Reams has been written about the 'new Ibiza' that is Hvar Town and yeah the opportunity to pose around in front of yachts pretending they are yours and to sit around trying to look trendy in lounge bars and failing is there as well, but the hordes of local kids kicking a ball around the main square imitating their team heroes keeps the atmosphere real. It has been four years since last time there and overall we had much better weather aside from one damp day and I was reminded why I like Hvar so much. It is...well...it is undeniably beautiful, and it just has that it factor. No matter how many times you come back from Jerolim on the boat you are never bored at looking at the town, and the back streets are pretty damn romantic and beautiful as well at night with those little lanterns. Added to that it has some of the best restaurants in Croatia, and in fact we spent the same on food and drink as we did four years ago. Result. Dalmatino. Yes go there. You can be a bit cynical at all the freebies but hell the food is good and the personable male waiters know the business. Alviz was cheap and cheerful and a new Italian on the main square, Bocca Vera seriously impressed. Many others. You won't go hungry and there is no need to go bankrupt either.
Catamaran from Split now prebookable online. £6 each way on the subsidised Jadrolinija line.
For anybody interested here is our non naturist accommodation. We stayed in the garden view apartment. Not private as such though maybe late at night but lovely place.
The owner couple was lovely by the way as most Croatian landlords and ladies are. Beer while paying, and home made wine and cakes left in the apartments as presents.
Jerolim was £6 return by boat leaving on the hour from 9am. 10 minutes. It is recommended to buy a couple of roll up mats in the supermarket as we did to save a fortune on sunbeds on the main pebble beach. The last week of June was relatively peaceful if busyish. A real blot was a very loud annoying and messy textile Italian family who had to monopolise half of the beach on a couple of days. Because of the wind direction on those couple of days it wasn't practical to go to the quieter rock coves facing towards the town. We did so on the second week when July came, and it really became busy. Beautiful scenery of the sea and islands. There are great views of the boats that side plying back and forth from the town and of the multitude of ferries. You can set your watch by them. And when you get too hot you can walk around the whole island. Plenty of trees in the middle bit.
On the first week it was a 70/30 in favour of naturists. Unfortunately it was more half and half after that on the main beach. The owner of the Kordovan bar who also owns the island was philosophical and just does her best to keep a naturist ethos dominant. You are required to put something on at the bar though. Bought a drink there a few times, the wonderful hippyish décor on a hot day will send you into a better place. You will be astounded as to how many animals can be made out of driftwood. The rival, the textile Amo beach bar on the boat landing looked absolutely derelict and to its shame had left all its detritus from the previous year just laying around but to our amazement it was being cleaned up ready to open in the few days before we left for the high season. Some dodgy tax fiddling going on there. Ricky the boatman made a face in talking about it. If you get Ricky, say hi. The world needs more Rickys by the way. Completely authentic, un pc and doesn't give a flying, plus he can navigate the Pakleni islands with his eyes shut. And he remembered us.
On that ethos note, a large noticeboard was at the beach, detailing familiar naturist dos and don'ts with appropriate diagrams. I wonder if there has been behaviour in the intervening four years to make it necessary. Sad if so. Having said that there wasn't anything bad at all to complain about, aside from the very loud annoying Italian etc etc. Spoke to all nationalities on the beach. Brazilians, Norwegians, Americans, British, very cosmopolitan there. The water access from the beach and from our favourite rock cove nice and easy.
Yes, it was a very good two weeks and I didn't do anything else I'm afraid to report! Oh yes. We discovered tangerine Schweppes in the supermarket. Nice. Especially mixed with bargain sparking wine.
'I figure life's a gift and I don't intend wasting it. You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next.' Titanic.'Shine as a glow worm if you cannot as a star.' Thomas Andrews, shipbuilder.
'We'll miss the matinee but we'll make the night show.' The Greatest Show on Earth 1952.