Four Amazing Days On Hvar Island, Croatia

We recently visited Hvar Island and it was our favourite part of Croatia, but the trick is definitely finding the right place to stay on the island and choosing the right activities to get the most out of it. Here is how we recommend you spend four days on Hvar Island staying in Jelsa – however this really could be replicated from anywhere on this beautiful island!

What To Know

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Money

The local currency in Croatia is the Euro and cash and card are accepted pretty much everywhere, especially on Hvar Island. Tipping isn’t necessarily customary or expected in Croatia but with the huge rise in tourism it is appreciated – 10% for most services (tour guides, restaurants, taxis, etc) is an average tip.

How To Get To Hvar Island

We took the ferry from Split to get to Hvar Island as its what happened to be on our route. However you can really get there from most locations. We used Ferry Hopper to book our ferry trips and had no issues, but you can also usually book them directly at the stands at each harbour – however I wouldn’t risk it during the busy seasons!

Getting Around The Island

You will need to check where your ferry will be arriving (i.e. Stari Grad, Jelsa, or Hvar port) as this will determine your next transportation requirements.

Most ferrys arrive in the post of Hvar which is right in the heart of downtown Hvar. This means you will need to grab your luggage and carry it (or roll it across the cobble stone streets) outside of the port to the parking lot, less than a five minute walk away, to find a taxi.

Google maps location for where the pick up location is here.

They have uber on the island but Ubers are scarce (taxi drivers dominate the market) so they can take a long time to find one. If you are using the taxi services make sure to establish the price in advance or even contact them before your pick up time to arrange transfers and prices (Hvar Taxi can be contacted via whatsapp to schedule with!).

Language

The language spoken here is Croatian, however everyone (especially on a touristy island such as this one) speaks English.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit this island is during the summer, but during the shoulder seasons so it’s less busy. We honestly found Jelsa to be bearable and not overwhelming with tourists and we visited during peak season! The months of May and September would be the ideal months to visit to miss the tourists, but may be a little colder.

Where To Stay

Hvar

Hvar is best for those who are looking for a fun vacation with access to the most tours, partying (day and night), and luxurious accommodations. It will be pricier here than in other parts of the island, and definitely busier with the day trips mostly landing in this spot. It’s also best for those who aren’t looking to move too much around the island and don’t want to fuss about with transportation.

Jelsa

Jelsa is a great mix of everything – the best of Hvar and Stari Grad. It’s not too busy, but not too quiet. You’re able to access tour operators here for day trips, boat rentals, and quad / scooter rentals. The port of Jelsa area has so many good restaurants and some night life as well. However, prices aren’t as expensive, and you’re still able to find a quiet spot to sunbathe in during the day without having to pay for it. We stayed in Jelsa and after visiting the three main spots, we were so happy we did.

Stari Grad

Stari Grad is beautiful and SO quiet – if you really want to avoid people as much as possible this is a great spot to do so and still have access to the town amenities and great restaurants.

The Itinerary For Jelsa

This itinerary is for those spending their time in Jelsa, but the same types of activities can be found no matter where you decide to stay on the island.

Day One – Arrival

Depending on where you start from will depend on how long your ferry is and what your arrival time is. It’s likely that your arrival time will be in the afternoon and hopefully align with your check-in. We arrived in Hvar port and had to walk a bit to get to the taxi pick up point (as there are no cars right where the ships dock). The taxi the first time cost us 60 Euros from Hvar to Jelsa, but 50 Euros on our way back. Consider calling in advance or contacting a taxi company via WhatsApp to negotiate a price.

Arrive in Jelsa and check into your accommodations for the night. Go for a swim, relax, get settled in before heading down to the port of Jelsa for a dinner set right beside the water. Our accommodations were almost right on the waterfront and only a 10 minute walk from the port of Jelsa where all the restaurants and shops were located.

If you have time, consider going to a beach club for the afternoon such as Tirkiz Beach Bar which is located near town in a beautiful cove like area on the ocean. The surroundings are BEAUTIFUL, but it can get expensive for drinks and the lounge chair rentals. If you’re staying for a while it’s likely worth it, but if you are only there for a bit head down to the beach beside the beach bar or just grab a drink at one of their tables.

