A private day on Hvar from Split

Hvar is Croatia's longest and sunniest island, 299 days of sunshine per year according to the meteorological station at Hvar town, which also holds the Adriatic record for 1890. It runs 68 km from east to west and 11 km at its widest. Most guests know it as a party island or a celebrity destination. Both reputations are accurate for parts of the island and misleading for the whole.

Getting there from Split

There are two ferry routes from the mainland to Hvar island. The most common for visitors is the car ferry from Split harbour (Jadrolinija ferry terminal) to Stari Grad, which takes about 2 hours. The second is the car ferry from Drvenik (75 km south of Split on the coastal road) to Sućuraj, which takes 35 minutes but requires driving across the island to reach Hvar town.

For a day trip by private car from Split, the Drvenik route is better despite the longer drive to the ferry because the crossing is shorter and the road across the island (from Sućuraj to Jelsa) is one of the most scenically interesting drives in Dalmatia, through the lavender and rosemary fields of the Stari Grad plain.

Departure from Split at 07:30 reaches Drvenik by 09:15. The 10:00 ferry puts you in Sućuraj at 10:35. Drive to Jelsa is 40 minutes through the island. Arrival at Hvar town by car: approximately 11:45.

Hvar town vs the rest of the island

Hvar town is what most photos show: a yacht-lined harbour, a Venetian loggia, a Franciscan monastery, and a fortress (Fortica) on the hill above. It is also the most crowded part of the island, especially from 11:00 onwards when cruise passengers and day boats arrive from Split, Trogir, and Brela.

The Stari Grad plain (UNESCO World Heritage Site) northwest of Hvar town is the other Hvar, a 2,400-year-old grid of vineyards and olive groves first laid out by Greek colonists from Paros in 384 BC. The road through it from the Stari Grad ferry port to Jelsa gives you the agricultural landscape without the harbour crowds.

The practical itinerary

One approach for a private day trip by car from Split:

• 07:30 depart Split
• 09:15 arrive Drvenik ferry terminal
• 10:00 board ferry, 35-minute crossing to Sućuraj
• 10:35 arrive Sućuraj, drive west across the island
• 11:15 stop at Jelsa, compact old town, small harbour, lunch option
• 12:30 arrive Hvar town, park outside the pedestrian zone
• 12:30 to 15:30 Hvar town, Fortica fortress (€10, best panoramic view of the harbour), Spanish Fortress exterior, Stradun walk, swim at Bonj beach (10-min walk from town)
• 15:30 drive to Stari Grad ferry terminal (30 min)
• 17:00 ferry to Split (2-hour crossing)
• 19:00 arrive Split

What to skip

The Pakleni Islands (Paklinski otoci), the archipelago opposite Hvar town's harbour, are reached only by water taxi or private boat. They are beautiful and worth visiting, but day-tripping there from a land-based tour adds complexity and cost. They make more sense on a dedicated boat tour from Split.

The clubs and nightlife at Hvar town are for evening and overnight visitors. They do not feature in a day trip.

Lavender season

The lavender fields of Hvar island (primarily in the Stari Grad plain and around Velo Grablje) are in full bloom in June. The peak is approximately June 10 to June 25. Outside this window, the plants are present but the purple colour is either not yet developed or already harvested.