August 12, 2018 – They are probably the two most famous island destinations in Dalmatia, but how do the towns of Hvar and Korcula compare and contrast?
The longer one lives in a country, the better one gets to know it, and I have been very fortunate to have been able to visit many parts of The Beautiful Croatia over the years. One of the reasons I decided to write my first guidebook, Hvar, An Insider’s Guide, way back in 2011, was that there was a real lack of more detailed information about destinations, apart from generic paragraphs about sunshine and beaches. I was astounded on my research of Hvar, for example, to learn that it had the oldest public theatre in Europe, was the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe, had more UNESCO heritage than any island in the world, as well as an olive tree which has been dated at about 500 BC, making it one of the ten oldest in the world. It even had an edible dormouse festival!
Over the years, a lot of people have asked me about the merits of Hvar versus Korcula. The more time I spend on Korcula, the more I understand those little differences one doesn’t pick up from those generic paragraphs mentioned above. It is almost a year since my proper visit to Korcula Town, an experience I wrote about last August. From afar, the towns of Korcula and Hvar look quite similar, and there is not that much information online comparing the two. So here are a few random observations from a foreigner living in Croatia for 16 years.
Heritage
Where to start? The birthplace of Marco Polo, the first place in the world to abolish slavery, Moreska sword dancing, a boatbuilding tradition dating back centuries, and even a private house for Churchill’s top man in the Balkans, Sir Fitzroy Maclean – one of the real-life inspirations for the James Bond character. Korcula’s heritage over the centuries is absolutely fascinating, but equally matched by that of Hvar Town, with its oldest public theatre in Europe, birthplace of organised tourism in Europe, 350 years of UNESCO-recognised agava lace from the Benedictine Nuns, and the birthplace of the king of fingerprinting, Ivan Vucetic. To name just a few things.
Korcula 10, Hvar 10
Views
The view of the Pakleni Islands from the Spanish Fortress is one of the iconic views of Croatian tourism, and it is probably one of the most beautiful views I have ever come across in my life.
Korcula also has spectacular views, especially from those waterfront restaurants in the old town, but the old town itself does not have the benefit of height within the town itself, although I do encourage you to find this bench outside above the old town, below.
Korcula 9, Hvar 10
Food
Dalmatian food is one of the healthiest in the world, indeed the Mediterranean Diet of Hvar and Brac was inscribed as intangible UNESCO heritage back in 2013. The freshest seasonal products from the island’s fields and Adriatic ensure that guests enjoy the finest local produce. Despite having so many good restaurants, there is only one in either town which has a Michelin recommendation – Lesic Dimitri in Korcula (as well as Konoba Mate in Pupnat a few kilometres away, while the only one on Hvar is Apolon in Stari Grad). Hvar has a lot more restaurants than Korcula, and perhaps that is the reason, but there seems to be a lot more concentration on local dishes and cuisine in Korcula than in Hvar. It gives the Korcula dining experience a little more authenticity – for me at least.
Korcula 9, Hvar 7
Wine
Both Hvar and Korcula have incredible wine traditions, with some truly exceptional wines. Indigenous grapes abound, with Korcula famous for its indigenous whites – Grk and Posip – while Hvar has a seemingly endless list – Bogdanusa, Prc, Darnekusa, Kurtelaska, Mekuja, Palarusa, the list goes one. Hvar even has a Master of Wine living on the island and making wine here, the first Master of Wine in Croatia to do so. Korcula’s whites are complimented by the powerful Plavac Mali red wines from the neighbouring Peljesac Peninsula.
Korcula 10, Hvar 10.
Where the two towns differ ENORMOUSLY is in the presentations of those wines. 95% of tourists visiting Hvar Town leave with no clue that Hvar is a wine island, with a tradition dating back 2,400 years, while in Korcula, you would have to be blind to escape the fact, as the Korcula wine story is promoted at every opportunity – wine bars, restaurant wine lists, souvenir shops. In contrast with Hvar Town, where local wines are not presented as strongly on many restaurant wine lists.
Presentation of the wine story – Korcula 10, Hvar 5.
Nightlife and Partying
One of the big differences between the two destinations is nightlife. If you are looking to party, head to Hvar Town. Korcula’s biggest festivals centre around culture – the Marco Polo Festival and next month’s Korkyra Baroque Festival. Hvar also has a lively cultural summer programme, but its biggest festival is the Ultra Europe Festival each July, when up to 5,000 people come to party in the cascading pools of Hotel Amfora.
