The Island of Hvar

Hvar has a hip, upscale-ritzy “Croatian Riviera” buzz and has turned into one of the most popular destinations in Croatia.
Yachts are tied up five deep in the harbour with lots of wealthy yuppies dressing up for a night on the town. The formidable fortress hovering above town rewards hikers with stunning views.

Dry stone walls are as much part of the landscape here on Hvar as they are in Ireland and Scotland. Over there, they pretty much mark the owners’s property, but on the Dalmatian coast they’re entirely necessary to hold in the soil. There would simply be no agriculture in this steep landscape without the back-breaking work over many generations to clear the stones – and keep them cleared!

Today, we did two rides across the island of Hvar. The first two hour trek began with a 12 kilometre climb followed by another 12 km straight downhill with magnificent views of the ocean along the way. In the afternoon, there was a more leisurely 23 km ride through lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards on a road that was initially built by the Greeks in the 4th century B.C.Read more