There’s something magical about the quality of the light in December. It seems to have a soft warm glow to it, even although the air temperature can be fairly brisk in the early morning. Sunrise is, of course, a little later and noticably further south than it was in summer. As far as Vrboska is…
In December, there’s not so many flowers in bloom along the pathways of Hvar, but a few linger on from autumn because of the mild temperatures, while others are getting an early start on spring! For this winter edition, I’ve expanded the scope to include seeds, fruits and leaves as they make quite the splash…
There we were, just getting ready for our afternoon walk, when there was a rumbling and deep thump, as if a heavy construction truck had hit the side of the house. The floor noticably shook for a while, then quiet. I waited for a second shake, but nothing more. Must have been pretty close, then!…
The short boat trip to Palmižana makes a wonderful day-trip from Hvar. In the late summer, the crowds are gone, but the resort and the restaurants are still open, though much more peaceful and relaxed. We’d been looking forward for some time to a very special lunch at Laganini restaurant, to enjoy the creations of…
One popular day trip from Hvar is to visit Palmižana on Sv Klement, the largest of the Pakleni islands. Most people will be heading for the beaches, but Palmižana is much more than that. It has by far the best contemporary art gallery on Hvar, the scenery is gorgeous, and it has one of Croatia’s…
Butterflies always seem so fragile, so transient. So it came as quite the surprise when I read that (a) there are butterfly fossils dating back around 56 million years, and (b) the Painted Lady appears to hold the record for the longest return migration, from Africa to the Arctic circle and back!
Following on from our Guide to Hvar’s Wildflowers – Spring Edition, I’ve been out and about looking for what’s in bloom at the end of summer. These are mostly in the high country around the peak of Sv Nikola and on the Vorh plateau, although some are down around sea-level, even right on the beach…
This September, a group of artists from California joined me for a week’s sketching and painting in some of my favourite locations around Hvar. And as we usually do on these occasions, we explored some of the excellent local wines (very important, that!) and the rich cultural heritage that makes this island so special. The theme each…
Updated May 2019 – new flowers added! I’ve been inspired this spring to get outside and learn more about Hvar’s plantlife. I see local folks using flowers and leaves in drinks, in cooking, as insect repellants, balms and of course to flavour various rakijas! At the same time, we’ve also been watching a wonderful Croatian…
May is a lovely time of year to explore the Hvar countryside, and we’ve been taking a look at some of the rather scenic vineyards on the island. The vines are neatly clipped and the new growth is sprouting well, with flowers in bud. The Dalmatian coast had a cold snap at the end of…
Go Hvar 
You must be logged in to post a comment.