Imagine spontaneously buying your new home on a Dalmatian island that you had never heard of 2 days before your purchase, whose name I still can’t pronounce properly 20 years later, only to find that this was a magical island, often acclaimed as one of the most beautiful in the world.
But leave the beaches and the nightlife to one side for a moment if you can, for this is an island of incredible depth, tradition, culture, wine and, well, just some pretty far-out stuff.
Having lived in Jelsa full-time since 2003, it was only when I decided to write the first modern guidebook about the island of Hvar in 2011 that I began to discover what a truly special island it was, with many of its secrets not only unknown to most tourists, but also to many locals as well. The Total Hvar portal I started over a decade ago led to over 9,000 articles about the island over the next 10 years, the most articles one person has ever written about the island (and I am not saying they were all good…).
But the more I explored, the more blown away I was by what I discovered about this incredible island. It was a true pleasure to document my findings for the benefit of others.
Here are 10 things that blew my mind about my adopted Croatian island home, where I lived for 13 happy years. Want to learn more? And do stay around for the bonus at the end. I am willing to bet that many Hvar residents will find something new in these ten things:
Video thanks to:
Igor Duzevic
The fabulous Hvar TV
Hvar Tourist Board
Video editing by Miranda Milicic Bradbury, filmed by Igor Vuk
Want to discover more about Croatia beyond the beach? Subscribe to the new YouTube channel, Paul Bradbury, Croatia and Balkans Expert.
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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning – Business and Dalmatia.
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