September 14, 2023 – It is Croatia’s premier island, and also one of the top 10 islands in the world – magical Hvar.
When I bought my house on the island of Hvar way back in 2002, I knew nothing about the island. Indeed, I had never even heard of it 48 hours prior to my first visit. But I quickly fell in love, and then slowly began to discover what a treasure I had found.
One of the first things I discovered in Jelsa was a map of the island on the Jelsa waterfront, which stated that Hvar was one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world. Wow, sounds like I made a good choice, I concluded.
That claim, Hvar is one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world, was one I heard a LOT, and it had its origins in the 1997 Conde Nast Readers Awards, which recognised the beauty of this exquisite Dalmatian island.
And over the last 20 years, Hvar has appeared in many such polls, consistently in the top ten, even being voted the best island in Europe twice by Conde Nast.
And, more than 20 years after I first set eyes on a slice of Paradise that would be my home for 13 years, the wonder of Hvar continues, as Hvar once again finds itself in the top 10 islands in the world, this time in the Big 7 list of top 50 islands in the world. Here is what they had to say:
“Hvar might be one of Croatia’s best-known and trendiest islands but that doesn’t make it any less special. Between its cobbled alleys, cocktail bars and yacht-lined promenade it’s easy to see why travelers hotfoot to Hvar Town, but beyond the capital, there are ancient hamlets, acres of vineyards and secluded beaches for those looking for something a little more low-key. Star-spotters should get extra excited: Jelsa was recently named the first International Dark Sky Community in Southern Europe.”
You can see the full list here.
