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[image caption=”Hvar”]http://hotspots.net.hr/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Hvar.jpg[/image]
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City Hvar
As Town of Hvar was situated in the heart of the maritime and trading routes, many cultures, starting from early Neolithic through Hellenic and Roman culture to the Renaissance and Baroque, left their traces in the history of the island.
Over the centuries Hvar was major Venetian port in the eastern Adriatic. Nowadays it is a popular destination for international jet-setters and their luxurious yachts. On a hill above the town there is the fortress with the city walls that were built to protect the noble palaces from invaders and pirates. Today, Hvar’s best restaurants and bars are situated in those palaces, Many hedonists from all over the world enjoy the rich island’s gastronomy and entertainment there.
Secret Hvar
Just ten minutes drive from the Town of Hvar, there is a totally different Hvar, covered with Mediterranean vegetation, vineyards, olive trees, lavender fields and endless stone walls, ready to be revealed to the occasional passers and adventurers seeking for new excitements.
The island has several old abandoned villages that are woken up as soon as tourists walk in.
Malo Grablje is a village hidden in the canyon with the ancient Municipal road, Via communis, which once linked the settlement of Hvar and Pharos. There is St.Tudor’s church, built in 19th century, which is open only twice in the year–the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in October.
Two kilometers uphill from Malo Grablje lies Velo Grablje, founded in the 15th century. Archeological site Babina špilja is the evidence that the area around Velo Grablje was inhabited since the Neolithic period. After the vine disease, many residents of Velo Grablje and other villages immigrated to America and Australia, looking for a better life. Those who stayed in the village began the produce of rosemary and lavender essential oils. “Ružmarinska zadruga” was established in 1892 as the first such association in Croatia.
Stari Grad is considered to be the oldest town in Croatia. It was founded by the Greeks in 385 BC and was named Pharos. Behind the town there is the largest and the most fertile field on the Adriatic islands, famous by Greek land division. Since 2008 it is under UNESCO protection.
The road to the island’s highest peak St. Nikola is filled with rosemary, sage, lavender and other Mediterranean plants. At the foot of St. Nikola there is Sveta Nedija, a small village famous for the production of the best red wine – Plavac.
Vrboska is a small fisherman’s village, established in the 15th centuries by the fishermen from the nearby village Vrbanj. Because of its deep channel and several small bridges, Vrboska is also known as Little Venice.
After exploring the hidden villages of the island, the peaceful atmosphere can be enjoyed in an abandoned but well preserved village of Humac, founded in the 17th century. It is considered to be the ethnographic monument. Above the village there is the church of St. John and Paul, built in 1897. The church is open only once a year, June 26.
This post is also available in: Croatian
