Hvar, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, is best known as a summer resort. Highlights of the port town Hvar include its 13th-century walls, a hilltop fortress and a main square anchored by the Renaissance-era Hvar Cathedral. The island also features beaches like Dubovica and inland lavender fields. Boat excursions serve the nearby Pakleni Islands, which have secluded beaches and coves. Wikipedia
"Hvar (pronounced [xvâːr]; Chakavian: Hvor or For, Greek: Φάρος, romanized: Pharos, Latin: Pharia, Italian: Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately 68 km (42.25 mi) long, with a high east–west ridge of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite, the island of Hvar is unusual in the area for having a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh water springs. Its hillsides are covered in pine forests, with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and lavender fields in the agricultural areas. The climate is characterized by mild winters, and warm summers with many hours of sunshine. The island has 11,077 residents according to the 2011 census, making it the 4th most populated of the Croatian islands.
Hvar's location at the center of the Adriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across to Italy and throughout the wider Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since pre-historic times, originally by a Neolithic people whose distinctive pottery gave rise to the term Hvar culture, and later by the Illyrians. The ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BC on the site of today's Stari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe. They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of the Stari Grad Plain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In medieval times, the town of Hvar rose to importance within the Venetian Empire as a major naval base. Prosperity brought culture and the arts, with one of the first public theatres in Europe, nobles' palaces and many fine communal buildings.
The 16th century was an unsettled time, with the Hvar Rebellion, coastal raids by pirates and the Ottoman army from the mainland, resulting in some unusual fortified buildings on the northern shore to protect the local population. After a brief time under Napoleonic rule, the island became part of the Austrian Empire, a more peaceful and prosperous time. On the coast, harbours were expanded, quays built, fishing and boat building businesses grew. At the same time, the island's wine exports increased, along with lavender and rosemary production for the French perfume industry. However, this prosperity did not continue into the 20th century as wooden sailing boats went out of fashion, and the phylloxera blight hit wine production. Many islanders left to make a new life elsewhere.
One industry, tourism, has however continued to grow and is now a significant contributor to the island's economy. The formation of The Hygienic Association of Hvar in 1868 for the assistance of visitors to the island has been instrumental in developing an infrastructure of hotels, apartments, restaurants, marinas, museums, galleries and cafés. Today, the island of Hvar is a tourist destination, consistently listed in the top 10 islands by Conde Nast Traveler magazine." Wikipedia
Latest Reviews
Vinogradisce Bay
2.4
English translation: "For 41 feet on the buoy 50 euros that is highway robbery. Without electricity water breakfast. There are many charter yachts in Croatia without a sewage tank. So what happens in this bay every morning? I guess 50 - 100 people do their business in the promised bay every morning, mind you." Original review: "Für 41 Fuss an der Boje 50 Euro das ist Wegelagerei. Ohne Strom Wasser Frühstück. In Kroatien gibt es sehr viel Charter Yachten ohne Abwasser Tank. Was passiert also jeden Morgen in dieser Bucht? Ich schätze mal so 50 - 100 Leute verrichten ihr Geschäft in die gelobte Bucht wohl gemerkt jeden Morgen."
Hvar
5.0
We struggled and failed to find space to moor in Hvar so chugged on round to the next bay (Milan) and took a red restaurant buoy and had the most amazing dinner during sunset. A lucky find. We headed back to Hvar the next day to stroll around and grab some groceries. An interesting hustling busy city.
Milna
5.0
We struggled to find a space at Hvar town so we pottered round to the next bay... Milna (not to be confused with the town Milna with same name but on Brac Island). It started getting a little late and we looked for a buoy to moor up but a non-english speaking man on a rib told us all the black and white buoys had been reserved.... The place is beautiful so we started to head out and saw a red buoy. Again a man on a rib came out and asked us if we wanted to stay the night and if so we would need to eat at his restaurant. A little risky, but OMG the food and service was amazing! The sunset incredible.
Parja Cove
5.0
We stayed here one starry night, firmly attached to one of the two buoys in the cove, with another yacht on the other. It was the most amazing experience, so peaceful... well until the local fisherman from the house came past at 5am is his noisy fishing boat, putt putt putt, LOL.
Stari Grad Marina
3.8
We liked Stari Grad, but it was al little smelly on the other side of the marina, and some of the buildings looked a little run down. We ventured off and found some really nice off-beat places to eat in the back streets.
