It’s Saturday. My two week summer school in Split where I was teaching an intensive Fundamentals of Marketing course has ended. Today was a day off with a Canadian friend who’s traveling in Europe.
Why don’t YOU take the day off and come on a little journey over to the island of Hvar off of the coast of Croatia? No talk of marketing or business strategy or anything to do with work at all – just a touristy day out in Hvar town.
Hvar is a lovely island off the coast of Split with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and fields of lavender, its limestone hillsides covered in pine forests.
Over the centuries the island has been colonised by the Greeks, been part of the Roman Empire, then part of the Ottoman Empire, then a Venetian Protectorate, owned by Hungary then regained by the Venetians, annexed by the Hapsburg monarchy, seized by the French and then by the British, regained by the Austrians, occupied by Italy and finally becoming partof Yugoslavia and recognised as an independent state in 1992. Wow!
For a long time it’s been a favourire destination with tourists – regularly listed in the top 10 islands by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
We took the 9h15 Jadrolinija catamaran from Split which arrives at Hvar town at 10h20. And what a lovely town it is !
It was my first visit and I would love to go back and spend a week there. There’s so much to do and see and enjoy.
We walked around the various bays and dipped our feet in the water off the rocks.
I especially liked the idea of these curtained beds by the side of the sea.
We walked around the town and up it’s quaint winding streets.
We plodded up 200 steps and then along a path that winds through the pine forests and cactus to the fortress high above the town and harbour serenaded by chirriping cicados. Once at the top the views of the harbour and the other islands were stunning.
The fortress, or Spanjola, is built on the site of a Byzantine citadel. The current structure was begun in 1282 when Hvar was under Venetian rule. By the 16th century the structure was more or less complete. In 1571 the local people sought refuge in the fort when the Turks attacked the town. Over the centuries it has been repaired and adapted. In the 19th century when Hvar was under Austrian rule a large barracks were built beside the fort. There’s a smalll museum with a collection of ancient amphorae recovered from the seabed.
After we sauntered back down from the fortress we went to the harbour and settled in some comfy chairs at BB Club overlooking the harbour to enjoy some cocktails.
Then … reluctantly … we headed off for the bus to go over to the other side of the island and took the 20h ferry from Stari Grad back to Split.
Oproštaj Hvar – do sljedećeg puta!