Hvar Croatia

The Island of Hvar, a 58km slice of weathered rock streaks through the clear steel-blue waters of the Adriatic, just off Croatia's Dalmatian Coast.  Locals brag that it is the sunniest place in Europe, yet it remains relatively undeveloped. 





The capital of the island, also called Hvar, is a tight cluster of white stone and red tile hugging the protected harbour that made it a valued outpost for the Greeks, Romans, Venetians and French (Napoleon of course).  











Each of the occupying powers added a layer of architecture - houses, churches, villas, an armoury and strong defensive walls capped of with  magnificent hilltop citadel and walls. The first hotels appeared in the mid-1800s.










St. Stephen's Cathedral is the centre-piece of the main square.  During the Venetian Republic, it divided the wealthy "Patricians" on the hillside from the working class "Plebians" closer to the sea.  Their acrimonious relationship was soothed when Venice sent a mediator who, in 1612, created Europe's oldest public theatre in the harbourside arsenal building - common ground where the warring factions could work together.







In recent years, the old town has attracted a jet-set super-yacht culture with tony shops and a hopping night-life springing up around the picturesque harbour. 

Hvar is also a favourite among those seeking the natural beauty of Croatia's Dalmatian Coast.  The waters are clear and unpolluted and the island still relatively undeveloped.  









On the eastern edge of the old town, the Franciscan Monastery nestles between its lush garden and the glistening sea.  At sunset, the solid stone church and lacy Renaissance bell tower glow with Mediterranean warmth. 









It is easy to hop onto a water taxi and within minutes step onto the pristine beaches of the Pakleni Islands - a string of largely uninhabited outcroppings that skim the horizon and shelter Hvar from the Adriatic expanses.  The islands' hidden coves are favoured by boaters and Naturists of all shapes and shades. 

On the mainland, the beaches are rocky, the waters are crystal clear, and there is often a food establishment of some sort nearby. Pokonji Dol, on the right, is the town's main beach, a healthy stroll past the Franciscan Monastery.  

Marvelous local dishes are one of the many pleasures of the island.  Seafood or lamb, doused in the rich local olive oil, grilled with locally grown vegetables and accompanied by deep, golden wine from the valleys beyond are a joy. 








There are, of course, other towns on the island.  Renting a car and heading south west takes the traveler through a long tunnel to the second town of Stari Grad.  The road then loops down into steep ravines and shoots out around the edge of precipitous cliffs before it settles into the vineyards and olive orchards on the southern tip of the island. 




Even on flat stretches, the road is raised on sheer stone piers above the fields with no shoulder or guardrails.  Steely nerves and a sleeping co-pilot make the trip a little easier. 










But the reward is the charming Mediterranean village of Sucuraj at the southwestern tip. Charming and sad ... just a block in from the lovely harbour, ancient stone homes are roofless and neglected.  Hard economic times have sent those who can to work in the tourist destination of Dubrovnik or the big cities of Split and Zagreb. 

On the ferry from Sucuraj back to the mainland, the views of the majestic coastal mountains and tiny seaside villages marks the Dalmatian coast as one of the most beautiful, and as yet undeveloped corners of the Mediterranean.   

- 30 -

Split Croatia - Layers of History

The evening sun slants across Spit’s glass-smooth harbour and gilds the lace tracery of the Renaissance bell tower.  The white stone blocks of the Roman walls glow with their own internal light, modulated by fluttering laundry hung through medieval windows. Red tile roofs demarcate the Mediterranean old town from the socialist blocks of Tito's republic.  


The city of Split is one of the most fascinating of the Dalmatian coast.  It is EU-member Croatia's second largest city and a bustling modern hub.  But two millennia of history are meshed into its architecture. 

The first significant construction on the site was Roman Emperor Diocletian's retirement palace - a monumental quadrangle of white stone set in a scenic harbour backed by a steep ridge of mountains. 





The walls of his palace still encircle the old town - the graceful arches of his promenades are still visible in the stone work, although later generations have built homes, shops, churches and a synagogue into the spaces behind - punching holes for new windows, doors and even air conditioning units.  







The centre of the old town is Diocletian's Peristil - a beautiful public space surrounded by red granite columns brought from the Egyptian temples of Luxor.  A cafe by that name now serves drinks on red cushions and at night, music encourages revelers to dance where a Roman emperor once entertained. 

Diocletian's palace vestibule closes off one end of the small square; another is the entrance to what was once his Mausoleum. 

The octagonal domed structure dominated the Palace and still does.   However, after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was converted into the Cathedral of St. Dominus - dedicated to a martyr put to death by the Christian-hating emperor.  

The renaissance bell-tower took 300 years to complete and now dominates the town, proudly declaring the strong Venetian influence along this strategic coast. 

The compact, ornate interior, makes use of Roman structural elements, including pieces of Diocletian's sarcophagus re-purposed as a pulpit.  One more element of historical irony.  

Underneath the entire city - a magnificent feat of Roman engineering.  The cellars, constructed of massive piers of stone, supporting soaring arches, leveled the floor for Diocletian's palace and echoed the floor plan above.  

In the 2,000 years since the emperor's death, the structures above were altered, demolished and rebuilt but the cellars retained their design.  Each generation simply punched holes in the floors of their dwellings and dropped garbage and sewage into the void below, slowly filling them up - an archaeological treasure trove when excavated in the early 90s. 




The Venetians left their mark on the city with lovely palaces and open squares.  All re-purposed for modern life in a modern city. 

The many layers of Split's history make it a fascinating stop on a tour of Croatia's Dalmatian Coast.  But is is also the city's stunning location that make it even more inviting: crystal clear water, pebbly beaches in picturesque coves, and lots of opportunities to hike in the hillsides nearby.

And Split is the embarkation point for further adventures on the stunning islands of Hvar, Korcula and Vis.

- 30 -