July 12, 2024 – Some things never change – Hvar is once more voted one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Because it is.
When I bought my house in Jelsa on Hvar back in 2002, I knew almost nothing about the island. It was a spontaneous purchase, and the next day I wandered around the town getting to know my new home and came across a map of the island with the title “One of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world.”
I smiled. It looked like I had struck gold.
Hvar simply is one of the most spectacular places on the planet, and my very happy 13 years there enabled me to explore every inch of this paradise, 12 months a year. It is paradise.
I later found out that the title of one of the 10 most beautiful islands was due to the voting in the annual voting of the influential Conde Nast Readers Awards, which put Hvar up there with the world’s best.
And the island’s tourism has improved a lot in that time. When I first arrived, the hotel’s were still recovering from hosting refugees from the Homeland War and there was little investment in quality hotels. That all changed in 2006 with a major investment in leading hotel group Suncani Hvar Hotels, which has slowly been raising the standard of hotel accommodation, culminating in 2019 with the opening of the first five-star hotel, Palace Elisabeth hvar heritage hotel, just off the main square.
One of the few constants in tourism over the last 20 years has been Hvar’s annual reaffirmation as one of the world’s most beautiful islands, and 2024 is no different.
Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2024 have just been announced, and Croatia’s premier island is once more among the elite, named the 3rd best island in Europe and 7th best in the world.
For an adventure in the Med, look no further than Hvar and the Dalmatian Islands. Hvar’s old town, often called the “Queen of the Dalmatian Islands,” has quaint squares, centuries-old edifices, and a medieval fortress that overlooks the Adriatic Sea. A vibrant nightlife adds to the unforgettable experience.
Reader Score: 91.53
You can see the full list here.
And it would appear that more recognition is around the corner. Hvar is once again nominated in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 in the category of Best Islands, with the results to be announced in October.
And October is also a good time to see if your vote is among the ones that puts Hvar at the top of the Wanderlust Readers travel award – Most desirable Island (Europe). Hvar has been nominated, and voting lasts until October 28 (you can vote here).
And if you are already thinking about an early summer vacation next year, spare a thought for Hvar in June, which was highlighted in its feature on the 10 best places to visit in June:
The weather across Croatia is perfect during the start of summer, which means you can wander around Dubrovnik’s Old Town or the fortified center of Zagreb without sweating through your clothes. And since it’s at the very beginning of the high season, you’ll actually have some room to spread out your towel at famous stretches of sand like Zlatni Rat or go island hopping without bumping into too many elbows on the ferry.
Speaking of islands, be sure to prioritize Readers’ Choice Award-winning Hvar, beloved for its yacht-filled harbors, charming towns with cobblestone streets, wineries, and fragrant lavender fields—which will be in full bloom starting around late June. If you’d prefer something a bit more off the radar, head north to Istria, a peninsula shared by Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. There you can eat and drink your way through the region’s local taverns and farm-to-table restaurants, then fall into a blissful food coma at the chic San Canzian hotel.
In truth, Hvar is magical any month of the year, and its diversity appeals to many different types of tourist – choose the month for you.
