Very nice article in today’s Irish Examiner about our favourite sunshine island. And with direct flights from Dublin to Split having just been announced by Aer Lingus (the only error in the article), are we about to see a small influx of Irish tourists in 2017?
“The chirp of crickets, the sweet smell of figs ripened to bursting in the heavy midday heat, a glimpse of the azure Adriatic Sea through pine trees: the island of Hvar is a microcosm of the best that Croatia has to offer, from remote villages slumbering through siesta time to trendy bars frequented by golden-skinned jetsetters.
It’s been a popular holiday destination since the mid-19th century, when the establishment of the “Hygienic society of Hvar” made it a genteel spa location for a recuperative rest-cure, and inhabitants of the 68km-long island are justifiably proud of its illustrious, Venetian-influenced past and reputation as one of the most beautiful Croatian islands.
Watching the throng of tourists disperse from the evening ferry into Hvar town from Split is quite the disappearing act; while some of the towns can feel inundated, and some of the beaches have busy neighbouring resorts, there are still plenty of quiet spots and isolated rural areas and the island’s pristine environment and 10,000 residents cope admirably with an annual influx of over 150,000 foreign visitors each year.”
