New Info Website and Blog for the Island: Introducing Total Hvar

There are numerous website out there about the island of Hvar. Most are geared towards selling a service, such as apartment rentals, and cover the basics of the island's towns and beaches. The tourist board websites all have good information, but are restricted to the towns and villages they represent. Even they struggle to keep visitors informed of latest news and events.

Meet Total Hvar, the first comprehensive and interactive website for the whole of Hvar Island. In addition to providing the most detailed guide out there to all the towns, villages, activities, festivals (and much, much more!), Total Hvar will keep you in touch with the latest events, deals and news.

At a loose end tomorrow? Why not take part in the Gariful squid-hunting tournament in Hvar Town? Own some land near Stari Grad? Check out the public viewing of the changes to the masterplan from October 31.

As the season approaches, there will be a lot more posts on events, special offers from restaurants etc., as well as a weekly newsletter. Why not add your own events and blog posts about Hvar with our front-end submission form (registration required and all posts moderated before publication)?

Interactive maps will guide you through the island's diverse offer, with a combination of video and slideshows, so that you will be able to plan (and book) your Hvar holiday from the comfort of your living room.

If you have a business or activity related to Hvar that you would like highlighting, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Join us on Facebook and help spread the word, so that we can create the best possible information resource for the best island in the world.

The site is in its infancy but will be growing quickly. Get involved!

From the Archives: Plane Crashes in Hvar Town

There have been calls for a full airport on Hvar for a number of years now, as visitors seek to reduce journey times to Croatia's premier island, but it seems that the need dates back longer than previously thought, with these excellent pictures of a crash on the waterfront in Hvar Town, courtesy of the Hvar Town Tourist Board.

If anyone has more information or pictures from the crash, please get in touch. Hvar has not suffered any plane crashes this summer, but there were other unfortunate incidents, including a yacht running aground after hitting the small islet of Pokojni Dol and another luxury boat running amok in Hvar Town's harbour, hitting five boats in the process.

Sunsets on Hvar: Grab a Cocktail and Enjoy on the Terrace

The end of another perfect day on Hvar. Grab a cocktail, sit on the terrace and enjoy the view, for Hvar has some of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. No need for words on this post, save to thank the Hvar Town Tourist Board for the pictures. Why not join their Facebook page for some of the best constantly updated pictures of Hvar on the web, including many more Hvar sunsets?

Sailing in Croatia: The Boats on Hvar in 2011

Some of the world's most expensive boats were to be seen once again in the harbour of Hvar Town, which enjoyed another star-studded celebrity season. Roman Abramovich's former run-around, Ecstasea, which he sold for a reported $200 million, was in port the day a nearby yacht ran amok, hitting five other boats.

Ecstasea was moored up next to one of the most talked-about boats of the summer at the time, the futuristic Wallypower, part of the fleet of enigmatic Chinese businessman Jimmy Lee, who once again appeared on the island to party.

There were plenty of other impressive yachts, such as Silver, above, as walking along the waterfront to admire the latest vessels became part of the daily routine.

Other luxury visitors included the cruise ship One World, which moored up for the night in October.

There was plenty of sailing action too, including several regattas, and a well-attended sailing festival of traditional boats, the Festa Forske Pulene, in October.

There was an impressive selection of sailboats throughout the year, including this beauty above.

For many tourists, however, the most important boats were much smaller - the water taxis ferrying visitors to and from the Pakleni Islands.

And perhaps the most important boat of all, the Jadrolinija ferry to Stari Grad, the island's main connection with the world, and the most popular route for visitors to Hvar. Jadrolinija has just released its new winter schedule - more info here.

Photos courtesy of the Hvar Town Tourist Board.

Getting around Hvar: Private Transfers from Stari Grad

One of the decisions tourists have to make about their holiday on Hvar is how to get around to explore the rest of the island. Car rental is an obvious option, and there are pros and cons renting on the mainland or on Hvar.

There are buses, but the timetable does not always meet the needs of visitors, particularly those looking to hit the beach or smaller resorts. Scooter hire is also a popular option, but a more convenient choice for some is the private transfer, which is more affordable than people think, as well as offering visitors complete flexibility.

Guests in Stari Grad, for example, are able to enjoy clean, safe and friendly transfers anywhere on the island with a usual waiting time of 5-10 minutes (perhaps a little longer in peak season), and this can be an excellent way of discovering Hvar.

To give an example of prices to the other main towns, pictured above, the price for 1-4 passengers to Hvar Town from Stari Grad was 32 euro, Jelsa 22 euro and Vrboska 20 euro. Prices for larger groups are even more attractive. Groups of 5-8 paid a combined price of 40 euro (Hvar Town), 27 euro (Jelsa) and 25 euro (Vrboska).

The transfer service opens up the possibility to explore the wonderful beaches on the south side of the island - Zavala, Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja. A transfer to Ivan Dolac, for example, cost 38 euro for up to four people, 43 euro for up to eight.

