Revealed! The top secret holiday hotspot for 2012
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Hvar Tourism
Prince Harry, Beyoncé and Roman Abramovich have all been spotted holidaying on the glamorous island of Hvar in Croatia. With crystal clear sea, plenty of history and a trendy night scene it's not hard to see why it's an island the stars want to be seen on and why it's been labelled the new French Riviera.
If you're already thinking about your summer holiday for next year and want somewhere with lots of sunshine, stylish après-beach spots and the chance to bump into a celebrity, Hvar is the place for you. We look at ten of the top things to do in Hvar that you don't have to be famous to enjoy!
Ten things to do in Hvar
- Discover the stunning landscape by bike<p> Cycling is one of the best ways to see Hvar's beautiful scenery and great for staying active while you're on the island. There are plenty of bike hire shops around and cycle routes through meadows, forest tracks and country roads for you to experience the varied landscape up close. It's also an opportunity to discover the lesser-known inland and take in the sights and smells of Hvar - especially the fragranced lavender that covers the island.</p>
- Check out the Pakleni Islands<p> The 16 Pakleni Islands are a short boat ride from Hvar's port and boast beautiful woodland, hidden beaches and mystical lagoons. The largest island is Sveti Klement, which has sandy coves and the pretty hamlet Palmizana with its beautiful shallow water and a well-protected marina. Some other top spots of the Pakleni Islands include the well-known naturist beach Jerolim, Mlin cove with its delightful pebbly beach and Zdrilica, which has a restaurant serving delicious fish.</p>
- Take in Hvar's scents at the Lavender Festival<p> The small village of Velo Grablje saw a lavender boom in the 1920s and became one of the biggest producers of lavender oil in Dalmatia. Today Hvar is known as the Lavender Island and every year in June the Velo Grablje Lavender Festival takes place in the village, paying tribute to the hard working lavender workers of the past and motivating the youth to continue the practice. The festival has wine tasting, concerts and exhibitions, as well as bottles of fragrant lavender for you to buy.</p>
- People watching in Hvar Town<p> Walk through the small alleys off St Stephen's Square where you'll find independent boutiques selling clothes, souvenirs, jewellery and art. For an afternoon of people watching, stop at a cafe in St Stephen's Square for a coffee or ice cream. Here you can also marvel at Hvar's cathedral which makes for spectacular photos.</p>
- Head to the beach for swimming in picture-perfect waters<p> Surrounded by crystal clear sea that's ideal for swimming, Hvar is a place you'll want to take to the water. Although Croatia isn't known for having idyllic sandy beaches, you'll find some fabulous small pebbly coves around the island and a couple of sandy bays. Mlaska Bay on the northern side of Hvar is one of the most beautiful bays on the Adriatic Coast and has shallow waters and sand. Milna boasts four lagoon-shaped beaches surrounded by pine trees, vineyards and orchards and Dubovica has white pebbles and is a popular spot.</p>
- Indulge in the apres-beach life with cool cocktails<p> After you're done sunbathing, head to a beach bar to experience the après-beach ambience in Hvar. You can sip cocktails and party as the sun goes down at Hula Hula, where Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been spotted or at the super-stylish Carpe Diem Beach, where there's a pool, lounge area and restaurant to give you the most glamorous beach experience on the island.</p>
- Watch the sunset from Hvar Town's fortress<p> You really feel like you're on holiday when you're watching a dreamy sunset. Make the most of seeing the sun go down in Hvar by climbing up to the Spanjola Fortress via the stairs from St Stephen's Square and take in the views of the red sky over Hvar Town's port and the Pakleni Islands. You can walk up to the fortress for free and still see the stunning views or go inside for four Kuna. Inside the fortress you'll see prison cells, cannons and a collection of amphora (big clay pots). If you're not up to climbing, a taxi can take you to the top. Either way, it's from the Spanjola fortress that you'll get the best look at Hvar's pretty terracotta townhouses.</p>
- Be charmed by the town of Vrboska<p> The quaint town of Vrboska in northern Hvar is characterised by its little bridges and is surrounded by pinewoods, olive groves and beaches. Here you'll find picturesque Gothic architecture, the 16th century fort church St. Mary of Grace that was built by the local people as a defence against the Turks and a fishing history that you can explore at the Fisherman's Museum. The museum displays traditional fishing equipment and an old reconstructed fisherman’s house portraying the hard life of its former residents.</p>
- Experience Hvar's trendy nightlife<p> Carpe Diem in Hvar Town is the place to be seen after dark and a celebrity sighting at the waterside lounge isn't unusual (Eva Longoria has been spotted here!). Kiva is another good drinking spot that's located in a street off the harbour and plays a mixture of music. For dancing until the early hours, head to Venerenda, the club where Prince Harry was spotted jumping into a pool fully clothed! It's hidden in a pine-covered hillside, plays electronic music and has a huge outdoor dancefloor.</p>
- Visit UNESCO-protected Stari Grad<p> Stari Grad in the north of the island is one of the oldest towns in Europe and is a UNESCO-protected town. Its landscape has remained virtually intact since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks in the 4th century BC and there are remnants of the former Greek city including mosaics, the Roman Summer House and Cyclops’ walls for you to explore, plus the original agricultural activity of Stari Grad (mainly grapes and olives) that has been maintained. Some top places to visit include the Fantazam Gallery for its fantastic collection of Zoran Tadic’s sculptures made of insect legs, horns and crab shells and the Dominican Monastery for its fossil collection, stone monuments and impressive courtyard garden.</p>
