The beautiful island city that's the 'French Riviera of Eastern Europe - 32C in April
A stunning island city in eastern Europe is home to stunning waterfronts and beaches - and is often compared to France’s most sought-after coastal destination. Hvar is a Croatian island off the coast of Split and is known for its scenic beauty, turquoise waters, and lively nightlife.
Travel website Verdana named Hvar and the rest of the Dalmatian Islands on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea among the 24 most beautiful islands in the world. The outlet said Havar, which is home to a picturesque "terra-cotta-roofed town," has been referred to as "Croatia's version of the French Riviera" due to its gorgeous waterfronts and marinas.
According to the island's tourist board, a "true hedonism" has been central to life since Roman times.
Its raucous party scene has even been seen in comparison to Ibiza, though the island is following suit of other popular tourist spots in Europe and introducing summer restrictions on nightlife.
But despite its reputation as a glamorous oceanside retreat, its also home to some stunning architecture, including the "mystical beauty of island churches and the priceless value of their works of art, the monumentality of centuries-old dry stone walls and dry stone piles", the tourist board says.
Visitors can also discover the "secrets of Illyrian debris and the stories of narrow stone alleys," all of which "form only a part of the rich repository of island culture."
Jane Foster, an expert on the region hailed it as her favourite of all the Croatian islands she's visited in an article for The Telegraph.
She said the highlight was the "tumbledown hillside settlement of Humac", an uninhabited hamlet dating back to the 17th century with pretty stone houses.
There are also plenty of sunswept beaches where you can enjoy a cool drink and watch the world go by.
Some of the most popular include Mlini, Pokonji Dol, and Mekicevica, according to a TripAdvisor ranking based on traveller favourites.
The island city also sees highs of around 20C in April and lows of 13C. However, it typically gets considerably hotter in the summer, with the mercury rising to around 32C in July.
Hvar doesn't have its own airport, but you can get a direct flight into nearby Split, which connects with direct flights to the UK, and get the ferry.
Daily Express
