Called the ‘Croatian Madeira’ because of its 2724 hours of sunshine every year, the island of Hvar appeals to party lovers and nature enthusiasts alike. This champion of sun hours will wake you up with the magic of Pakleni archipelago laid out before the town of Hvar, and will lull you into the evenings over a glass of uniquely local Plavac Mali or Bogdanuša wines. Between its lavender scent and Dionysian aftertaste, Hvar is a visual treat literally every step of the way, sparkly of UNESCO treasures and late-night stern lights.

The island’s interior is blanketed in lavender fields, forgotten villages and ancient olive groves set in the hills, while the shores wiggle between pristine and wild. Paths through the pine forests lead to tiny pebbled coves for a slice of paradise where one can blissfully whisk the day away. Hvar is also the island to sample some superior Croatian wines with a handful of iconic and personality-rich vintners, including a Master of Wine.

In 2016, the island celebrated 2.400 years from the time when the ancient Greeks first set foot on its grounds. The area they settled is today simply called Stari Grad – the Old Town and is the home to one of many UNESCO-listed treasures, the Stari Grad Plain. This agricultural land was divided using a geometrical system and drywalls, and remains very much intact today, still thriving with olives and vines, cultures Greeks left on the island, much to the joy and pleasure of the present-day inhabitants and visitors. Listed shoulder to shoulder to this UNESCO World Heritage Site are the island’s immaterial treasures, its Easter procession Za Križen, the agava lace made by Hvar’s Benedictine nuns, klapa singing and the Mediterranean Diet, ultimately making Hvar the island with the most UNESCO heritage in the world.

Alongside history, culture and protected traditions, Hvar is a perfectly stop for many Adriatic cruises, at close distance to Brač, Vis, Šolta and Korčula. Secret Dalmatia does feel very much at home on Hvar, and we take great pride in our careful selection of authentic experiences which will immerse you in the culture and essence of what makes this island so special.