Hvar Shore Excursion Reviews

  • Popular Things to Do in Hvar

  • Food and Drink in Hvar

  • Best Cocktail in Hvar

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Popular Things to Do in Hvar

Food and Drink in Hvar

Given its history and location, it's hardly surprising that the food in Hvar is powerfully influenced by both Italian and Eastern European cuisine. You'll find more eastern European dishes -- like goulashes, stews and grilled meat dishes -- if you venture to the interior. If you're dining along the coast, expect lots of Italian-style pasta and pizza dishes, as well as excellent fresh-caught fish and seafood.

Like to eat as the locals do? Then look out for peka (sometimes called ispod peke), a hearty tagine-style dish in which lamb or squid is slow-cooked under a bell-shaped lid placed on hot coals. More hot coals are piled on top, and vegetables are added as the meat or seafood grows tender. Other local specialities include Hvarska gregada, a dish created by Hvar's fishermen, which combines the day's catch with potatoes, white wine and herbs.

Don't leave Hvar until you've sampled prsut (Croatia's version of prosciutto ham) and Paski sir, a delicious sheep's cheese from the island of Pag -- you'll find both widely featured in restaurant menus.

Prefer to snack on the go? You can always grab a tasty slice of pizza -- every bit as good as the Italian version -- but look out, too, for more local fast food specialities like cevapcici (thin sausages made from minced meat) and burek (baked pastries stuffed with mince, spinach and cheese).

And for dessert, try fritule, mini sugared doughnuts flavored with fruit, or kremsnita, a glorious vanilla custard cake. Or ice cream (called sladoled), which you'll find in great quivering, pastel-tinted mounds in the fridges of most cafes.

If you like to follow your nose when choosing a lunch venue, you'll find a whole host of them along Hvar town's pretty waterfront.

Giaxa: Giaxa is an upmarket restaurant and expensive by Croatian standards, but it's worth it for its very pretty courtyard and wide-ranging menu, which features specialities including Hvarska gregada and lamb pasticada. This eatery is a good choice for a special occasion or just for a treat. (Petra Hektorovica 3 behind St. Stephen's Square; +385 (0) 21 741 073; open noon to midnight)

Gariful: The stylish Italian-style restaurant Gariful is located right next to the tender station, so it's handy if your ship's in late enough for you to enjoy a dinner ashore. With an outdoor terrace decked with white sunshades, this place is fun for lunch and charming at night when the harbor lights are sparkling. You can try Dalmatian prosciutto and a platter of local cheeses. Also worth trying -- if you love fresh seafood -- are the green tagliatelle with shrimps and the lobster carpaccio. (Riva 21; +385 21 742 999; open noon to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight)

Fresh Pasta House at Riva Terrace: Enjoy a cheap and cheerful lunch at this waterfront bistro and cafe along the Riva. Look for pasta with salmon and shrimp, four cheese and ham tortellini, and Tartufo Italiano and Italian trifle. (Obala Riva 27, 21450; open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

Best Cocktail in Hvar

The wackiest drink you may see is Bambus -- a mixture of red wine and Coke served over ice. Beer-lovers should try Osjecko, the region's oldest beer, first brewed in the 17th century. You also should try Croatian wines, such as Plavac Mali, a lusty red from the Peljesac peninsula, or Posip, a white wine made around Korcula.

Don't Miss in Hvar

Franciscan Monastery and Church of Our Lady of Charity: Head right when you land at the tender station, and you can't miss the Franciscan Monastery and Church of Our Lady of Charity. In all honesty, the 15th-century building is not wildly exciting, but it has a peaceful garden enlivened by a large statue of a kneeling friar, plus a pretty 16th-entury bell tower, painting of "The Last Supper" by Venetian artist Metteo Ingoli and a striking statue of the Pieta. The monastery's Renaissance cloister leads to a small museum where you'll find a collection of old lace, historic coins and ancient documents, including an edition of Ptolemy's Atlas which dates from 1524. (Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays; entrance fee)

Fortica: The medieval citadel Fortica is a stronghold that was reinforced by the Venetians in 1557 and renovated by Austrians in the 19th century when barracks were added. It can be reached via a slightly steep climb through parkland to the north of St. Stephen's Square. Apart from sweeping views down to the sea, it has a pleasant cafe where you can relax and get your breath back. (Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; admission fee)

St. Stephen's Square: Referred to by residents as Hvar Square, it's an imposing, historic area that spans 4,500 square metres and is one of the largest in Dalmatia. In the 13th century, it was a bay to the south of the main town and was developed on reclaimed land as the town spread in the early 16th century. The square is the heart of Hvar and is a lovely place just to hang out. It features delightful boutiques and pavement cafes and contains a 16th-century well and the town's historic arsenal, which dates from 1611 and was used by the Venetians to maintain their fleet of galleons. Hvar's Renaissance Theatre (built 1612) lies within the arsenal and is open daily (8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

St. Stephen's Cathedral: Built on the site of a sixth-century Christian church and endowed with ancient choir stalls and a beautiful, four-story Renaissance bell tower, St. Stephen's Cathedral also holds a fine collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings, including one of the Madonna which dates from 1220. The Episcopal Palace next to the cathedral holds a small museum with a collection of historic art, altar vessels and vestments. (Museum open 9 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., cathedral open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; donation suggested)

Stari Grad: Hire a car or take a taxi to the island's oldest settlement, Stari Grad, founded by the Greeks in 400 B.C. and only 15 miles from Hvar town. Have a look around its Dominican Monastery, which dates from 1482 and -- after being attacked by invading Turks -- had a lookout tower added in the 1570s. The 19th-century church attached to the monastery holds a painting of "Christ's Burial" by Tintoretto (Open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; admission fee). Also worth seeing is the Renaissance villa Tvrdalj, which dates from 1520 (+385 21 765068; open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May and June, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. July and August; admission fee)

Saint Clement (Sveti Klement): Take a 20-minute taxi-boat ride from Hvar's seafront to this islet of Saint Clement, where you can swim and sunbathe in idyllic surroundings and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch at the Palmizana villa and restaurant complex run by the Meneghello family. Call to arrange boat transfers by the resort (+385 21 717270), or contact Taxiboat Colnago (+385 (0) 98 9595 094) or Taxi del Mar: (+385 (0) 98 215 451).

Pakleni Islands: Take a private boat tour of the Pakleni Islands. You can arrange a tour by turning right where your tender lands and strolling along the seafront toward the Franciscan monastery. Boat owners pitch their tours at the rocky cove where you also will see people swimming. You need to negotiate the price, but a boat with skipper can be hired for three hours for about 90 euros). Alternatively, book with Hvar Adventure, which offers half-day sailing trips around the islands. (+385 21 717 813)


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