Best of Stari Grad

Perched along the edge of a deep inlet on Hvar Island, Stari Grad more than lives up to its name, which means “Old Town.” The Ancient Greeks founded the original settlement back in 384 BCE, and the historic center is lined with atmospheric lanes, picturesque squares, and Renaissance architecture. Stari Grad makes a pleasant base for discovering the island, particularly for those seeking a more laid-back alternative to nightlife-loving Hvar Town. 

Other kimkim travelers have explored the photogenic center on private guided tours of Hvar Island. An array of centuries-old buildings provide an intriguing glimpse of the past. You can see Greco-Roman relics in a small museum set inside a 15th-century monastery, admire the handiwork of St Stephen’s Church with its baroque facade and Venetian high altar, and wander the fragrant gardens attached to a fortified house once belonging to the 15th-century writer and aristocrat Petar Hektorovic.