Hvar Town

Hvar Town, on the south coast of the long island of Hvar, is one of the best-known towns on the Croatian coast, a Venetian harbour of stone houses and a long, palm-lined promenade, with a Spanish-built fortress on the hill above and the green Pakleni islands scattered across the bay in front of it. It is the most glamorous of the Dalmatian island towns, and in summer one of the busiest.

The old town holds the main square, one of the largest in Dalmatia, the Arsenal building, the cathedral and a Benedictine convent, and the steep climb up to the Španjola fortress gives the view over the town, the bay and the Pakleni islands that everyone comes for. The Hvar field inland, the largest fertile plain on the Adriatic islands, holds the old vineyards and lavender fields that gave the island its name.

Hvar is split between a quiet, historic old town and a busy harbourfront of cafes and bars that draws an international crowd through the summer. The Pakleni islands, reachable by water taxi, are the escape when the town gets too much.

For photographers, the fortress view over the bay at dusk and the Pakleni islands from the water are the classics. Go in shoulder season for the town without the crowds, or commit to the summer energy.

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