2 stops in walking order

Fortress

A 16th-century Venetian fortress crowning the hill above Hvar town. Climb the zigzag path through lavender and pine for the most photographed panorama in Dalmatia — the Pakleni islands scattered across the bay.

~1 h 30 m at this stop

Old Town

Hvar Town wraps its stage-like harbour under a 16th-century Venetian fortress the locals call Fortica or Spanjola. It's Croatia's sunniest island (over 2,800 hours a year), which is why Central European nobility have been summering here for centuries. Take the 20-minute hike up to the fortress for the classic view, then boat over to the Pakleni Islands for pine-shaded coves. Hvar also hosts what may be Europe's oldest continuously operating public theatre, opened in 1612.

~20 min at this stop