Hvar is a town and port on the south-western coast of the island of Hvar; lies in the cove protected by the Pakleni Islands in the south and a low crest in the north. The newest part of the town developed around the port. The development of tourism began in the 1920s; today Hvar is one of the most visited tourist centers of Dalmatia. Hvar is located on the regional road running along the entire island. Bus lines connect all major towns and villages (Stari Grad, Vrbanj, Jelsa, etc.). Ferry lines with Split, Rijeka, Zadar, Dubrovnik and major islands of the archipelago.              

            Hvar is famous for its very specific climate with a lot of sunshine, very few rainy days and almost no snow at all. As a rule, hotel guests pay only half a price if it is raining for the whole day and nothing at all if it is snowing (which occurs almost never).

           Climate is typically Mediterranean, without major oscillations; 2,715 hours of sunshine a year. An average air temperature in January is 8.4 °C and in July 24.8 °C; the annual rainfall is 789 mm (the winter months accounting for 66 %). The vegetation is subtropical and very luxuriant (palm trees, myrtle, agaves, laurel, rosemary, pine trees, stone pines, etc.).           

           Main attractions are pleasant climate, a lot of sunshine, natural beauties, various accommodation facilities, gastronomic offer, sports and recreational opportunities, etc. Hvar is frequented both in the summer and winter months, and its very special climate favoured the development of health tourism. The socalled Hygiene Society was established in Hvar as early as 1868; the major task of the society was to take good care of the visitors from abroad. This marked the beginning of tourist development. The first hotel, Empress Elisabeth, was opened in 1903.            

            Hvar has an outstanding historical heritage - the cathedral, the Franciscan monastery, the Hvar theatre and the fortresses which offer a beautiful view on the Pakleni Islands and the island of Vis. Accommodation facilities include hotels, apartments, boarding houses and campsites. Sports and recreational opportunities are excellent - tennis, table tennis, basketball, boccia, bowling, water sports (equipment rented).           

            Traditional cultural events play an important role in the visitor opportunities of Hvar. These are the Hvar Summer, folk music and entertainment programs and fishermen's fiestas. Among religious feast days the most important are the Day of St. Stephen the Pope (2nd of August), with a large procession, also the Municipal Day, then St. Prosper (10th of May), the Holy Cross (14th of September), the procession on Good Friday and other. Excursions are regularly organized.            

           Among interesting souvenirs and products of Hvar one should emphasize a unique kind of lace made of agave fibres, which may be bought in the monastery of Benedictine nuns, as well as the famous Hvar lavender, either in form of dried flowers or oil, which may be used as a medicine, fragrance or moth repellent, and rosemary oil.  

Heritage   

         The most magnificent monument of civilian architecture, the Arsenal, was built in the period 1579-1611 on the location of the earlier one from 1331. Under a large vault (arch diameter 10 m) was the storage for a Hvar galley. In 1612, Duke Pietro Semitecolo built a floor on the Arsenal, which was intended for a theatre house, one of the oldest in Europe. Dramas and operas were performed at the Hvar theatre until 1796; it got the present aspect by a reconstruction in 1880. Today the Arsenal building houses the Modern Art Gallery "Arsenal".

                The Renaissance cathedral of St. Stephen from the 16th-17th century, a work by local masters (Karlic, Pomenic). Next to the cathedral is a bell tower from the 17th century. The Baroque stone altars with marquetries feature the presentations of Our Lady with Saints (Domenico Uberti, 1692), Our Lady with Child (13th c.), Pieta (Juan Boschetuso, around 1520) and Our Lady with Saints (Palma the Younger, 1627). Left of the entrance is a late -Gothic relief (end of the 15th c.), and above it the relief The Flagellation of Christ, a variation of the work by Juraj Dalmatinac (George the Dalmatian) from the altar of St. Stas in the Split cathedral. The Gothic choir stalls were made by local masters in 1573. The treasury keeps old paintings, liturgical vessels, as well as the crosier of Bishop Pritic (a work by Pavao Dubravcic from 1509). In the middle of the square, in front of the cathedral, is the municipal well from 1520.           

           The Franciscan monastery with the church of Our Lady of Charity, built in 1465-1471. The bell tower was built at the beginning of the 16th century by Blaz Andrijic and F. and N. Spanic. The lunette on the front features the relief of Madonna with Child, a work by the workshop of Nikola Firentinac (Nicholas the Florentine) from the mid-15th cen-tury. In the church are also three polyptychs by Francesco da Santacroce (one on the main altar, from 1583, the other two below the organ), the paintings Christ on the Cross by Leandro Bassano, The Stigmatization of St. Francis by Palma the Younger (1617), a series of paintings The Passion of Christ by Martin Benetevic (1599) and other. The carved choir stalls were made in 1583 by Frano Ciocic-Cucic and Antun Spija. Below the main altar is the tomb of Hanibal Lucic. Through the cloister one enters the monastery refectory with a collection of embroidery (13th-15th c.), illuminated manuscripts, documents and books (collection of nautical charts of the Caspian Sea, around 1525). Among the paintings, the most notable is The Last Supper, a monumental painting by the circle of Palma the Younger.