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Split to Hvar Day Trip – DIY all you need to know

During our two-week trip to Croatia, we decided to visit Hvar. Which is a must-visit attraction among the Dalmatian islands. A common day trip from Split in Croatia is to catch a ferry from Split to Hvar. It is surprisingly easy to do although there are plenty of organised boat trips which will tell you it is best to go with them on their boat ride and pay the extra cost for doing so. I would disagree if you are looking to explore the old town of Hvar. Especially if you are willing to get up early and take public transport and the fast ferry then you can also get there before all the crowds. Plus it leaves you to spend more on other day tours or islands tour.

Split to Hvar Day Trip

To explore the island of Hvar property you really do need to take a car with you or hire a bike. As it is a large island and this would be the best way to get around. Allowing you to visit the rest of the island including some of the better-known tourist sites such as Stari Grad and Zlatni Rat beach. There are car ferries that operate between Split and Hvar island. You can find out more on the car ferry website. If you are staying for longer then there is also a public bus. However, when we visited we just did a day trip to Hvar town as foot passengers and it was a great place to explore.

How to get to Hvar from Split

There are various options on ferry companies you can take from Split to Hvar. But if you are planning on just visiting for the day then it is a good choice to get up early and take the fast ferry with Krilo. This is probably the best time to visit. The ferry port is located opposite the bus station in Split. There are six sailings through the day but the earliest It leaves Split at 7.40 am and arrives in Hvar at 8.40 am. You can catch a ferry back with the same company the latest leaves Hvar at 7.40 pm and arrives in Split at 8.55 pm. Giving you a whole day to explore the beautiful town and in our opinion is by far the easiest way to travel.

Tickets can be purchased in advance on their website. This is a popular route as after leaving Hvar the ferry goes onto Dubrovnik. So I would recommend booking online. Alternatively, you can purchase your tickets for the ferry from the first kiosk at the end of pier 11 in the pot of Split. When we visited tickets cost 120kn one way (£15) each when you book online. There is a child ticket for children aged 3-12 but this can only be brought at the kiosk and not online.

Seating is not allocated on the ferry despite the seats having numbers. So although you will be okay leaving Split to Hvar, be aware that coming back you may not be able to get a seat altogether. There is a snack bar on board selling hot and cold drinks. And because this is a fast ferry it is not possible to go outside. If you are looking for a more scenic journey then you may want to consider one of the slower ferries.

Top tips for your Split to Hvar day trip

Arrive Early

I would definitely recommend arriving early in the main town as it gets extremely busy later on. Its rich history makes it a popular destination for day trips. By 11 am you could not even see the harbour promenade for people queuing to get onto ferries or arriving. But it is a lovely town and so is really worth a visit.

Tourist Information

If you walk down the harbour promenade to the old square at the end on the right a hand corner next to the old theatre is the tourist information centre. Here you can pick up a map of the town. It highlights all of the points of interest within the town. There are 13 all within walking distance of each other, many of the churches.

Market

If you are looking to pick up some supplies for your day trip to Hvar then there is a small market near the cathedral. In the far lefthand corner of the old square as you look at the cathedral. There are also a couple of pastry shops on the square if you are looking for some burek.

What to do on a day trip to Hvar

There is plenty to do so I guess the question is what do you prioritise? This is what we got up to during our trip:

Cathedral of St. Stephen

Is free to enter and is one of the most famous attractions in the oldest town on the island Hvar. It is not possible to take pictures inside like many of the cathedrals we came across during our trip to Croatia. You can also not enter in beach wear. Worth a quick look before leaving St. Stephen’s Square

Visit Hvar Fortress

The views from the top of the harbour and surrounding islands are worth the climb up. Although it is not too bad I would suggest doing this earlier in the day to avoid the heat during the summer months. The worst part is the steps up from the square. It is signposted from next to the market.

You also get to walk through the Medetaraian Herbal garden on the way up which has quite a few pine trees and so at least you are protected from the sun. On the way up you also pass the Church of Our Lady of Kruvenica, which you can leave the path to explore. There are several benches to sit and since we were visiting in high season you could even buy ice creams and drinks on the way up.

To get into the white stone fortress it costs 70kn for adults with a reduced price for children. It feels like a lot for a view as the fort itself is only made up of five rooms. There is a cash point right outside the entrance however if you want to go in but do not have cash. Inside there is a small museum. We did not pay to enter and were happy enough with taking photos from just outside of the spectacular views across the blue waters and surrounding islands.

Wander the back streets

Back down in the town and around the main square and port area are many little back streets. Not only are they cool as they are out of the direct sun they also seem to attract a breeze. There are numerous boutiques to spend your pennies in and although they are not as extensive as some of the other cities we visited such as Sibenik, Split & Dubrovnik [links] during our stay. The addition of plants in almost every stairway makes them very attractive.

Stroll down by the harbour

Walking along under the row of palm trees you could be mistaken for being in LA! If you follow it all the way around although the palm trees cease. You will be rewarded with this bronze statue, plenty of cute little fishing boats and The Church of our Lady of Grace in the background. It is a great place to sit in the late afternoon, overlooking the crystal clear water with a cold glass of white wine and watching the sun go down. By arranging your own perfect day trip you will have enough time to do this rather than being moved along by your tour guide to the next destination.

Food & Drink

There are many places to sit for a meal in the town itself. We decided to eat on the Pakleni Islands which in hindsight was a mistake. I would make the most of the various restaurants overlooking the harbour. Although you pay for the view as well as the food it seemed more reasonable than the islands. It is also the perfect place to sit with a drink and watch the boats come and go. The harbour men work very hard getting them in and out.

Pakleni Islands

It is possible to take a water taxi from Hvar harbour over to the Pakleni Islands across the turquoise waters of the Adriatic sea. The small boats seemed to operate non-stop when we visited. I did have high hopes for the beautiful islands as all the pictures I have seen look stunning. It was. Although the small island had been overtaken by a beach bar and club which has made it very commercialised and expensive. Although there are a small crop of rocks to one side which gives access to the beach and where you are allowed to put your towels. The rest of the beach has no towel signs and expensive sun loungers for hire.

There is access to a deeper area for swimming on the other side of the island but you have the same problem. As they are trying to sell their sun beds towels are not allowed on the rocks. It was a real disappointment, almost as much as the broken glass and used condoms on the beach. As for food, it was the most expensive place we ate at in the whole of our two-week stay in Croatia.

I’m hindsight I think we would have been better off staying in Hvar and making the most of the various beaches there.

Swim at the beach

This is not something we did unfortunately but looking at the tourist centre map there are swimming beaches in both directions from the harbour. With the wider beaches looking to be off to the left as you look at the sea.

We think that Split to Hvar is one of the best day trips you can do without an organised tour. This gives you plenty of free time to explore the best places the island has to offer without needing to rush off to another location on a boat tour.