Hvar is not only the name of the island of Hvar, but this is also the name of the biggest settlement on this island. The town of Hvar has a population of cca. 4000 inhabitants. It is placed in a small bay on the south-western coast of the island of Hvar. The bay of the town of Hvar is a safe port that is naturally protected from the influence of the winds from the open sea: from the south by the small archipelago called Pakleni Otoci, and from the north by the low crest.
The name Hvar is derived from the Greek word Pharos, as Greek colonies were one of the first ancient inhabitants of the island of Hvar. Primarily, the town of Stari Grad was also named „ Pharos”, but only untill 13th century when the town of Hvar became the centre of the island. The town was founded as a roman settlement in the 3rd century B.C. , and it achieved its greatest glory in the medieval ages. The well known town ramparts of Hvar started to be built in 1278., and the core of the old town Hvar with the beautiful palaces of the aristocracy was built in the 15th century.
Although the roots of the tourism lead back to the 19th century, at the beginning of the 21.st. century the town of Hvar became the most popular tourist destination on the island and one of the world’s top summer destinations for the young tourists and sailors, especially for its entertainment facilities and the nightlife. A part of entertainment facilities is placed in the centre of the town Hvar, and others are placed on the Pakleni islands that are very well connected to the town of Hvar by speed taxi boats.
Very close to the town of Hvar and on Pakleni islands visitors can find a lot of beautiful rocky and gravel beaches: Jerolim (naturist beach with restaurant and a store), Ždrilca (with pebble beaches and restaurants in a woody cove on the Pakleni islands), Stipanska (naturist beach with restaurant and a shop), Palmižana (wide cove on the island Sv. Klement on Pakleni otoci with a lot of vegetation and a shallow beach) , Pokonji Dol (a pebble beach), Mekičevica (two pebble beaches only 2.5 km eastern from the town centre) and others.
Besides pleasant mediterranean climate with a lot of sun (the sunniest island in Croatia), beautiful nature, crystal clean sea, tourists can also visit beautiful historical buildings: the Cathedral of st. Stephan, the Hektorović Palace, the town loggia, the Franciscan monastery, the theatre and the arsenal. They can stay in one of the nice hotels, apartments, camping places or in the private accomodation. In Hvar they can choose nice restaurants and one of the various possibilites for their active vacation: diving, fishing, daily excursions by boat, beach yoga, tennis, football, climbing, water sports etc.
For the sailors it is important to mention that very close to the town of Hvar they can moore in the safe and equipped marina. It is ACI marina Palmižana that is located on Sveti Klement, the biggest island in the small archipelago of Pakleni Islands. From this marina on Pakleni otoci it is easy to reach the town using a taxi boat.
It is also possible to moore a boat in the very centre of the town, that is in a town harbour. There are 15 shore moorings (with water and power supply) and also several buoys on the sea in the harbour area, and both of these options are chargable. Only, when a boat is moored on a buoy , there is no water and electricity supply. If the full marina service is needed (water, eletrictity, toilettes, service zone, etc.), sailors need to go to the ACI marina Palmižana.
