Hvar, the Croatian Saint-Tropez

July 13 2013

by Laurence Ogiela / TÊTU

Like the song of the sirens that charmed Odysseus, Hvar irresistibly attracts the traveler. It is difficult to resist the Mediterranean charm of this Adriatic island. Located between Split and Dubrovnik, it is, with Cres, one of the largest Dalmatian islands. It is also one of the most popular. Moreover, it is better to visit it at the beginning or at the end of the summer season when the hordes of German and British tourists have not yet reached its coasts.

All the activity is concentrated around the small port of Hvar, the capital. From daybreak, it is an incessant coming and going where ferries, sailboats, cruise ships, motorboats, catamarans and fishing boats cross paths. The biggest yachts moor at the Riva quay, a pretty promenade planted with palm trees.

Sailors take advantage of being at the quay to do their shopping and drink a "kava", a very strong coffee, on the terrace while checking their emails on the internet. In the background, the Palace, an old luxury hotel, and the Venetian fortress that dominates the bay remind us of the island's heyday. Which never seem to have stopped as rich yachtsmen, wealthy industrialists and celebrities like to come and relax here.

Hvar is rightly called the "Croatian Saint-Tropez". It is a vacation spot for the jet set, just like Mykonos in Greece or Porto Cervo in Sardinia, and the number of billionaires' yachts that dock here every summer is countless.

The port of Hvar © Laurence Ogiela

Steep alleys, red tile roofs, Renaissance facades and streets paved with immaculate white stones: Hvar looks like a small Venice, but without the canals. Apart from the main square, St. Stephen's Square, which is almost as large as St. Mark's Square in Venice, the streets of Hvar have no names. But as the city is not very large, it is easy to find your way around.

Empress Sissi used to come here to rest in the famous Palace Hotel when Dalmatia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was enough to attract gays of all kinds. "Hvar is considered the most gay-friendly place in Croatia. In a country that is still largely homophobic, it has already organized gay weddings and honeymoons and even an LGBT conference," says Jozo, a native of the island.

But if the island is more tolerant and gay-friendly than the rest of Croatia, public outbursts can attract reproachful looks, even aggression from locals. Especially in the isolated villages.

Naturist paradise
It is not because homosexuality is legal since 1977 that it is well accepted. Besides, there are no exclusively gay places in Hvar. The gay community meets in the ultra hip bar Carpe Diem and flirts on the naturist beaches of the Pakleni islands, especially on those of Stipanska and Jerolim. The Pakleni Islands, literally "the islands of hell", are only a few minutes away by water cab from the port of Hvar and offer a taste of paradise.

They have dozens of coves with crystal clear waters and pine forests and have become a haven for naturists. In fact, they are one of the many places in Croatia where you can swim naked. The other popular beach in Hvar for swimming and socializing is Bonj, literally "The Baths". In fact, it is a concrete terrace with deckchairs and old-fashioned bathing cabins, very Deauville.

Pakleni Islands, off the coast of Hvar © Croatian National Tourist Board

On vacation on the island, the days follow one another: late rising, kava on the terrace, Mediterranean lunch of grilled fish washed down with olive oil and local wine, swimming and lounging, passegiatta and aperitif, then party until late at night. The sacrosanct passeggiata at the end of the afternoon takes on the air of a fashion show as the boys are sublimely tanned and well dressed.

And if you ever get tired of the crowds, don't hesitate to explore the rest of the island which smells of the maquis. Fields of lavender and rosemary, maritime pines, olive trees and vineyards as far as the eye can see: it is a real enchantment for the senses. Everywhere dry stone walls criss-cross the landscape and the hinterland conceals wild and deserted creeks that are just waiting for you.