Hvar Island

Hvar is a 68-kilometre-long island off the central Dalmatian coast of Croatia, consistently rated among the sunniest destinations in Europe with an average of 2,724 hours of sunshine per year. Hvar Town, the main settlement on the western tip, clusters around a large Venetian piazza — one of the oldest municipal squares in Croatia — framed by the 16th-century Hvar Theatre, said to be the oldest public theatre in the Balkans, and the Cathedral of Saint Stephen. The town's south-facing harbour fills with superyachts in summer, and the waterfront promenade links boutique hotels with terrace restaurants serving locally caught fish and wines from vineyards inland. Above the town, the Fortica fortress (also called the Spanish Fortress) dates to the 13th century and was expanded under Venetian rule; the 20-minute climb on foot rewards visitors with a panoramic view of the Pakleni Islands and the open Adriatic stretching toward the horizon. The interior of the island is carpeted with lavender fields and vineyards, particularly around the villages of Dol and Velo Grablje, where the annual lavender harvest in June attracts photographers. Eastern Hvar is accessed via regular bus service and offers quieter beaches near Jelsa and the rural wine village of Svirče, producer of the prized Plavac Mali red. The ferry crossing from Split takes approximately one hour for the car ferry to Stari Grad, or 50 minutes for the fast catamaran to Hvar Town. Accommodation on the island ranges from private rooms in family homes to five-star hotels on the waterfront.