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…
With a week to go, the Dalmacija Wine Expo website has finally announced the lineup of seminars for the Vinska Skola (Wine School) and the chefs taking part in the Stars of Cuisine event. Yay! This looks to be an exciting couple of days! Friday 22nd April 2016 16:00 – 17:00 Jo Ahearne: Hvar –…
A couple of years ago, we took a trip up to the summit of Sv Nikola, the top-most point of the island. It was January and a bitter wind was blowing, not to mention the odd shower of rain, but the scenery and the views were glorious! On the way down, we passed by a…
I’ve wanted for some time to write an article about the Hvar statute of 1331, which appears to be everyone’s favourite supporting evidence for the antiquity of their village, church, tower, field or whatever. Does it actually support all these claims, I wondered? Does a codex of law actually mention all these places? And what…
Go Hvar 
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