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🇭🇷 Croatia · IslandGuide Audio Guide
Hvar & Brac
Zlatni Rat · lavender fields · Hvar town · Adriatic
Hvar and Brač sit side by side in the Adriatic, each with a very different character. Hvar Town is the most glamorous destination in Croatia — yacht parties, beach clubs and a Renaissance cathedral. Brač has the iconic Zlatni Rat beach and a quieter pace. Both islands reward those who look beyond the famous spots.
70 points of interest
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Points of Interest
1Hvar Town — Historic Centre
Historic site
Hvar Town occupies the southern coast of Hvar island in Split-Dalmatia County, covering an administrative area of 75.7 square kilometers with a recorded population of 3,979 as of 2021. The settlement came under Venetian protection in 1278, and the centuries of Venetian rule shaped the stone architecture of the historic core. A public theater built here in 1612 is one of the oldest in Europe. The entire historic center is designated a Cultural Heritage protected area, preserving its Venetian loggia, arsenal, and Renaissance cathedral.
Jerolim is the easternmost island of the Pakleni archipelago, the group of sixteen islands lying off the southwestern coast of Hvar. The archipelago covers a total area of 7.165 square kilometers of limestone terrain with pine forest cover. Jerolim is one of the smaller islands in the group and is known for its numerous sheltered coves, which offer calm, clear water suitable for swimming and snorkeling. Access is exclusively by boat from Hvar harbour, with regular water taxi connections operating throughout the summer.
Mlini is a bay within the Pakleni Islands, the archipelago of sixteen islands and islets off the southwestern coast of Hvar covering 7.165 square kilometers. Enclosed by pine forest and limestone terrain, Mlini is described as one of the most scenic and secluded anchorages in the entire Pakleni group, offering calm water and a tranquil setting away from the busier Hvar waterfront. Like all destinations within the archipelago, Mlini is accessible only by boat from Hvar harbour, with no overland route available.
Pokonji Dol is a small islet lying 500 meters south of Hvar Town, measuring approximately 170 by 140 meters with a maximum elevation of 11 meters and a total area of 0.017 square kilometers. A lighthouse was constructed on the islet in 1872, its square tower rising from the roof of the keeper's building. The light reaches 10 nautical miles and is maintained by the Croatian lighthouse authority Plovput. The islet functions primarily as a navigational marker for vessels approaching Hvar harbour from the south.
Mekicicevica Beach sits 2.5 kilometers east of Hvar Town along the island's southern coastline. It is a pebble beach accessible via the coastal road running east from the town center. The beach is listed on the official Hvar tourism portal alongside neighboring coastal beaches including Pokonji Dol, which lies 1.5 kilometers from the town center, and several others spread along the southeastern shore. The surrounding landscape of limestone rock and Mediterranean scrub is characteristic of this part of the Dalmatian coast.
Zarace comprises two pebble coves on the southern coast of Hvar, approximately 6 kilometers from Hvar Town. The two coves sit side by side but face in opposite directions: Velo Zarace opens to the east while Malo Zarace faces west. Both are enclosed by impressive rocky cliffs that rise sharply from the water's edge. The underwater terrain mirrors the dramatic surface topography, making the area notable for snorkeling. The differing orientations mean that one cove or the other receives favorable light and shelter at different times of day.
Tvrdalj Castle in Stari Grad is a Renaissance fortified summer residence built by poet Petar Hektorovic. Initial construction permission was granted in 1448, but work halted due to a Turkish attack and resumed in 1541. The complex encloses a seawater fish pond, a walled garden, and a dovecote tower. Inscriptions in Latin, Croatian, and Italian are carved across the walls, reflecting the owner's humanist ideals. The castle is considered the best-preserved example of Renaissance secular architecture on Hvar island.
Jelsa sits on the northern coast of Hvar island with a municipal population of 3,501 as of 2021. The town was established in the 14th century as the coastal port for the inland village of Pitve. It is the only settlement on Hvar island with a reliable natural supply of fresh water, a distinction that shaped its growth as the island's central port. Jelsa is mentioned in the Statute of Hvar of 1331, placing it among the earliest documented settlements on the island. The harbour remains the main ferry and excursion hub for the central part of Hvar.
Sveta Nedjelja sits on the southern coast of Hvar, reached through the Pitve-Zavala tunnel of approximately 1.5 kilometers. The village is wedged between the sea and the slopes of Sveti Nikola, the island's highest peak at 626 meters. An Augustinian monastery dating from the 15th to 18th century is built into a natural cave in the cliff above the village. Around ten beaches and coves are accessible from the settlement. The surrounding south-facing slopes are planted with Plavac Mali vines, one of Croatia's principal red wine grape varieties.
Jagodna is a pebble beach on the southern coast of Hvar, situated between the villages of Sveta Nedjelja and Ivan Dolac. The beach is fringed by pine forest that extends down to the water's edge, providing shade along the shoreline. The water here is noted for exceptional clarity, and Jagodna is listed among the few beaches on this stretch of the southern coast that offer a mix of pebble and sandy substrate. The location away from the main tourist infrastructure contributes to the beach's relatively secluded character.
Stiniva on the northern coast of Hvar lies below the village of Brusje, approximately 6 kilometers from Hvar Town and accessible by car via the Brusje road. The bay forms part of a cluster of sheltered coves in this area, including Jagodna, Zastupac, Sviracina, and Lozna. Pine forest covers the slopes above the water, providing shade, and the bay catches the afternoon mistral wind. The combination of pine shade and consistent sea breeze makes this stretch a popular alternative to the busier beaches near Hvar Town.
Gromin Dolac is a pebble and rocky beach east of Zavala village on the southern coast of Hvar, reached via an old road from Zavala. Dense pine forest borders the beach, providing shade over the foreshore. Stone houses in the area include some dating to the 17th century, built by local inhabitants as defensible refuges during the era of Adriatic piracy. The beach remains one of the less-visited spots on the southern coast, accessible without a boat but requiring a short drive and walk from Zavala.
Bota Windsurfing Center has operated in Vrboska on the northern coast of Hvar island since 2004. In 2020 the center opened a second location in Stari Grad. Equipment available for hire includes windsurfers, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, wingfoils, electric bicycles, and mountain bikes, making it one of the more comprehensive water and land activity centers on the island. Vrboska's sheltered bay and consistent summer winds make it a suitable base for both beginner and intermediate windsurfing instruction.
Blaca Hermitage on the southern coast of Brac was founded in 1551 by two Glagolitic monks seeking refuge from Ottoman raids. The monastery operated continuously until 1963, when the last resident monk died. The preserved interior holds objects accumulated over four centuries, including a piano, telescope, gramophone, printing press, and handwritten manuscripts. The hermitage has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since January 2007. Access requires a walk on foot through a dry canyon with no vehicle access.
Skrip is the oldest settlement on Brac island, with a population of 157 in 2021 and an area of 5.8 square kilometers. The Island of Brac Museum is housed here in a 16th-century Radojkovic tower built during the Venetian-Turkish wars, standing above a Roman mausoleum. The collection includes Roman stone monuments, a carved Hercules figure, a copy of the Povlja lintel, and ethnographic items from island history. Skrip lies in the island interior and forms part of the administrative City of Supetar.