Where to stay in Hvar – THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CROATIA’S MOST MAJESTIC ISLAND

If you’ve ever seen Harry Potter – if you haven’t, we’re not sure whether to be impressed or concerned – then you know that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has four houses, each with its own personality. Young students entering the school are each put into a house by a magical sorting hat that divines their innermost thoughts and instincts.

If any place on earth is as magical as J.K. Rowling’s make-believe world, then it is surely the island of Hvar. And rather like Hogwarts, Hvar has several hamlets and regions, each with a unique character and spirit. But decoding the island’s geography from a distance is as difficult as casting a Patronus charm under Professor Snape’s glowering gaze. Leave it to us! Hvar Away will “sort” you where it will best suit your fancy.

Here’s our very quick guide to choosing a location to deliver the right vibe and unique advantages that will shape your entire holiday experience.

Do you feel most inspired when you’re exploring twisting stone lanes, old churches, and little shops? Or would you rather be gazing out over the endless blue sea, listening to the waves? Maybe a breath of fresh mountain air is what you need to feel like you’re really on holiday.

Hvar is a small island, but its many microclimates make it feel bigger; there’s something here for everyone.

If you want to be in a town setting, your best choices are clearly Hvar Town and Stari Grad, which both offer live music, film, museums, craft coffee, shopping, dining, spas, bars, and other cosmopolitan pleasures in an unbelievably picturesque setting. Jelsa is also fun and gorgeous, although not quite as historic as the island’s two largest towns.

If you thought that Stari Grad, which just means “Old Town” in Croatian, was another word for Hvar Town, you would not be the first to make that mistake. In fact, Hvar Town does have a historic core, which is sometimes called the old town or old city. But the two are completely different places with very different atmospheres.

Hvar Town is a tourism magnet that attracts people thirsty for sun, good times, and making new friends.

Stari Grad is, as the name suggests, much older, much calmer, dating back at least 2,400 years. It is more for quaint charm and understated luxury.

Being on an island, you are literally surrounded by superb beaches, but the southern coast is Hvar’s beach playground. For that woke-up-in-paradise feeling, we suggest lodging in one of the following spots:

These coastal villages give you direct access to some of the best beaches in Hvar

Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja are ideal for those seeking that delicate balance: beautiful beaches – both busier family-oriented ones and tiny secluded ones you might be fortunate enough to have all to yourself. These villages have good amenities (during the summer season) without the overwhelming crowds and party atmosphere of the southwestern beaches closer to Hvar Town. Properties here offer excellent value and stunning sea views, whilst still sitting just 30 minutes from Hvar Town, and 20 minutes from Jelsa.

Note that the village of Zastražišće is not on the sea – it’s a small village in the remote middle of the island – but its winding roads lead down (to both the north and south coasts) to some of the most beautiful coves in Croatia.

Before the end of the last Ice Age, Hvar and the other Dalmatian islands were mountain peaks, part of the Dinaric Alps that line the coast of the mainland. You can still feel the island’s mountainous DNA in its rocky terrain, rugged biodiversity, and pure air.

To feel like you’re in a world above Hvar, try the villages of Brusje or Selca kod Starog Grada (Selca for short!). The small village sits like an eagle’s nest above Stari Grad Bay, and Brusje occupies a somewhat similar position just above Hvar, and is the most likely place on the island to get snow in the winter.

Between Stari Grad and Jelsa, there is a series of extremely charming little villages nestled into the northern side of the island’s ridge. These are: Dol, Svirče, Vrbanj, Pitve, and Vrisnik. Life in these villages is all about the agricultural fields and vineyards below. You will appreciate the shade in the summer heat and you can’t go wrong in any of these hillside hamlets.

There is another string of villages between Jelsa and Sućuraj, in the remote eastern half of the island. These places, each with one or several attractive stone churches and the requisite bocce court, have a very unique character. They have main grid electricity (but not if there’s a storm), water is still kept in wells (we call them “gustirna” on the island), the post offices work for two hours every morning, and there are no other municipal services.