We went to Restaurant Pizzeria Pape (click for google maps location) our first night and got a table situated right beside the water with amazing views as the sun set over the port. We ordered a litre of wine (which perhaps was a bit too much!) and a fresh tuna steak to share (as we had just eaten recently before getting here) and had such a great time. What a welcome to Jelsa!

Day Two – Explore By Scooter

We stayed at an accommodation that had its own kitchen so we were able to make our own breakfast every morning which helped us save some money and time in the mornings to relax. Slow mornings in Jelsa are what vacation is all about – our place was right in front of the water so we were able to stroll down and find a quiet spot to swim and sunbathe in the ocean all morning. This was the perfect way to start our day before getting into adventure mode!

Explore the island on your own or with a guided tour via scooter or quad bike rentals. Take today to visit the three main towns (Jelsa, Stari Grad, and Hvar). We rented our scooter from Antonio rentals Jelsa (located in the Port of Jelsa) for only 35 Euros for 24 hours and it got us everywhere we needed to go! Scooter and quad rentals are easy to come by so we didn’t need to book it in advance, but boat rentals are usually a little trickier so try and reserve both at the same time (the scooter for today and the boat for the next day unless you opt for a tour). We wouldn’t recommend scooters if you are going further than the three towns, or especially anywhere off-road as it can feel quite long. However, we felt 100% comfortable using our scooter to get to the three towns.

If you don’t feel like renting a scooter and are looking for more of a tour-type experience, here are some options:

Private Hvar Island Quad Bike Tour: This is from Hvar, but a great option if you want to party a little after your day trip and taxi back to your accommodations in Jelsa. This tour is self-guided and they give you a map of the best places to visit on your own time during your rental period. The best things about the quad bikes is you will be able to go down SO many paths that scooters and cars just can’t reach.

Best of Hvar Small Group Tour (including dinner): This tour will take you to the less discovered areas of Hvar such as Stari Grad and Vrbovska and even includes wine tastings and dinner. If you aren’t interested in organizing your day trip yourself, this is the PERFECT way to see what Hvar has to offer and fully relax whilst doing so.

Stop One – Stari Grad

When we arrived it was a mid-summer day in July just after 2 pm and it was surprisingly quiet. Most restaurants had closed for their break in between lunch and dinner, but we stumbled upon a restaurant called Pinetta that was still open and WOW we were glad they were. We had some traditional flatbread but the real showstopper was the zucchini and shrimp risotto – it was amazing.

The best way to explore Stari Grad is by walking around and admiring the small town. If you’re looking for an afternoon beach stop head to either Beach Stari Grad or Beach Lanterna – they are both a bit out of town so pack some drinks and snacks for your afternoon.

Stop Two – Hvar

After we spent the afternoon wandering Stari Grad, we scootered on over to Hvar for the evening. If you are planning on drinking / partying a scooter is obviously not the way to go on this. Consider just taking a taxi between the three towns all day (however, this will be a bit more expensive depending on the price negotiated).

We spent the late afternoon exploring the streets of Hvar – it was quite a bit busier here! The prices for everything were more expensive, so we opted to walk around the Port and alongside the ocean until our dinner reservation. However, stopping for a drink at a local bar, finding another beach club further down the boardwalk, or finding a small spot on the coast to sunbathe and take another ocean dip are all good options!

We had dinner at a restaurant called Giaxa which had super fresh seafood in the cutest setting. We opted to head back to Jelsa after this as scooter-ing in the dark wasn’t really my favourite option, but we stopped at the local grocery store in Jelsa to grab some ice cream to enjoy on our balcony overlooking the ocean for sunset. Of course we had to go for an an evening dip in the ocean as well!

Day Three – Explore by Boat

Today was our favourite day on the island. We rented our own boat and took a trip down the coast stopping at whatever looked best. The type of boat they will rent to you can depend on what you’re looking to do, your experience, and how much you are willing to spend. New rules state that you are supposed to have a boat driving license to rent your own boat.

