Things to do · Hvar · Croatia
13 best things to do in Hvar
13 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User: Stop_The_Lies, Public domain
Quick answer
The essential sights in Hvar are St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral, Fortica (Spanish Fortress) and Pakleni Islands. Of the 13 picks below, 6 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 3 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral
- Free sights
- 6
- Good on a rainy day
- Arsenal and Hvar Theatre
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral | Hvar Town | 30 minutes | Free |
| Fortica (Spanish Fortress) | Hvar Town | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Pakleni Islands | Pakleni Islands | Full day | Low cost |
| Arsenal and Hvar Theatre | Hvar Town | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Franciscan Monastery | Hvar Town | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Stari Grad Plain | Stari Grad | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Tvrdalj Castle | Stari Grad | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Stari Grad old town | Stari Grad | 2 hours | Free |
| Vrboska and Jelsa | Jelsa | Half a day | Free |
| Lavender villages of Velo Grablje and Brusje | Hvar Town | 2–3 hours | Free |
| South-coast vineyards and Pitve tunnel | Zavala and the south coast | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| Dubovica | Milna | Half a day | Free |
| Benedictine Convent and agave lace | Hvar Town | 30 minutes | Low cost |
The 13 best things to do
Landmark · Hvar Town
1.St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral
Hvar Town's main square, one of the largest in Dalmatia, runs from the harbour to the Renaissance-Baroque Cathedral of St Stephen and its four-storey bell tower. A 16th-century well stands in the middle, and the Arsenal and theatre close the harbour end.
See it early in the morning before the crowds, when the stone glows and the cafés are setting up.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
Castle · Hvar Town
2.Fortica (Spanish Fortress)
The 16th-century fortress on the hill above Hvar Town gives the classic view over the harbour's red roofs, the Pakleni Islands and, on clear days, Vis. A shaded path through pine woods and agave climbs from the town in about 20 minutes.
Walk up at sunset, when the light over the Pakleni Islands is at its best.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- History
- Kids
Island · Pakleni Islands
3.Pakleni Islands
A chain of pine-covered islets just off Hvar Town, reached by taxi boats from the harbour in 10–20 minutes. Palmižana on Sveti Klement has sandy coves, a botanical garden and restaurants; Jerolim is partly a naturist island; Stipanska has a beach club; and quieter coves such as Ždrilca reward a longer walk.
Catch an early boat, find a cove and book lunch at a beach restaurant in Palmižana before it fills.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
- Nature
Historic site · Hvar Town
4.Arsenal and Hvar Theatre
The Venetian Arsenal on the square once housed the galley of the Hvar commune. On its upper floor, the theatre founded in 1612 is one of the oldest public theatres in Europe, open to people of all classes from the beginning.
Combine it with the cathedral and square; it makes a good stop during the midday heat.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Hvar Town
5.Franciscan Monastery
On a headland at the south end of the harbour, the 15th-century Franciscan monastery has a peaceful cloister, a garden with an old cypress and a museum whose highlight is a large Last Supper painting. A waterfront walk leads there from the square in about 10 minutes.
Swim at the small pebble beach next to the monastery after your visit.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Off the beaten path
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Historic site · Stari Grad
6.Stari Grad Plain
Greek settlers from Paros divided this fertile plain into rectangular plots bounded by dry-stone walls in the 4th century BC, and many of the boundaries and roads are still used for vines and olives. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.
Cycle the farm tracks in the morning; the visitor centre in Stari Grad has maps of the ancient grid.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Active
Castle · Stari Grad
7.Tvrdalj Castle
The fortified summer house of the 16th-century poet Petar Hektorović is built around a fish pond enclosed by arcades, with Latin and Croatian inscriptions carved into its walls. It sits a short walk from Stari Grad's waterfront.
Read the translated inscriptions; Hektorović carved his thoughts on life and hospitality into the stone.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Stari Grad
8.Stari Grad old town
Founded as Pharos by Greeks in 384 BC, Stari Grad's old town is a quiet maze of stone lanes, small squares and churches such as St Stephen's, with a long waterfront of cafés facing the bay. It has a lived-in feel compared with Hvar Town.
Spend an evening here: dinner in a konoba on one of the back lanes and a walk along the bay.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Food
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Neighbourhood · Jelsa
1.Vrboska and Jelsa
Jelsa's harbour square of plane trees and cafés is linked by a coastal path and road to Vrboska, where little bridges cross a narrow inlet. Vrboska's fortified Church of St Mary was built in the 16th century to shelter villagers from raids.
Walk or cycle the coast path between the two in the late afternoon and stop for a swim on the way.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Photo spot
Nature · Hvar Town
2.Lavender villages of Velo Grablje and Brusje
Above Hvar Town, the inland villages of Velo Grablje and Brusje were once centres of lavender oil production. Terraced fields still bloom purple from about mid-June to early July, and Velo Grablje holds a lavender festival in that season.
Come in late June for the bloom; outside that season, buy lavender oil and sachets from the village producers.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · Zavala and the south coast
3.South-coast vineyards and Pitve tunnel
The single-lane Pitve tunnel, about 1.4 km long, cuts through the island's ridge to the south coast, where Plavac Mali vines cling to slopes falling steeply to the sea around Ivan Dolac, Zavala and Sveta Nedjelja. Several family wineries offer tastings.
Book a tasting in advance in summer and arrange a driver, as the coast roads are narrow and winding.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Views
- Couples
Beach · Milna
4.Dubovica
A pebble bay with a few stone houses and a beach restaurant at the end of a steep footpath from the Hvar Town–Stari Grad road. The water is very clear and the setting is one of the most photographed on the island.
Park carefully at the roadside and wear proper shoes for the 15-minute path down.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Museum · Hvar Town
5.Benedictine Convent and agave lace
The Benedictine nuns of Hvar Town make lace from fine threads drawn from agave leaves, a craft recognised on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Their small convent museum displays the lace and other treasures.
Buy a small piece of lace from the convent itself if you want an authentic one.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Franciscan Monastery and Benedictine Convent and agave lace |
| History | St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral, Fortica (Spanish Fortress), Arsenal and Hvar Theatre and Franciscan Monastery |
| Views | Fortica (Spanish Fortress) and South-coast vineyards and Pitve tunnel |
| Outdoors and nature | Pakleni Islands, Stari Grad Plain, Vrboska and Jelsa and Lavender villages of Velo Grablje and Brusje |
| Food and markets | Stari Grad old town and South-coast vineyards and Pitve tunnel |
| With children | Fortica (Spanish Fortress), Pakleni Islands and Vrboska and Jelsa |
| On a rainy day | Arsenal and Hvar Theatre and Benedictine Convent and agave lace |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Hvar?
St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral. Hvar Town's main square, one of the largest in Dalmatia, runs from the harbour to the Renaissance-Baroque Cathedral of St Stephen and its four-storey bell tower.
+What can you do for free in Hvar?
St Stephen's Square and Hvar Cathedral, Stari Grad Plain, Stari Grad old town, Vrboska and Jelsa and Lavender villages of Velo Grablje and Brusje. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Hvar when it rains?
Head indoors to Arsenal and Hvar Theatre and Benedictine Convent and agave lace.