Those are just some of the reasons why there are only a couple of hundred permanent inhabitants in these villages, but those who still live there live the same as their grandfathers and grandmothers did. Family and field are the centres around which life revolves. If you’d like to dip a toe into a simpler time, take a look at Bogomolje, Gdinj, Poljica, Selca kod Bogomolja, or Zastražišće. Don’t worry – the holiday rentals all have some form of reliable power and other modern comforts, and roads from these villages wind down to some of the most pristine beaches in Croatia.

Make sure to swing by Grgo Lučić in Zastražišće, who produces some of the purest essential oils on the island, using his own press and traditional methods. You can find the distillery, which is next to his home, underneath St Nicholas Church – a good starting point for a hike to Vela Glova, the highest peak on the eastern side of Hvar with 316 m (1036.75 ft) of elevation. You may also drive to the summit, though if using a rental car, note that most agencies prohibit vehicles on unpaved roads, as this route requires.

If it's your first time on the island, the best place to stay is Hvar Town (for most people). It’s the island’s hub, well-connected, and a good place to start any adventure. It might not be ideal if you’re looking for absolute peace and quiet, because it is lively and busy during peak season.

The only "risk" here is falling in love with the cobbled streets and the Mediterranean vibe, and wanting to spend all your days there. Fight that urge – the island has so much more to offer.

Selecting your perfect Hvar base requires honestly assessing your priorities and what you enjoy doing on holiday. What gives you energy? Are you all about the beaches? Is nightlife important?

Would you prefer to spend hours over a long meal in an old town’s cobbled street, or get lost in the past, exploring local history? Or are you most at home hiking a local trail?

All important questions. Our guidance below may help narrow the options depending on your travel style.

Any of the seaside towns will offer plenty of opportunities to get in the water, but Vrboska is perhaps a surprise star for sport.

A lovely little village, Vrboska consists of a canal lined by stone houses and an intriguing fortress church.

It's deceptively small but has a dive centre, an excellent marina for sailboats, and a windsurfing school, as well as kayak, SUP, and jet ski rentals. There are also tennis courts, volleyball, an elaborate water park, and even ping pong tables nearby.

For those who love to spend their days outdoors, Pitve is an ideal home base. This idyllic stone village sits in between vineyards, olive groves, and pine trees. It boasts cooler air, more shade from its mountainous backdrop, and direct access to some of the island’s best outdoor routes.

From Pitve, a network of hiking trails branches out across the hillside, including the historic path along the ridge that eventually meets the legendary Pitve-Zavala tunnel. On the Pitve side of the tunnel, you’ll also find the starting point for several climbing approaches used by local mountaineers, making it a perfect spot for walkers and climbers alike.

Climbing on Hvar has been getting more attention since 2022, and thanks to a local climber Fabijan Belić, there’s now a new popular climbing spot Popinjenica near Pitve. There are 24 climbing paths there, ranging in difficulty from 4 to 8a.

Sveta Nedjelja, on the other hand, is Hvar’s adventure frontier – a dramatic cliffside village where the island’s wild terrain meets the sea. Staying here brings you moments from some of Hvar’s most exciting outdoor activities: rock climbing, deep-water soloing, the famous Hvar Via Ferrata (iron bridge), and panoramic hiking paths that lead to caves, vineyards, and breathtaking coastal viewpoints. It’s the ideal base if your dream holiday combines swimming and sunbathing with just the right dose of adrenaline.

If you’re looking for nightlife, your choice will be Hvar Town.

A 2024 dispute (read: physical fight!) between two hospitality business owners in Hvar Town drew widespread negative attention. Residents seized the chance to protest against excessive noise in the town. Authorities responded by enforcing music volume regulations. The result? For the 2025 season, Hvar Town shifted from a destination for intoxicated youth to one attracting families and couples seeking meaningful connections with the island.

But even at the peak of “party tourism”, Hvar was so much more than its party scene. The town sits on the sea and has terrific museums and cultural offerings, as well as wonderful restaurants. Yet, these can be experienced as an afternoon visit and are not in themselves a compelling reason to limit oneself to only staying in Hvar Town.

If you are planning several nights out during your stay, however, you don’t want to end them by scrambling for a taxi. Stroll home instead and wake up the next day to sunbathe with other recovering revellers.

