Explora Journeys in Hvar

Hvar is a Dalmatian island town of white-stone Venetian buildings rising from a yacht harbor toward a hilltop fortress, sheltered to the south by the wooded Pakleni Islands. Its main square is one of the largest in Dalmatia, anchored by a cathedral and by an arsenal that holds what is described as the oldest public theatre in Europe, opened in 1612.

What to do on a day in Hvar

• The Fortica (Spanish Fortress), the Venetian hilltop fort reached by a walk through a pine park, with the finest view across the red rooftops to the Pakleni Islands
• St Stephen's Square (the Pjaca), the broad paved main square, one of the largest in Dalmatia, opening onto the harbor
• St Stephen's Cathedral and its bell tower at the eastern end of the square
• The Arsenal and its historic theatre, the oldest public theatre in Europe, opened to the public in 1612
• The 15th-century Franciscan Monastery on the western waterfront, with a cloister, museum, and a terrace view across the bay
• The Riva, the harborfront promenade where the tenders land, lined with cafes, lavender stalls, and moored yachts

Getting ashore

Hvar is a tender port; the ship anchors in the bay and the roughly 10-minute tender lands you directly on the Riva in the center of town. Everything sits within a 15-minute walk, the fortress being the one real climb, so one day is comfortable for the town with time left for a Pakleni Islands boat shuttle.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• April to October (the typical call season). Typically sunny and dry; Hvar bills itself as Croatia's sunniest island. Spring and autumn are mild at roughly 16 to 24 C and good for the fortress climb, while July and August are hot, often 28 to 33 C. The Adriatic here stays warm into October.