Hvar day trip from Split: Everything you need to know

Finally concluding my jaunt around Croatia is a day trip to Hvar island. Hvar is one of the most famous islands in the whole country and if you love beautiful architecture, a quaint old town and dramatic coastlines, then it’s a stop you have to add to your Croatia itinerary.

Whilst Hvar has become known as more of a party island recently, it’s super easy to take a day trip from Split to Hvar and enjoy the natural beauty of the island without seeing the party side at all….or choose to stay a few nights and enjoy the nightlife.

How to get to Hvar from Split

There are two ways to get from Split to Hvar:

• By ferry – take the Ferry over the water using one of the many companies that run shuttles across including The Kapetan Luka Line or the TP Line. Ferries cost around EUR6 and take around 1hr. They run regularly during high season and semi-regularly during low season.
• By organised tour – Lots of tours are offered combining Hvar with snorkelling and other islands. Tours normally cost around EUR100.

We wanted the flexibility to do our own thing in our own time and weren’t bothered about snorkeling or packing in lots of islands, so opted to take the ferry.

Things to do on Hvar Island

Explore the Old Town

This is where you will disembark from the ferry which is very convenient as it’s one of the most beautiful spots on the island. The old stone pastel colours are just so beautiful and I could walk the streets all day long and never get bored of them.

There’s a stunning white stone cathedral, an old Arsenal building housing the first public theatre in Europe which was opened in 1612 and which you can visit, and dozens of beautiful streets to explore.

Admire the view from the Spanish Fortress

As you’re wandering around the lovely streets of Hvar Town, head up towards the Spanish Fortress. From up here you can enjoy an absolutely incredible view our over the island.

Entrance to the fortress is less than EUR5 and it’s so worth it. The fort is very well preserved and you can easily spend about an hour exploring all the rooms and cellars of it, as well as the sweeping views over the harbour of Hvar. If you’re feeling really adventurous you can climb even higher to the Napoleonic Fort!

Enjoy the Bars of Hvar

Hvar has an amazing selection of bars and restaurants to choose from. We loved sitting in the sunshine with cocktails and food watching the world go by.

Take to the Beaches

Hvar undoubtedly has a lot of beaches with swimming points, though the majority of the beaches on the island are pebbled or made up of large rocks with metal ladders installed for getting into and out of the sea. When it comes to sandy beaches Hvar offers only a few on the northern part of the island, where the winds and waves are stronger. Some of the most beautiful beaches on the island include Malo Zarace and Jagodna, and we enjoyed walking around many of the inlets and bays of the island.

Head to Hvar’s Monastery

A short walk from Hvar’s Riva, the Franciscan monastery houses a rich display of museum exhibits including a collection of Greek, Roman and Venetian coins, rare amphora, and an ancient edition of Ptolemy’s Atlas dated from 1524. There’s also an impressive 16th–century painting of The Last Supper. It’s the perfect, quiet place to finish off a day’s visit to Hvar.