Malo Grablje – THE 2026 TRAVEL GUIDE

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The mass exodus in the 1960s left Malo Grablje entirely deserted. Today, a single authentic Dalmatian konoba and one carefully restored heritage property, Villa Fulmin, breathe life into the village. It now draws discerning visitors to Hvar: hikers and cyclists using the old paths, history enthusiasts keen on its untouched stone architecture, and food lovers in search of genuine island cooking (the restaurant here is rightly regarded as one of the best on the island). For anyone willing to venture off the main roads, Malo Grablje offers a rare glimpse of Dalmatia as it once was.

Start by taking a slow wander through the crumbling buildings and overgrown pathways to experience the quiet solitude of this abandoned settlement. The quiet here is striking, with nature steadily reclaiming the abandoned houses amid a tangle of vegetation and mature fig trees.

In late summer, when the figs are ripe and the air carries their sweet scent, feel free to pick a few straight from the branches for a fresh, healthy snack.

Alongside the abandoned ruins, don’t miss the church, the school, the well and water collection system, and the exquisitely preserved olive mill from 1894. We recommended touring the village with an experienced local guide to really bring this experience to life.

An ancient stone stairway path winds up between canyon walls to Malo Grablje, Velo Grablje’s (slightly) more lively sister village. Velo Grablje is one of the highest villages on the island, together with Brusje, sitting almost on top of the ridgeline, overlooking the shimmering Adriatic. The sunsets are incredible.

Velo Grablje was at the centre of European lavender production in the twentieth century, and the landscape that developed around the plant’s cultivation is like nothing you’ve ever seen. Hvar’s soil is seriously rocky, so previous generations had to scrape out stones one by one to make a fertile patch of soil, and then they heaped the stones around these pockets to protect their plants from the island’s bracing winds. Surrounding the town, this knitted pattern of stone and lavender stretches up and down vertiginous hillsides as far as the eye can see. Nothing evokes the sacrifice and toil that characterised the lives of previous generations like this titanic stone mesh.

Velo Grablje, like Malo Grablje, is completely preserved, but with a few more carefully restored homes and konobas. Aside from the charming Lavender Festival, which takes place in high summer, life in Velo Grablje is quiet, with around 14 permanent inhabitants.

The route between Malo Grablje and Velo Grablje is best treated as a proper hike rather than a gentle stroll. The path can be uneven and steep in places, so wear sturdy footwear and carry plenty of water. The path is also not lit, so we don’t recommend making this a moonlit walk, as romantic as that would undoubtedly be.

In the summer months, it makes sense to carry a long stick on hikes, just in case you encounter a snake basking on the path. The island's most venomous species is the nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes), Europe's most poisonous snake. That said, they tend to sense vibrations and slip away quickly unless you catch them early in the morning when they are still sluggish.

Reward your efforts and refuel for the next adventure with a first-rate lunch, taking your pick from two of the highest-rated restaurants on the island: Alavia or Zbondini.

One of the best things about Malo Grablje is that, even though it is an abandoned village, you are only a quick five-minute drive from Milna. This quaint seaside village has a small selection of restaurants, a minimarket and bakery, easy parking, plus a lively summertime atmosphere around its large pebble beach and a quieter sister beach, Mala Milna, just to the west. On the main beach, you can hire comfortable sunbeds if you want to stretch the afternoon right through to evening.

Come back for dinner at the incredibly special konoba in Malo Grablje with just eight tables, called Stori Komin, which translates to “old fireplace”. It is one of the only two working buildings in this lost little village, and the upper terrace has a spectacular view over the rooftops to the rocky heights of the canyon wall opposite.

The konoba is run by a Mr. Berti Tudor, who restored his family home and has been running this small family restaurant, offering traditional meals prepared with ingredients found in the surrounding area of Malo Grablje, since 2005. Berti lives entirely off the produce of his land, making his own wine and olive oil and growing rosemary, sage, capers and basil for the restaurant kitchen.

Stori Komin specialises in peka, the traditional Dalmatian method of slow-cooking octopus, lamb or veal under a bell-shaped lid buried in coals. The process takes at least two to three hours, so the dish must be ordered in advance. Plan ahead and reserve your peka when arranging a visit to Berti.

