and Church

Sveta Nedjelja trek to Cave and Monastery

From the old village, you can continue your walk up the hillside until you reach just below the mountain’s peak. There you will find a cave, a church and monastery built inside the cave and a graveyard which were used and built by the Augustinian monks from the 15th to the 17th century. The terrain is of low/medium difficulty however good walking shoes are needed. On the way up and at around 500m above sea level, is a working farmhouse where you may be able to stop and order wine and other meals they have on hand. The views are spectacular from the top and you will be able to explore the well preserved small church, Our Lady of Snows, the cave and graveyard. Note the well of fresh water inside the cave

3. Zlatan Otok vinery, which is located on Sveta Nedjelja hill

In the village on the hill is a famous wine bottling plant Zlatan Otok. The outlet for the winery is on the harbor where there is a restaurant and a wine cellars below the sea. If you decide to climb the hill, on your way back down stop at the harbor to enjoy the wines of the Zlata Otak winery and the unique wine cellar

4. Sveta Nedjelja Beach

Sveta Nedjelja area has several little coves with fine pebble beaches where you can find some privacy including the Bay Lučišća, a pebble beach in a cove surrounded by pine forests and crystal clear waters

Once you have explored the area of Sveta Nedjelja, whether it is to sample the wines of Zlatan Otok Winery at the tasting restaurant on the harbor, visit the beach, climb to the village or climb past the village to the cave and monastery, it is time to make you way back to Hvar Town. On the way back to Hvar Town keep in mind the twisty windy road and lack of safety barriers. Remember your choices are the gravel road or the Pitve tunnel

For Additional Croatia Travel Guides, Tourist Maps and Airport Transfer:

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Game of Thrones and Old Town Self Guided Tour – Follow the Map and Guide to visit the film locations for Game of Thrones, beaches and churches. The self guided tour will take you a full day if you also visit the beaches. Use the map and attractions guide to visit the attractions of Old Town Dubrovnik and the locations of the Games of Thrones Scenes. The map has picture of the sites and how they looked for the film scenes. The walking tour will take you ½ a day. If you visit Lokrum island and spend time at the beach/monastery/fort on the island, this will take you another ½ day to full day. Lokrum Island is the location of the City of Qarth in GoT and is a 10 min water taxi ride from the Dubrovnik Port Dubrovnik Day Trips . Spend a day at each of the villages of Ston and Cavtat a short distance from Dubrovnik. Cavtat is a charming village that was invaded by the Slavs. The inhabitants fled and were the original settlers of Dubrovnik. Visit the historical beaches and spend time on the beach or hike the Ronald Brown Pathway. Ston is a small village on a hill surrounded by a 7 km wall that is second in size to the Great Wall of China. It is famous for its defensive walls, its salt “mines” and its oyster bays. The oysters from Ston are well renowned

Zagreb Upper Town, Old Zagreb – 15 must see attractions of Old Town Zagreb. Walk the attractions of Upper Town Zagreb, the self-guided walking tour will take you to the various attractions in ½ a day. You may want to explore some of these attractions in greater depth such as the Museum of Broken Relationships or climb the Lotrščak Tower. In that case the self guided tour will take more than half a day Zagreb Lenuci Horseshoe – Visit the 7 Squares and Botanical gardens in the shape of a horseshoe, including the under ground 31,000 sq meter shopping mall. A ½ day tour of the U-shaped system of 7 parks and Zagreb botanical gardens. The Lenuci horseshoe is a short walking distance from Zagreb’s main Ban Jelačić Square and facing the main train station Glavni Kolodvor. The Square include pavilions, theater, museums, state archives and an underground mall amongst its many historical buildings dotted throughout the horseshoe Walking tour Zagreb Lower town and Grič Tunnels – A 2 hour tour of the tunnels under Zagreb old town; they were built as shelter during the war and are now used by the locals to cross Old Town or to go between upper town and lower town. Not only are they a short cut, they are cool in the summer and a welcome relief from the searing sun. Explore the old world war tunnels and visit the sights of lower town

Split Old Town Split and Marjan Hill – Explore the Old Town Square, then head over to Marjan Hill. This self guided tour can take a whole day as the walking portion of the tour will guide you to attractions in the Old Town and then on to Marjan Hill. This part of the tour will take ½ a day. The tour will end at the beach where you can spend the rest of the day, take the local bus back or walk along the promenade back to Old Town Split, Salona ancient Roman Ruins – On the outskirts of Split, don’t miss the roman ruins of Salona, the birthplace of Emperor Diocletian. Step outside of the Old Town of Split and visit the nearby city of Solin (which is the ancient city of Salona, Diocletian’s birthplace). Continue onto the town of trogir a world UNESCO heritage site where the Old Town is on an Island. This self guided tour has instructions for local buses to take you on a route for a full day trip Split, Diocletian’s Palace – 10 must see attractions in the palace to stop and take pictures. The Palace tour is a ½ day self-guided tour through the palace that will end at the market which you can explore Trogir, UNESCO World Heritage Site – A heritage city where the Old Town is on an Island, an easy bus ride from Split to Trogir

Zadar Zadar Western Half – The old town is located on an island; explore the attractions on the westerns side of the island in this ½ day self guided walking tour. Attractions include popular attractions such as the Sea Organ, Greetings to the Sun and the Roman Forum / Ruins Zadar Eastern Half – Take a ½ day to visit the churches, parks and other attractions on the eastern side of Zadar Island. Visit the fish markets and green markets for fresh food and explore the cobblestone alleyways for a touch of ambiance and potential souvenir shopping Zadar islands – The Zadar Archipelago has around a 100 islands off its coast, many of them uninhabited. Visit all or any of the 9 popular islands in this map and use the attractions guide to the islands. You can rent a boat rent a boat with or without a captain, get a water taxi, take the ferry/ to visit the islands and swim in the Adriatic or anchor at hidden beach/cove

Hvar Island Hvar old town attractions and Španjola fortress (Fortica) – Use the self guided tour map and attractions to visit the popular sites in Hvar Old Town. The tour will take ½ a day to the major attractions in Hvar Town, including climbing to the Spanjola fortress that has been protecting Hvar for hundreds of years. However it could be longer if you want to spend time visiting the museums or spending an afternoon enjoying the magnificent views from the Fortress Hvar Island driving tour – Take the local bus, rent a car / scooter for the day to visit the numerous attractions on the island. This can take two days as there is a lot to see and do. It includes: wine tasting, visiting a cave monastery high on the hills, quaint fishing villages, popular beaches, hidden coves and harbours A great tour that will take you across the island Hvar Islands and Lavendar Fields Tour – You can rent a boat (with or without a captain) and visit the islands off Hvar Island. The Pakleni Islands are an archipelago of 20 islands off the coat of Hvar. They are known for beautiful beaches, charming village towns and secluded coves. You can take the bus to visit the abandoned villages of Velo Grabjle and Malo Grabjle,. It is a short bus ride or scooter/car trip from Hvar Town. Explore the fields of lavender and Olive Grove farms

Getting around Croatia – Information on Croatian buses and ferries