There are so many brilliant restaurants dotted throughout the island, and of course many are located in Hvar Town, but a gourmand’s home base has to be Stari Grad.

It’s home to some of the island’s best restaurants and foodie establishments:

You’re also located right next to the Stari Grad Plain, the UNESCO-protected epicentre of Hvar’s winemaking and agriculture for at least 2,400 years. Spend an evening in the Stari Grad Plain for a farm-to-table meal at Poje, where delicious food, great company, and a unique atmosphere converge.

History buffs are spoiled for choice on Hvar, but if you love exploring the past, you might want to take a closer look at Humac. This abandoned ethnovillage now stands as a pristine preservation of agricultural life as it once was.

Humac’s unique position and elevation make it a remarkable lookout point. You get the best of all worlds – a mesmerising sea view, the mainland, and the humbling sight of the Mosor and Biokovo mountains.

Although Humac is now abandoned and without any permanent residents, just 4km from the village and sitting within its own vast private estate, St. George Court offers a rare opportunity to spend your stay on Hvar just minutes from this intriguing historical site.

At night the village’s candle-lit konoba– a place that has featured on several lists of the best Croatian restaurants – is a reminder of how dark the night truly was for most of civilisation. It’s like being transported to another time.

The nature around Humac is so pristine that you’ll feel as though the stars are in the palm of your hand. Clear nights offer a brilliant view of the Milky Way and the constellations that shaped so much of the human worldview throughout history.

Humac is also the departure point for trips to Grapčeva Špilja, or Grapčeva Cave, home to artefacts dating back to 5,000 B.C.

Among them is the oldest depiction of a boat ever found in Europe.

In addition to some of the earliest treasures of a people known as the “Hvar Culture”, who lived throughout Dalmatia, there is also evidence of trade with other tribes stretching all the way to Slovenia. While the term “caveman” conjures a certain image, these islanders left behind elegant ceramics with smooth curves and polished surfaces.

From Grapčeva, it is possible to see as far as Italy on clear days. That beautiful view might be the very reason why it was chosen as home 7,000 years ago.

Keep in mind that you can’t just go to Grapčeva Cave. You need to book a private guide – or make sure to time your visit to arrive at Humac at 9am on Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday between 15 June and 15 September to join a guided group tour.

Few corners of Hvar lack beauty, but consider Gdinj if flora, fauna, and unspoiled nature speak to you.

Gdinj is a beautifully rustic village on the eastern side of the island. It sits above no fewer than ten of the most stunning and tranquil bays on Hvar: Smrska, Kožija, Veprinova, Rapak, Tvrdni Dolac, Torac, Lučica, Skozanje, Jedra, and Srhov Dolac – what locals call Gdinjske Vale. The village of Gdinj, like Zastražišće, is not on the coast itself, but has mesmerising coves on both sides of the island.

Few guidebooks mention these pristine beaches, and even in the height of summer, their crystal-clear waters are never crowded.

One of Gdinj’s southern side bays is home to Veprinova Fish Restaurant, one of our all-time island favorites. A charming family-run restaurant serving simple yet delicious seafood, freshly caught in the clear waters below. Every table has a breathtaking view of the entire bay, and the atmosphere is exceptionally warm and welcoming.

While you are on this side of the island, take the opportunity to sample some superb olive oil in a glorious setting at Radojković in the neighbouring village of Bogomolje, which serves an orange-infused blend over vanilla ice cream in a surprisingly perfect combination of flavours. For the last season, they prepared new olive oil flavours such as garlic, Hvar herbs, chilli, and orange.

In Gdinj, there is also an excellent botanical garden, recently developed by the enterprising scions of an old local family. Called Fjori Fôra, the garden showcases the island’s native plants and their culinary, medicinal, and economic uses.

In this sun-struck, arid environment, all plants have been raised using traditional methods, including an astounding dry-stone wall construction that the ancestors of the Čurin family – the founders of Fjori Fôra – had erected to protect plants from wind and wildlife. The team hosts herb and wine pairings, as well as guided tours, poetry nights, and numerous events for children. They also offer chicly packaged, home-grown herbs and cosmetics, so you can take an organic part of Hvar home with you.

Travelling companions – or the lack thereof – are a huge factor in choosing a great destination.

