As all good stories, this one also has to start with introduction ..
HVAR
Long warm days, old stone homes, vineyards and fields of lavender. Welcome to life on Hvar. Croatia’s little island in the Adriatic is safe, affordable and, well, intoxicating.
Floating just off Croatia’s drop-dead gorgeous Dalmatian coast, Hvar is far different from the other islands; think olive trees, fields of lavender, vineyards and rocky shores. But what Hvar shares with the other islands may surprise you; with an average of nearly eight hours of sunshine per day and water temperatures that hover around 70 degrees for at least half the year, it has one of Europe’s best climates.
Settled, over the centuries, by Venetians, Greeks and Croats, Hvar has a long history of art and culture. The 16th-century Spanjola fortress and the 17th-century municipal theater dominate Hvar town. Here, locals gather in cafés around the cobblestone square and along the palmshaded waterfront each evening to sip prosek, a dessert wine, and dine on local favorites like octopus salad or muckalica (pork cutlets). Beyond the town are rugged mountains scented with lavender and rosemary. You can also take a water taxi to the nearby Pakleni archipelago, where secluded strands of white sand, hiking trails and pine groves await.
