September 30, 2026 – Famous for its sun, beaches, heritage and nightlife, a new initiative celebrates another of its gems – wellbeing. Meet HVARMONY.
Soon after I moved to the island of Hvar back in 2003, an island whose existence I had only become aware of two days before I bought my house, I realised that it was a very distinct island of two halves. The most famous, of course, was the tourism side, with its world famous beaches filled with tourists all over the world, as they also enjoyed the fine gastronomy, culture and endless sun.
But there was another side to Hvar, and one that I liked much better – the off-season. No longer warm enough to swim (although some did), devoid of tourists, most businesses closed for the season, but what a fantastic slice of nature to enjoy in peace and quiet. If Croatia made me realise that quality of life, lifestyle and wellbeing were the shortcut to happiness, it was the winters in Jelsa that first pointed the way.
Olive groves, vineyards, growing their own food, while loudly discussing olives and Hajduk Split over timeless coffees, I had never come across a place so contented with itself. And I quickly learned that I was not alone. All over the island, there were Austrians, Norwegians, Americans, Germans living in the hills or smaller villages, some with yoga studios, but all thrilled that they had found such a gem off the radar.
The digital nomad revolution came to Croatia in 2020, enabling a new breed of tourist to spend an extended period in Croatia. One of the first was an American couple who moved to Jelsa and did a great documentary for national tv on why life on a Dalmatian island in January was perfect. Some locals might have thought they were nuts, but I understood perfectly.
And as look around Hvar these days, in addition to the tourism, there is another undercurrent bubbling away – wellbeing. Yoga, pilates, energy healing, retreats – they are all increasing in number and diversity. It is for me an essential part of the Hvar DNA – this is, of course, the island that was nicknamed the Austrian Madeira for its temperate and healing climate, which resulted in it becoming the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe with the founding of the Hvar Health Society in 1868.
But there has been precious little official recognition of this wellbeing aspect. Until now.
Meet HVARMONY, an excellent initiative from the Hvar Tourist Board, which will take place for the first time from October 15-18. And before we get to the concept and programmes, the locations of the event set the tone – the oldest public theatre in Europe, the impressive Arsenal on the corner of the main square, the 1930s colonnade, Bonj les Bains, and the 5-star Maslina Resort, whose slogan is Mindful Luxury.
So what exactly is HVARMONY? An explanation from the dedicated website:
HVARMONY is a four-day gathering built around one simple question: how can we live better, longer and more fulfilling lives?
From 15 to 18 October in Hvar, talks, conversations, workshops and shared experiences will explore what wellbeing really means today, why we seem to need it more than ever, and whether somewhere along the way it has become yet another industry selling us health, happiness and longevity.
Over the four-day event, some 23 Croatian and international speakers will put on an excellent and diverse programme exploring key themes on health, happiness and longevity, with plenty of yoga, pilates and other energy food for the body. You can see the whole programme here.
I really like the direction that Hvar tourism is going these days, it is a much more pleasant experience, and I applaud the organisers of this initiative, which will not only bring together motivated like-minded people, but also showcase some of the magic I first discovered a quarter of a century ago.
Entrance and participation for events is free of charge (with the exception of a few sessions which are paid), although registration is required. You can do this on the official HVARMONY website.
