What to Do in Hvar Old Town: A Practical Guide
From the fortress above Hvar Town to the longest piazza on the Adriatic, Hvar old town rewards those who explore on foot. A guide to the best things to do in Hvar old town, written from inside a restaurant that's been here for decades.
Hvar old town is small enough to understand in a morning and rich enough to reward a week. This is a practical guide to the best things to do, in the order that makes sense for a day spent there.
Start at the main square (Trg Svetog Stjepana)
Hvar's main square is regularly cited as the longest piazza on the Adriatic coast. It is flanked by the cathedral on one end, the Renaissance loggia on the other, and terrace cafés along its length. At 08:00 it is calm and extraordinary. By noon it is crowded. If you want the square without the crowds, arrive before the day-trippers disembark from Split.
The Cathedral of Saint Stephen (Katedrala sv. Stjepana) is worth entering. The 17th-century bell tower is visible from much of the island. The treasury inside contains pieces that have survived every Ottoman raid, Venetian occupation, and Yugoslav-era neglect. It is free to enter and almost always quiet.
Walk up to the Španjola fortress
The fortress above Hvar Town - officially Tvrđava Fortica, locally called Španjola - is a 15-minute walk uphill from the main square. The path is steep in places but paved. What you find at the top: a 16th-century Spanish-built fortress, a rooftop bar with arguably the best view in Croatia, and a perspective of the old town, the harbour, and the Pakleni Islands below that is impossible to fully prepare for.
The fort is open from morning to late evening. The bar operates in season. Go in the afternoon for the best light, or in the evening to watch the sun drop behind the islands.
The Arsenal and the oldest community theatre in Europe
The Hvar Arsenal on the main square dates to the 16th century. Inside, above the original galley garage, is what is claimed to be the oldest community theatre in Europe - built in 1612, open to the public, still occasionally used for performances. It is not the Colosseum, but it is genuinely old and genuinely interesting, and almost nobody visits it because nothing about the exterior tells you it's there.
Get lost in the old town lanes
The residential old town behind the main square is a medieval limestone maze that rewards aimless walking. The lanes are too narrow for cars. The light in the evening is extraordinary - stone walls catching the last of the sun, the smell of jasmine or salt air depending on the breeze. Many of Hvar's best restaurants, including Soul Kitchen, are in these lanes. If you haven't booked dinner and want somewhere quiet and excellent, walking into the old town at 19:00 and following a menu posted on a door is a reasonable strategy.
The Benedictine convent and Hvar lace
The Benedictine convent near the main square is home to the last practitioners of an ancient technique: lace made from agave plant threads. The work is on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. The nuns sell pieces through a small window in the convent wall during visiting hours. The lace is extraordinarily fine, takes months to produce, and costs accordingly. It is one of the most specific and irreplaceable things you can buy on the island.
Swim off the old town rocks
There are small swimming spots directly accessible from the old town - rocky ledges and concrete platforms off the town walls where locals swim. They are not beaches, but the water is clear and deep, the entry is right from the stone, and in the early morning or early evening they are almost entirely free of crowds. Walk around the town walls toward the harbour entrance and you will find them.
Eat and drink well
Hvar's restaurant scene is concentrated in the old town and along the Riva. For breakfast, the Riva cafés open from 07:30. For lunch, the old town fills up quickly after 12:00 - if you want a specific table, book or arrive early. For dinner, restaurants in the old town lanes are better - quieter, more considered, better food. Book in advance for July and August; the island gets very full.
Soul Kitchen is in the old town, minutes from the main square. If you want an evening in the lanes with serious Dalmatian food and a well-chosen wine list, we have a table for you. Reserve in advance.
The Pakleni Islands
The Pakleni Islands - a small archipelago just offshore from Hvar Town - are accessible by water taxi from the harbour (€5-8 each way depending on the destination) or by private boat. The best beaches on Hvar are out there, not in the town itself. If you have a full day, take a morning water taxi to one of the islands, spend the afternoon on a beach or cliff, and return to Hvar in the evening for dinner. If you want more flexibility, private speedboat rental is available from the harbour.
Written from the kitchen at Soul Kitchen, Hvar.