For solo adventurers, the right location and home base can make a getaway that much more special.

Diverse activities and convenient amenities can make all the difference for families visiting Hvar. Couples will be looking for privacy, special dinner spots, and luxurious digs. Friend groups may be looking for something spacious and accessible for comings and goings.

Here are our ideas for where to stay on Hvar depending on who you are travelling with.

The town of Jelsa is a dream for families with kids.

With a dazzling view across sea and mountains, Jelsa is home to many families and offers tons of activities for children.

Little ones will love the adorable Mini Disco, a dance party just for them, held on Sunday and Wednesday evenings all summer long in the park. There is also the “Little Town of Jolha” (dialect for Jelsa) Children’s Creativity Festival with weekly performances from local children.

For the “Dance of the Sails” in June, festively lit historic sailboats take over the harbour. During the summer months, every Thursday evening, Jelsa harbour becomes a dance floor for traditional wooden boats. The same dance happens in Vrboska every Friday night.

Also, Kino Mediterran runs child-friendly, English-language films on its outdoor screen throughout the summer months.

Certain beaches on the island are known as “family beaches,” where children and their antics are welcome (and party-loving adults and their antics are not).

Soline in Vrboska is a family favourite. It has an impressive water playground that children will go wild for. The parents will appreciate the wind-sheltered location.

Jelsa has two aces up its sleeve: both Mina Beach and Grebišće Beach have uniquely shallow, sandy bays that stretch out for several hundred metres between olive groves.

It’s a perfect environment for those still getting used to the water or learning to swim. Both beaches are popular with other families, but they are never crowded. Both are also serviced by cabanas with fresh food and a full range of drinks, with Mina having the more sophisticated offering of Mina Beach Restaurant and Lounge Bar. Jelsa Gelateria on the main square, which has a mouth-watering selection of cakes and pastries inside, and aRoma, which serves large scoops of premium artisanal gelato with a huge selection of unique flavours.

Most importantly, Jelsa has good grocery stores. In fact, it has two large, modern supermarkets just outside the town’s entrance.

The high street is home to smaller but well-supplied grocery shops, a fishmonger, a butcher, and a daily farmers’ market.

Finally, Jelsa is less than five minutes from an emergency room, which is itself a 20-minute helicopter ride from Split. If the need for stitches or any other medical care should arise, you’re in good hands.

To conclude, if it’s a family trip, and you’re considering where to stay, we don’t think you can go wrong with lovely Jelsa.

We adore Pitve.

It’s one of the oldest villages on the island, established to watch over the settlements and fields below from its incredible vantage point.

Shaded by the rim of the island’s ridgeline, Pitve stays much greener than the rest of Hvar and enjoys a breath of fresh air, even in the peak of summer. This historic village is perfectly preserved. There is no new construction here – just beautifully restored stone houses in a setting that would suit a Mediterranean fairy tale.

This is a place for meaningful moments and restorative quiet. Start the day with a meditative hike together. Swing by Pitve's fabulous little konoba, Dvor Duboković, for lunch. Cycle down the valley to a beach in Jelsa for a mid-afternoon dip in the sea, or drive through one of the best free experiences on Hvar – a hand-made tunnel that connects Pitve with the southern side of the island. Carved out by convicts and other conscripted labour in 1962, the 1.4 km tunnel is single-lane and unlit. You’ll also have a chance to see the only traffic light on Hvar. This being Dalmatia, there is a wine cellar inside the tunnel – just to the left of the entrance from the Pitve side – not that we would encourage you to pause and inspect.

Once you reach the light at the end of the tunnel, you’ll be greeted by a glorious view of the sea shimmering below. A series of steep switchbacks awaits you as you navigate down to the shore. Once you arrive, you’ll have your pick of innumerable beaches, and realise why even locals consider the southern side of Hvar to be the crème de la crème of one of Europe’s best islands.

In Pitve, Hvar Away presents two excellent options for larger groups travelling together: Villas Dvor Quattro, which embodies the perfect Hvar retreat with 4 beautifully-restored stone houses surrounding a central courtyard; and Villas Anouk & Belpur offer a more modern option that is a firm favourite for hen and bachelor celebrations.