Stari Grad Marina
3.8
We liked Stari Grad, lots of history, but a little run down and smelly in places.
Dubovica Cove
3.8
We took the family here to get away from the busyness of Hvar. Our children loved the paddling.
Forecast

Top Marinas, Harbours and Anchorages
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![]() 1 . Parja Cove3.8A very pretty cove with two buoys and a beautiful house. A fisherman on his noisy putt-putt boat leaves very early in the morning. |
![]() 2 . Stari Grad Marina3.3This natural safe harbour has been developed into a large marina offering a pleasant stay with moorings for many yachts. It hosts a multitude of restaurants and facilities. |
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![]() 4 . Stari Grad Marina3.1This natural safe harbour has been developed into a large marina offering a pleasant stay with moorings for many yachts. It hosts a multitude of restaurants and facilities. |
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![]() 6 . Prapratna Cove0.0This pretty cove is tucked in behind a hilly headland east of Jelsa. Home to a few a small number of houses and apartments. |
![]() 7 . Stiniva Cove0.0A small forked cove to the east of Jelsa, and to the west of Zecja beach, provides a small amount of shelter for mooring. |
![]() 8 . Vela Stiniva Hvar0.0A pretty cove with a breakwater for shore-side mooring, behind the beach area it is a little built up. |
![]() 9 . Pokrivenik Cove0.0A small cove on the north side of Hvar island hosting a nice beach to the south and a smaller cove to the east. |
![]() 10 . Mala Garska Cove0.0This small very narrow cove to the west of Hvar town provides some confined shore-side mooring for smaller vessels. |
![]() 11 . Vela Garska0.0A naturally sheltered forked cove on the south of Hvar island and to the west of Hvar town, hosts a single tavern. |
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![]() 13 . Pribinja Cove0.0A slightly larger cove than neighbouring Vira, hosts two taverns providing some limited mooring. |
![]() 14 . ACI Hvar Marina0.0This small busy marina provides a number of pontoons and jetties in shallow water. There are basic facilities, including a taxi to Hvar town. |
![]() 15 . Podstine Harbour0.0A small harbour with a small break-water provides limited shore-side mooring and shelter but is in close proximity to a number of beach bars. |
![]() 16 . Saint Jerolim Island0.0A small island nearest to Hvar town hosts a lighthouse and a small cove on the southern side for unsheltered anchoring. |
![]() 17 . Stipanska Island0.0A small uninhabited island with a couple of restaurants hosts a couple of options for anchoring. |
![]() 18 . Marinovac Bay0.0A bay nestled in between a number of islets opposite Hvar town surrounded by several restaurants. |
![]() 19 . Vinogradisce Bay0.0A long cove on the south of Pakleni island hosts a number of restaurants and is a short distance over land to the ACI Marina on the bay on the opposite side of the island. |
![]() 20 . Klement Bay0.0A large bay under the Saint Klement mountain provides a picturesque stop, and is a short walk to a local restaurant to the west. |
![]() 21 . Vlaka Bay0.0This large bay has a number of coves, the furthest south hosts a local restaurant and a small jetty. There is no natural shelter in this bay. |
![]() 22 . Milna Bay0.0A lively town, especially at night, hosts some amazing views and restaurants. Restaurants offer buoys and taxi to shore services for visiting yachts that dine with them. Many buoys are reserved in ... |
![]() 23 . Zarace West0.0The bay to the west provides limited shelter for visiting boats to anchor. The opposing bay offers some buoys for the restaurants. |
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![]() 25 . Nedjelija Harbour0.0An old harbour with a new outer breakwater provides some good shore-side mooring and a local restaurant. |
![]() 26 . Ivan Dolac Beach0.0This pretty little town has no mooring facilities but has a number of apartments and a beach that can be reached from anchoring nearby, although there is no protection or natural shelter. |
![]() 27 . Zavala Harbour0.0A tiny harbour with a small breakwater offers some limited shelter for shore-side mooring, with anchoring possible out-side the jetty. |
![]() 28 . Srhov Dolac0.0A wide cove with a couple of old houses provides little shelter from ocean swell, but may provide some shelter from west or easterly winds. |
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Top Towns
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1 . Milna
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3 . Hvar
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4 . Stari Grad
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6 . Sveta Nedelja
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7 . Ivan Dolac
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8 . Sucuraj
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9 . Jelsa
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10 . Vrboska
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