July 5, 2019 – Hvar Town is changing, and for the better. Some observations from a foreign home owner.
It is the destination which truly has it all.
The sunniest island in Europe, the most UNESCO heritage of any island in the world, the oldest public theatre in Europe, the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe, an outstanding cultural, food and wine scene, some of the best beaches and cleanest seas in the world, as well as incredible nightlife. What is not to love about Hvar?
The egalitarian island, which attracts both A-list celebs (Sylvester Stallone and Jon Bon Jovi in the last couple of weeks, for example) and backpackers, is famous for its ability to offer an incredible tourist experience to different types of tourists simultaneously, and Parry Hvar and Cultural Hvar have coexisted well for decades until relatively recently, when the party took over the peak season and was in danger of changing the image of the elite island.
Local authorities have been working hard to restore the original balance over the last 12 months, and while there is probably some way to go before this is fully achieved, the initial reports are that the tourism experience in Hvar Town is much improved on just a year ago. I noticed the change a couple of weeks ago during a stay at Hotel Adriana, which you can read about here.
And it seems I am not alone in noticing the changes. Barbara Kirby, a South African, who has had property in Hvar Town since 2014 and runs Luxurious Adriatic, posted on Facebook last night:
I’m so much in love with Hvar, by day it has so many surprises – small beaches and little coves to swim, awesome long walks and by night, a completely frenetic, different place. A lot quieter from previous years which we enjoy and the tourists are hopefully starting to respect the magnificent Old Town. Huge super yachts in town tonight which means quality tourists are returning.
Let’s hope I am right.
I contacted Barbara to ask permission to use her text and photos, and she added this with her consent:
Actually it was such a pleasure in Hvar last night, we could sleep before 1:30. This time last year was too terrible. Hopefully beautiful Hvar is changing.
To learn more about the elite destination of Hvar, as it puts its party tourism back in the right balance, check out the Total Croatia Hvar in a Page guide.
