January 1, 2021 – One way to blow away the cobwebs of 2020 and usher in the New Year is to join Hvar’s ‘Polar Donkeys’ on their annual New Year’s Day swim, which took place today for the 6th year in a row.
It is known for its temperate climate, so temperate that it was the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe back in 1868, with the founding of the Hvar Health Society for convalescing aristocrats from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Its beaches are renowned as some of the finest in Europe, its pristine Adriatic waters hailed as some of the cleanest and most refreshing in Europe.
Which is wonderful in August when the azure waters are heated by the hot Dalmatian summer sun.
But on January 1?
At 13:00 today, the sixth edition of the now traditional New Year’s Day swim on the island of Hvar took place once more, organised by the organisation known as Polarni Tovori (the Polar Donkeys).
The annual swim, which takes place at fashionable Bonj les Bains, the historical 1930s colonnade in front of Hotel Amfora, was well attended again by both humans and the occasional four-legged friend.
With water temperatures of 16 degrees, the water was inviting for the brave-hearted.
A refreshing swim, and a chance to forget the horrors of 2020 and to look forward to another wonderful summer on Croatia’s premier island.
You can get a flavour of today’s action in the video below.
To follow the latest news from the island of Hvar in 2021, follow the dedicated TCN section.