Hvar has several nightclub options in town – Carpe Diem, Seven and Pink Champagne, while Korcula has just one located out of town. If you are looking for a quiet glass of wine and a relaxing evening of culture, then perhaps Korcula is for you, put for the party, head to Hvar.
Korcula 4, Hvar 10
Sailing
Dalmatia is a sailing paradise, and it is one of the most popular sailing destinations in Europe these days. Absolutely top of the list of places to sail around are the Pakleni Islands in front of Hvar Town. Complete with its very own ACI marina on Sveti Klement, these are absolute jewels of Croatian tourism. Korcula too has great sailing options, with various islands in the Korcula channel and neighbouring Peljesac. If you live on Hvar or Korcula, then it is ideal to buy a boat so that you can cruise the Adriatic carefree and not depend on anyone.
Korcula 9, Hvar 10
Activities
Kayaking, sailing, hiking, biking, rock climbing – all these activities have some on tremendously in recent years, as local enthusiasts – firstly on Hvar and then on Korcula – have woken up to the potential of activity tourism. Businesses such as Hvar Adventure, Korcula Outdoor and And Adventure have added considerable options to the traditional beach holiday, allowing more active tourists to explore the islands in new ways.
Korcula 9, Hvar 9
Location
Is it better for an island to be very accessible or not? To have an airport or not? It is a topic of debate, and while the more accessible a place is, the more business it will attract, the counter-argument is that it will erode some of the authenticity of the destination. Neither Hvar or Korcula are particularly easy to get to, but Hvar is much better served than Korcula with catamarans and ferries from Split, while the VERY regular 15-minute crossing from Orebic to Korcula means that car ferry travel to Korcula can be less stressful than the 2-hour ride to Stari Grad, especially in peak season when there is sometimes overcrowding and the need to wait for the next ferry. One other factor in the future which will help Korcula a lot is the construction of the Peljesac Bridge, which – once completed – will bring journey times to the island down considerably. Simply take the motorway to Ploce and then head to the bridge and ferry at Orebic.
Korcula 7, Hvar 8
Authenticity
If you strip both towns back to their bare stones (and this is why Dalmatia’s towns are well worth a visit in January, when everything is closed and all the restaurant chairs are put away), both of these towns would score a 10 out of 10. I was particularly struck by Dubrovnik in early February when I attended the Feast of St. Blaise. With most things closed and Dubrovnik’s magnificent stone laid bare on every street, the effect is truly magical. It is just a personal opinion, and it is arguably a factor that Korcula’s old town is much smaller, but walking around Korcula feels a lot more authentic than Hvar Town these days. That focus on promoting the island’s wines, olive oil, art, the absence of cheap souvenir shops in the centre, and the lack of fast food joints in the historic centre probably have something to do with that. There are certainly pockets of Hvar Town – especially in its back streets – where the feeling is the same, but for the look of authenticity during the season, Korcula takes the gold.
Korcula 10, Hvar 7
Accommodation
When it comes to places to stay, Hvar Town has so many more options than Korcula. Several more hotels and more than 30 hostels, as the town’s residents adapt to the changing nature of the visiting tourist. By contrast, hostels in Korcula are relatively few, and there are less hotels, although the best hotel accommodation can be found in Korcula Town – Lesic Dimitri. Take a small tour with Lesic owner Michael Unsworth, who was recently featured in this British Embassy video below.
Korcula 7, Hvar 8
Conclusion
The towns of Hvar and Korcula are truly some of the most beautiful in the whole world, and they are rightly very popular with visiting tourists. They offer a wide selection of activities and experiences to be the base for a holiday. They seem to have chosen different paths for their tourism, with Hvar catering to a younger crowd, while Korcula seems to be pushing its credentials as a destination of authenticity and quality. “A destination for grown-ups,” a writer for the Financial Times commented to me over lunch at Lesic Dimitri within an hour of arriving on Korcula earlier this summer. Hvar Town, perhaps, would be more appealing to the 25-35 age group, with a more sedate Korcula perhaps more attractive to the 35+ brigade. They are both fantastic destinations, and the good news is that there are daily connections which connect the two in just one hour, so why not check them both out yourself and report back?