Staying in Jelsa is a close second for trips with friends. There’s plenty to do, you’ll be well-connected to the mainland, and it’s a short hop over to Brač for those wanting to explore neighbouring islands. Jelsa is quieter than Hvar Town, making it perfect for friends who like to chat and sip on local wine in a romantic Mediterranean square.

Hvar Town is also an option for friend groups for obvious reasons – the social scene, the restaurants, the walkability, and the convenience of day trips. From Hvar Town, you can take day trips to the islands of Korčula, Mljet, and Brač via public transport (catamarans). Arrive at or depart from Hvar Town using the catamaran that connects it with Dubrovnik as part of a wider Croatian adventure.

If you and your friends want to feel like the Adriatic is your oyster, rent a private boat with a skipper for an island-hopping excursion. Lay back or have a dance party onboard – and try not to take a million photos of the Pakleni Islands when you approach.

We recommend Velo Grablje for a unique and deeply memorable romantic getaway. It is one of the loftiest villages on the island, 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 gave it a unique look that, thanks to a local non-profit, earned Velo Grablje the title of an ethnovillage and a dry-stone wall park.

Hvar’s terrain is seriously rocky, so previous generations had to pluck out stones one by one from the old red soil. Then, they heaped them around each fertile pocket to protect their plants from the island’s bracing winds. Surrounding Velo Grablje, this knitted pattern of stone and lavender stretches up and down the hillsides.

At the centre of this almost sculptural landscape sits Velo Grablje – dare we say it – perhaps the most beautiful hamlet on the island of Hvar.

It’s completely preserved – no modern concrete buildings to be found here – with a handful of painstakingly restored homes and konobas. Aside from the charming Lavender Festival, which takes place in high summer, life in Velo Grablje is quiet, but it is only a short drive or taxi ride to Hvar Town.

There’s a Museum of Lavender and a small museum of the football club Levanda. Inside, you can find a Juventus jersey signed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Pirlo, Buffon, and other stars… The local football club received it as a gift from Igor Tudor – a former footballer and current head coach of Juventus – whose family is from this small village.

An ancient flagstone path winds down between canyon walls to Malo Grablje, an abandoned sister village. There is an incredibly special konoba in Malo Grablje with just eight tables, called Stori Komin. It's the only working building in this lost little village, aside from our Villa Fulmin, a restored heritage palazzo that sleeps up to 8 guests.

A relatively short hike, and you are in Milna, facing south over the endless blue sea. On the way down, you’ll walk through old olive groves and see a lot of Hvar’s nature – but walking back uphill from Milna to Malo Grablje can be exhausting, depending on your fitness level and the temperature. For a more relaxed and romantic tour through these hidden gems of Hvar with your loved one, a private tuk-tuk tour could be the perfect option.

Choosing between the three options is fairly intuitive – it comes down to your budget, needs, and how you feel about rewarding yourself for all the hard work over the year.

Hvar has it all – from simple apartments, to boutique and luxury hotels, to private villas.

For those seeking the ultimate Hvar experience, private villa rental offers unparalleled privacy, space, authentic Croatian island living, and exceptional value for larger groups. Staying in a villa gives you privacy and space above all else. It’s the closest you can get to making Hvar your home while you are here.

A villa stay also allows you to immerse yourself in a more local way of living, much more so than a hotel. We may be biased, because we exclusively rent villas on Hvar, but we’re simply reporting what our guests tell us.

Can a hotel stay compare to sitting beside your own pool in your private villa, with a glass of local wine you discovered – by accident – when you ran into the local winemaker during the breakfast run picking up fresh croissants from the bakery?

In some ways, staying in a hotel is like colouring in a colouring book. Breakfast between 8 and 11. The bar closes at 12. No pool dipping after dark.

You are not fully free to be yourself when you need it most.

But in a villa, the whole canvas is just for you and your group. You get full freedom to paint your Hvar holiday as your soul desires.

From complete privacy and the freedom to enjoy every corner of your accommodation, to the comfort of a home paired with the service of a 5-star hotel – luxury villas bring you the best of both worlds on holiday.

If you can feel the island calling for you, browse our luxury villas on Hvar and choose a canvas worthy of your precious holiday time together.