Hvar is Croatia's most glamorous island — a 68-kilometre ridge of lavender fields, pine forests and ancient walled towns above a sea of brilliant blue. But beyond the terrace bars and beach clubs, Hvar has 2,400 years of continuous settlement and a private guide reveals layers that most visitors never reach.
Most visitors to Hvar see the harbour, the main square and perhaps the fortress above the town. A private tour shows you the rest — the 2,400-year-old Greek settlement at Stari Grad (the oldest continuously inhabited town in Croatia), the lavender distilleries in the island's interior that produce essential oils sold across Europe, and the UNESCO-listed Stari Grad Plain — a Greek agricultural landscape from the 4th century BC that has remained almost completely unchanged for 2,400 years.
Hvar Town itself rewards expert guidance. The main square (Trg Svetog Stjepana) is the largest piazza in Dalmatia. The Cathedral of St Stephen has a remarkable 16th-century renaissance bell tower. The Hvar Arsenal — built to repair war galleys during the Venetian period — contains the oldest municipal theatre in the world still in its original location (1612). And the Spanish Fortress above the town offers views that on clear days extend to the mountains of Bosnia 100 kilometres across the Adriatic.
Island tours extend into the interior by 4x4 or on foot — through olive groves and lavender fields, to family distilleries where lavender oil has been pressed using the same methods for generations, and to clifftop viewpoints that reveal the full length of the island and the scatter of the Pakleni island archipelago off Hvar's southwestern tip. Combine with an afternoon sailing charter from Hvar harbour.
100% Private
No shared groups, no waiting. Your guide, your pace, your questions. We match your guide to your interests — history, food, photography, family travel.
Largest piazza in Dalmatia — cathedral, arsenal and Venetian loggia in one space
World's oldest municipal theatre still in original location, built 1612
Above the town — panoramic views and 400 years of Venetian and Ottoman history
Oldest Croatian town, continuously inhabited for 2,400 years — time-capsule streets
UNESCO-listed Greek agricultural grid, unchanged in layout for 24 centuries
Family producer in the island interior — lavender oil pressed using traditional methods
Tell us your date and group size — we'll match you with the perfect guide within 2 hours.