Other smaller resorts not far from Stari Grad are suddenly more accessible for little more than the price of a bus ticket (if indeed buses serviced these routes), such as Basina for 22 euro for four, 27 euro for 8. Individual destinations can be organised.

For an updated price list and more destinations, check out the Hvar Touristik website, or pop into their office which is located on the edge of the old town of Stari Grad. It is also possible to pre-book a transfer by email

Prince Harry on Hvar: The Chinese Animated Version

Footage of Prince Harry's legendary night at top Hvar nightclub, Veneranda, was beamed around the world, as a drunken prince jumped/fell into a swimming club fully clothed.

A Chinese animation of the version has seen less coverage. Enjoy! And then compare the original.

Vrboska in the Past: Old Photos of Hvar's 'Little Venice'

There is a great local blog in Croatian about life on Hvar from a local blogger called Geomir. Based in Vrboska, the blog is in Croatian only, but has some great pictures and insights into island life, including some great old photos, of which these are a selection.

The bridge above is the last one over the Vrboska Canal, which was completely rebuilt a few years ago. Note the women on the left by the water - this was the old laundry spot.

There are also some great sketches, including this one, showing Vrboska as a town of wooden bridges.

Above a view of the old town, with the impressive St. Mary's church fortress towering over all.

Hvar takes its Catholicism seriously, and here is a religious procession, presumably part of the 500 year-old Za Krizem Easter Procession, now under UNESCO protection.

The most fashionable transport, as was...

The Eagle has Landed! Of Pigeons and Bicycles in Jelsa

The life of a pigeon in Dalmatia is not to be envied. Constantly harassed on various squares by young children is an occupational hazard. Occasionally, however, a pigeon will feel safe enough to land close to a child, as happened above yesterday in Jelsa.

It was a busy day for the pigeons, with Jelsa's main square filled with children watching or taking part in the Biciklijada, a fun charity cycling event. Click here for more details.

Google Marks Croatian Independence Day

An unfamiliar look to the homepage of Google.com on October 8 will have filled Croatians with pride. The Croatian crest appeared in the search engine's logo, along with a message in Croatian when the mouse hovered over it, wishing the Republic of Croatia Happy Independence Day.

Happy 20th Birthday to you all!

Accommodation in Vrboska, the Little Venice of Hvar

While most tourists head for the party atmosphere of Hvar Town, there are many other options for a picturesque holiday on the island of Hvar. Among the best is the marina town of Vrboska, on the island's northern coast.

Home to the main ACI marina and popular therefore with the yachting community, Vrboska is arguably Hvar's prettiest settlement, with its stone bridges along the canal from which it gets its nickname, Little Venice. An impressively preserved stone town includes the imperious church fortress of St. Mary, a unique construction in Dalmatia.

With some of the best beaches on Hvar, the most popular nudist camp on the island, and am impressive array of eating, drinking and activities, Vrboska is a perfect place as a base to enjoy the island.

Apart from camping and staying on boats, all accommodation is privately owned (there is one hotel, the Adriatic, but it has been pre-booked en masse), and there are several interesting options for holiday-makers.

There are several apartments on offer which offer excellent views of the old town, sea and canal, including Villa Miljenka, above, where prices start at 80 euro a night.

For a more authentic stone experience, Apartments Lui have a range of options, including the one above, starting at 60 euro a night.

A much more comprehensive accommodation selection, both for Vrboska and the rest of the island, can be found through local tourism experts, Hvar Touristik.

Hvar Town's Most Luxurious Rental? Villa Heraclea behind Hotel Riva

While more exclusive visitors to Croatia's premier island have never had any difficulty in appreciating the beauty of Hvar, finding styling luxurious accommodation has been a little more problematic.

The drive to encourage mass tourism in the 1960s did little for the top end of the tourist market, as renters strived to provide as much tourist accommodation as possible with little disposable income.

With Croatia's tourism emerging from the war-time interruption, there has been a marked investment in the tourist infrastructure, particularly in Hvar Town, where ORCO Group have invested heavily in giving the Suncani Hvar hotels a five-star makeover.

Private accommodation has lagged behind the standards set by the hotel group, but not in all cases. High quality finishes such as Kuca Sofia just off the main square show what is possible at affordable prices, while there are superb luxury offers now emerging, such as Villa Heraclea.

Ideally situated over three floors behind Hotel Riva, Heraclea is perfectly positioned to enjoy the main square, Carpe Diem and luxury waterfront restaurants such as Gariful.

With five bedrooms and five bathrooms, there is ample accommodation, while the villa's swimming pool is a popular feature. The villa has 420m2 of internal space, as well as 220m2 external, plenty of room to relax and unwind.

Renovated to high specification after being purchased as a partial ruin in 2004, the villa is housed in a 16th authentic stone building with excellent views of the sea. Included in the price is the use of a housekeeper, free parking and free luggage delivery.

For more information and to book, visit the Hvar Touristik website, who offer a comprehensive selection of accommodation and tours on Hvar.