We rented from Antonio’s place in Jelsa again and the boat we opted for was the cheapest and therefore also the slowest. If you want to really explore and jet between locations you should get a speedier boat rental or opt for a boat tour, but we were just along for the ride and happy to explore at a slower pace! Here are some other tour options:

Sunset & Pakleni Islands Speedboat Tour From Hvar: This tour would be a perfect option for those looking to relax during the day and then explore during the quieter hours of the day. This is perfect for those staying or visiting Hvar instead of Jelsa – the Pakleni islands are THE thing to see when in Hvar.

Private Cruise to Red Rocks, Pakleni Islands, Hvar Southern Beaches: If you’re with a larger group of people and looking for a private day tour to see the sights by boat, this is a great option. You will see highlights of Hvar on your own time with your own private boat and driver. Again, this tour is from Hvar (not Jelsa).

Boat Tour Hvar: This is a great option if you’re looking for ease to just jump on an organized tour and see the spots that are popular for a reason! Low hassle usually equals less stress and more fun when on vacation!

We took the boat along the coast and stopped at whatever looked best – it does take a while to get in between locations with the slower boats so make sure to take that into consideration for the boat ride back to the Port of Jelsa.

We had three main stops along the route where we took in the view, jumped in the ocean and swam, and really relaxed.

Stop One – Beach Prapatna

The first stop was the cutest small town that really had not a lot to it other than beautiful buildings, crystal clear water, and a secluded beach called Beach Prapatna. We set up anchor in the calm water and hung out sunbathing and swimming on the boat before making the choice to head out to the beach for a short swim and relax on land. Other than maybe one other boat and the small number of people staying in this area, we really felt how secluded this place was – it was so peaceful!

After about one hour here, we decided to head to the next spot. An equally peaceful (depending on the time of day and a bit of luck) location, with a bit more adventure!

Stop Two – Cliff Jumping

Stop two included the most amazing scenery and cliff jumping at these cliff jumping rocks. You can dock your boat here or just anchor it and find your way over to the cliff to find the best jumping spot. We only went half way up and that was enough thrill and completely safe!

We spent almost another hour here cliff jumping, exploring the cute beach, and swimming in the crystal clear water – it was insanely beautiful.

Stop Three – Lunch And Coastal Views

The next stop on the list was stop for a late lunch at a small coastal town with a great view. We docked up our boat on the coast line and made our way over to the restaurant located almost right on the shore called Ser Zane. This is a great spot to grab a drink, treat, or a meal! We opted for some cold drinks and fresh seafood (grilled squid) that was one of my favourite meals in Croatia.

After we filled up on fresh food and of course come ice cream, we decided to head out for the day. The boat didn’t move very fast so we returned back to Jelsa stopping back in a cove or two to have a break and swim. The freedom of being on our own time and choosing what we wanted to do was a perfect last full day activity to do on the island!

Once we returned we spent the evening dipping in the ocean, grabbing drinks by the Jelsa port area, and walking around the old town in Jelsa (which is DEFINITELY worth a stroll). This evening we ate at Rougemarin Jelsa as we were craving some burgers and it came with a great patio view of the Jelsa harbour!

Day Four – Departure

Day Four activities will depend on your departure time and what time you need to be back at the ferry. If you have the time and somewhere to store your luggage, consider taking a day trip around the area (such as the ones linked on Day Three)! It is also a good day just to relax – head to the beach, coastline, or even a beach bar.

As we were leaving for our next stop in Croatia, we decided to grab breakfast at FORR. This harbour front restaurant in Hvar had a view of the yachts and ships docked at port (so we could see when ours was about to arrive) and a great selection of fresh breakfast – including juices and smoothies (which was what I was really craving).

& that concludes our four days on Hvar Island – I really wish we would have stayed 1-2 days longer to enjoy the relaxed ambiance of Jelsa a bit more (especially before heading to super busy spots in Croatia such as Dubrovnik) and to explore more of the island. We loved our Hvar Island experience and hope that you will too!