October 13, 2019 – The season may be ending but the promotion goes on – an ambitious project to connect the Lesina of old (Hvar) with Lesina in Italy today – by kayak.
The island of Hvar has had many names over the centuries. When the Ancient Greeks from the island of Paros sailed into what is now Stari Grad some 2,400 years ago, they named the island Pharos. In the 3C BC, the Greek poet Apollonius of Rhodes referred to it as Piteyeia after its pine trees, while the Romans changed the name slightly to Pharia and then Fara. Slavic influences changed the name to Quarra and finally to Hvar, but there was one other important period of the island’s history when the name changed completely, as you can see from the postcard of the original Hotel Elisabeth, now available on eBay for a cool 12,000 euro – Lesina.
Lesina was the Venetian name for Hvar, and it remained its name for centuries, and Venetian culture, history and architecture has left its mark on the island over the years.
This week sees an ambitious attempt to connect the island formerly known as Lesina (Hvar) with the settlement of the same name in Gargano, some way up the coast from Bari. And what better way to join the project ‘From Lesina to Lesina’ than by kayak, thereby showcasing Hvar’s adventure tourism credentials. Hvar Tourist Board has teamed up with adventure tourism specialists, AndAdventure, and the plan is for representatives of the tourist board and the tour agency to set off from Hvar on October 15 – weather permitting – and undertake a six-day kayak across the Adriatic to Lesina in Italy. Stops on the way will include the Croatian islands of Korcula, Palagruza and Susac, as well as the Italian islands of Pienose and San Domino.
After arriving in Italy, our kayaking heroes will hold meetings with representatives from the representatives of Lesina, as well as visiting the island of San Clemento, which shares its name with the largest of the Pakleni Islands, Sveti Klement.
Assuming perfect weather conditions, the expedition From Lesina to Lesina will depart on October 15 from the harbour in Hvar at 08:00.
Feeling inspired to get into a kayak and start a journey of discovery of your own? AndAdventure among the top regional kayak specialists, whether that is kayaking between UNESCO World Heritage Sites Trogir and Diocletian’s Palace in Split or a sunset paddle around the Pakleni islands. Take a tour of their services or check out the kayak promo video below.
