One Day in Hvar: Top Things to Do in Hvar Town

Hvar island, located very close to Croatia’s second-largest city of Split, is considered to be another jewel of the Adriatic Sea. Famous since ancient times, because of its significant nautical, and strategic position, the island is rich in culture, natural monuments and historical sights. Most of Hvar attractions are located in Hvar town, making it a great day trip either from Split or Korcula island.

How to get to Hvar island

Unfortunately, the only way to get to Hvar is via a ferry from other islands or central cities of Croatia. If you’re coming from European cities, you can flight to Split or Brac and take a boat from there. Frequent passenger ferries also run from Korcula and Dubrovnik.

The ferry from Korcula to Hvar in October ran only at 6 am and the ticket price was 70 Kuna

If you are touring the country with a car, you can book a ticket with a car ferry. Jadrolinija is the biggest ferry company in Croatia.

Similar to Korcula town, Hvar is also quite small. Therefore, it makes a perfect day trip opportunity if you are short on time. We didn’t want to spend a night here, so we took an early morning ferry from Korcula and spent a great day lounging at the beach, walking around the historic sights, and having a nice hike up the fort.

Top 6 Things to do in Hvar

People-watch at St. Stephen’s Square

This is the main square of the town, with a massive cathedral and whitewashed buildings lined on both sides of the area. As we arrived early in the morning, we set at one of the restaurants to have breakfast and see how the town woke up.

Visit the summerhouse of the Poet Hanibal Lucic

One of the things to do in Hvar is to marvel in the summerhouse of a famous Croatian poet. Located a bit outside of the Stari Grad, or old town in English, the summerhouse is a great example of a suburban home with a central courtyard and two houses. It served as a residence and a place of business poet Hanibal Lucic.

Admire beautiful building of Loggia

Overlooking the bay of Adriatic Sea, the building together with the clock tower is the only remains of the former Governor’s Palace. What you see today is a relatively new building of late Renaissance style built in the 16th century. The current interior is designed in neo-Renaissance and serves as an exhibition hall and a reception area for Hotel Palace.

Have only 24 hours to spend in Korcula city? Check out One Day in A City’s post about this gorgeous little town

Visit the Franciscan Monastery and Museum

Build in the 15th century with Renaissance-style details, the monastery is majestic with its stone walls, a small garden, and a church. There’s a museum inside the monastery where you can see ancient coins, artwork, and liturgical items.

Hike up the fortress and enjoy panoramic views

One of the best things to do in Hvar is to enjoy stunning panoramic views of the town and port from the Fortica. It used to be the initial fortress of the town. Standing on a hill overlooking the sea and the town, the area offers beautiful panoramic views.

This well-preserved fort is acclaimed for its elegant layout. Here, you can wander through bastions, dungeons, gunpowder rooms, a chapel, and a tower.

Enjoy a nice day at the beach

Once you are finished with an exploration of the city, sit down at the beach near the Franciscan Monastery. And if the weather is warm enough you can even take a swim.