The deserted village of Malo Grablje, by its nature, has no permanent residents. Even Berti packs up and heads back to Milna each night. If you have been dreaming of renting a villa on a Croatian island but dread the crowds that Hvar is known for in summer, Malo Grablje might just be the answer. Could any experience surpass staying in an entire historic stone settlement, frozen in time, all for yourself, while remaining just a ten-minute drive from the lively heart of Hvar Town? It is difficult to imagine.

This opportunity only presents itself at Villa Fulmin, a refined heritage palazzo for up to 8 guests set amid the atmospheric ruins. It features a pool, hot tub, sauna and an expansive terrace perfectly positioned for making the most of the sweeping views through the canyon out to the Adriatic. On a destination as sought-after as Hvar, this degree of privacy is genuinely exceptional.

Positioned in a deep ravine between high cliffs, Malo Grablje offered its residents natural protection from pirates, Turks, and various enemies throughout history. The village's history is a fascinating tale of resilience, adaptation, and finally abandonment – beginning with peasants who worked the land for a tithe to their noble owners in Hvar.

For centuries, they toiled in the fields, and their fortunes ebbed and flowed with the island's agricultural prosperity. The late 1800s marked a high point for Malo Grablje, as the village thrived on wine production while the devastating phylloxera plague ravaged European vineyards but spared their own.

The prosperity of Malo Grablje during this period is evidenced by the construction of significant communal facilities, including an impressive library, a school, and a water cistern. In 1905, the villagers purchased land on the coast, in the bay below Malo Grablje, distributing parcels to each household.

The turning point came in the 1960s when a vine disease decimated their grape crops. With no viable means of livelihood, the villagers made the difficult decision to abandon Malo Grablje. They relocated to the coastal settlement of Milna, leaving behind their homes, belongings, and even exhuming their dead from the village cemetery.

Malo Grablje stands today as a ghost playground, where time seems to have stood still. Remarkably, despite strong interest, no property has ever been sold in Malo Grablje. Each property owner shares the surname Tudor (a decidedly non-Croatian sounding surname), a name steeped in local legend.

According to legend, the village was founded by an illegitimate son of King Henry VIII, who was shipwrecked off the coast of Milna and settled in the area after meeting a local girl. Whether myth or reality, this story adds another layer of intrigue to Malo Grablje’s already rich history.

Malo Grablje is on Hvar Island, but not directly in Hvar Town. Many first-time visitors mix the two up. Hvar Town is the glamorous, bustling harbour town on the island’s southwest coast that graces the cover of most travel features. The island as a whole is considerably larger: a long, narrow stretch of land in the southern Dalmatian Adriatic, roughly three times the size of Manhattan.

To reach Malo Grablje, you first need to get to Hvar Island. Our detailed guide on how to get to Hvar covers all the practical options.

Malo Grablje, despite its sense of complete separation from civilization, is situated just 6km (3.7 miles) east of Hvar Town. Drive your rental car or take a 10-minute taxi ride.

While in the past Malo Grablje was only accessible by going off-road, in recent years, after a decade of promises, a new asphalt road was constructed connecting Malo Grablje to the island’s main road. Although this has resulted in mixed emotions, there is no doubt that adding exploration of this mysterious village to your travel itinerary just got a lot easier.

To reach Malo Grablje from the main road, take the turn-off just above Milna, immediately after the bus stop, and follow the narrow road uphill. It is a route popular with visitors, so drive cautiously and keep your speed down. The ancient olive groves and striking limestone cliffs lining the way tend to mellow down any desire to speed towards Malo Grablje in any case.

If you are approaching from the east, such as from Stari Grad or Jelsa, you can take the old road towards Hvar Town, but turn left at the sign for Velo Grablje. Pass through this village, long known for its lavender production, and continue for a few more minutes to reach Malo Grablje.

Drive carefully on this stretch, as the road includes some sharp bends. Keeping a steady, slow pace is not just safer; it also lets you take in the scents of herbs and the changing colours of the landscape along the way.

Malo Grablje is also straightforward to reach on foot for anyone who enjoys a light hike. Begin in the small coastal village of Milna, where parking is easy if you have a rental car, or simply arrive by taxi. Grab a bite at one of the beachside restaurants to set yourself up for the walk ahead.

From there, head inland beneath the impressive cliffs. The path soon leads through an ancient olive grove before climbing gently for just over a kilometre towards the abandoned village of Malo Grablje.