Hvar day trip from Split: Everything you need to know

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Finally concluding my jaunt around Croatia is a day trip to Hvar island. Hvar is one of the most famous islands in the whole country and if you love beautiful architecture, a quaint old town and dramatic coastlines, then it’s a stop you have to add to your Croatia itinerary.

Whilst Hvar has become known as more of a party island recently, it’s super easy to take a day trip from Split to Hvar and enjoy the natural beauty of the island without seeing the party side at all….or choose to stay a few nights and enjoy the nightlife.


  1. Contents
  2. How to get to Hvar from Split
  3. Things to do on Hvar Island
    1. Explore the Old Town
    2. Admire the view from the Spanish Fortress
    3. Enjoy the Bars of Hvar
    4. Take to the Beaches
    5. Head to Hvar’s Monastery
  4. Other Croatia Tips

There are two ways to get from Split to Hvar:

  • By ferry – take the Ferry over the water using one of the many companies that run shuttles across including The Kapetan Luka Line or the TP Line. Ferries cost around EUR6 and take around 1hr. They run regularly during high season and semi-regularly during low season.
  • By organised tour – Lots of tours are offered combining Hvar with snorkelling and other islands. Tours normally cost around EUR100.

We wanted the flexibility to do our own thing in our own time and weren’t bothered about snorkeling or packing in lots of islands, so opted to take the ferry.

Views arriving in to Hvar on the ferry


This is where you will disembark from the ferry which is very convenient as it’s one of the most beautiful spots on the island. The old stone pastel colours are just so beautiful and I could walk the streets all day long and never get bored of them.

There’s a stunning white stone cathedral, an old Arsenal building housing the first public theatre in Europe which was opened in 1612 and which you can visit, and dozens of beautiful streets to explore.

Approaching Old Town Hvar

As you’re wandering around the lovely streets of Hvar Town, head up towards the Spanish Fortress. From up here you can enjoy an absolutely incredible view our over the island.

Entrance to the fortress is less than EUR5 and it’s so worth it. The fort is very well preserved and you can easily spend about an hour exploring all the rooms and cellars of it, as well as the sweeping views over the harbour of Hvar. If you’re feeling really adventurous you can climb even higher to the Napoleonic Fort!

Views from the top

Hvar has an amazing selection of bars and restaurants to choose from. We loved sitting in the sunshine with cocktails and food watching the world go by.

Hvar undoubtedly has a lot of beaches with swimming points, though the majority of the beaches on the island are pebbled or made up of large rocks with metal ladders installed for getting into and out of the sea. When it comes to sandy beaches Hvar offers only a few on the northern part of the island, where the winds and waves are stronger. Some of the most beautiful beaches on the island include Malo Zarace and Jagodna, and we enjoyed walking around many of the inlets and bays of the island.

One of Hvar’s beach clubs

A short walk from Hvar’s Riva, the Franciscan monastery houses a rich display of museum exhibits including a collection of Greek, Roman and Venetian coins, rare amphora, and an ancient edition of Ptolemy’s Atlas dated from 1524. There’s also an impressive 16thcentury painting of The Last Supper. It’s the perfect, quiet place to finish off a day’s visit to Hvar.

The cloisters


Hvar was one of our favourite stops during our time in Croatia and we enjoyed such a lovely day there. What do you think of it? I hope you enjoyed the virtual visit – and if you want to catch up on any of my Croatia series you might have missed, you can find the posts here:

Stay safe and happy travelling!

35 responses to “Hvar day trip from Split: Everything you need to know”

  1. I only spent an afternoon in Hvar, but it was such a beautiful time! I explored the Old Town and the fortress before ending my time with a (overpriced) glass of wine by the harbor. Truly a summer paradise!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s such a lovely island isn’t it with so much to do! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Hvar’s beautiful and looks a wonderful place to go for a day trip. The cocktails look good, too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. it really is, and you can’t go wrong with a cocktail overlooking the sea!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Your adventure to Hvar Island in Croatia looks wonderful, including the vintage architecture of Old Town, and elevated vistas from the Spanish Fortress. You see such lovely sights, Hannah ~ thanks for sharing 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much Phil, it’s a beautiful place. I really fell in love with Croatia on my trip 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Beautiful photos as usual and helpful tips. We’re going to Croatia in April and are planning to spend a day in Hvar; can’t wait! Thanks Hannah!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. There is so much to see and do in Croatia, you’ll have the best trip. April is a great time to visit as well 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Beautiful island and easy to explore! Thanks for your advice.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Croatia is such an incredible country, so much to see and do!

      Like

  6. So beautiful! I’d opt to take the ferry too for the flexibility. The fortress and Old Town would be at the top of my list, I get very sunburned at the beaches haha

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was a wonderful day 🙂 I’m the same, I get sunburnt so easily but thankfully after years of burns, I’ve finally got the hang of putting my factor 50 on and being able to enjoy the beach!! The fortress was great, there are lots of them all over every island in Croatia it felt like!

      Like

  7. beautiful architecture, quaint old town, and dramatic coastline-check, check, check! What a beautiful place to end such a great trip with. I have really loved this series and the different parts of Croatia that I had never heard of but am now aching to see 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree, it’s such a beautiful island 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the Croatia series, it really was a wonderful part of the world to explore and I hope you get to visit one day!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I’ve not been to Split but it f and when I do I’ll refer to your day trip plan for also visiting Hvar Hannah.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hope you make it one day soon Marion!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I love Hvar, I used to spend a lot of time there as a child!

    Like

  10. I’ve heard of Hvar (or maybe just seen it on maps). It looks beautiful. We’re not into partying, but I wonder if there’s a quiet part of town to stay so a longer visit is possible. Hmmm… I will keep that idea in the back of my mind. Thanks for the tour. I hope to visit one day.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. There is definitely a quiet part of town – Stari Grad is the old town area on the opposite side of the island and is really beautiful and feels really local.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. This is such a wonderful post. I’ve never been to Hvar (is this the island where Prince Harry solidified his party-boy reputation?) or Croatia for that matter, but always longed to visit. Even more so now after seeing how beautiful it is through your wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much Aiva, I’m really glad you enjoyed it. You would love Croatia, it’s such a beautiful country. Have a great weekend, xx

      Liked by 1 person

  12. ThingsHelenLoves

    All of the places you’ve posted about in Croatia look lovely, Hvar particularly so. Sitting out the last of Winter in England makes cocktails in the sun sound very appealing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I know, I am escaping to the heat next week and can’t wait to get away. It’s been 5 months solid here now with no sunshine!

      Like

  13. You’ve certainly convinced me that Hvar is worth exploring. It looks beautiful!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Croatia is such a beautiful country with so much to see, you’d love it 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Another great post we are saving. Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Like

  15. Wonderful, an old town on an island – that’s just perfect! Your street photos are lovely and once again I enjoyed the incredible views. Oh, and sign me up for that cocktail!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed the post and thank you as always for taking the time to stop by and read 🙂

      Like

  16. Looks like a pretty place! I’m not a party person so I’m think I’d opt to do a day trip like you did to explore the island for a few hours. The view from the fort is awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I too did a day trip to Hvar, wish I had had more time. It would be so lovely to stay there overnight. Enjoyed your photos.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Hvar looks like a lovely island to explore. Another amazing place on the Croatian coast. I do not like party destinations, but a day trip sounds perfect. The colour of the sea is just gorgeous in that beach club photo.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. We visited Split all right but didn’t get to Hvar alas – looks gorgeous

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Love the harbor of boats pic. I didn’t make it to Hvar. I will have to go back! Glad you enjoyed!

    Liked by 2 people

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About the author

Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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