Pristine Splendour Croatia has long since ceased to be a secret destination for travellers in the know. The country promises sun, sand and palm trees, a warm welcome for guests and steeped in tradition. There is hardly another spot that plays this tourist trump so well as the island of HVAR. BY Stephan Burkoff
HVAR, the fourth-largest of the Croatian Adriatic islands, and by far the sunniest of all, was recently voted one of the world’s ten most beautiful islands by readers of the Condé Nast »Traveller« magazine. And not just for its climate: surrounded by azure water, Hvar is Dalmatia’s best-kept secret. Culture and tradition have survived a tumultuous history while varied topography, flora and architecture provide the backdrop. Hvar can be reached easily and cheaply from many European airports, thanks to the admittedly environmentally controversial low cost carriers. A ticket to Split, the nearest airport, can be had for less than EUR100. Depending on the departure airport, flights take only a few hours. The normal route from Split to Hvar is by water and is generally via one of the ferries that departs from Split’s harbour. Other travellers approach the island either by helicopter, private luxury yacht or, as I did, by speedboat. The latter lent my trip a special touch. In spite of the strong wind and a noticeable swell, our boat reached 30 knots. Salty sea spray in my face and a breeze in my hair cleaned out the last of the city cobwebs. We passed an exciting coastline, whose light grey, almost white cliffs shone in the sunlight. We passed groups of traditional stone houses with salmon-coloured roofs, scattered on the steep slopes and interesting hill formations with green bobble caps. Proud sail yachts and powerful motorboats were on the move all around us. The Croatian islands offer unguessed-at possibilities and undiscovered holiday refuges, particularly for the amateur sailor. And there is plenty of space to cope with its popularity: Croatia has a coastline 1,778 km in length. If one includes the coasts of the approximately 1,250 offshore islands, the figure even rises to 6,176 km. A tourist superlative. Despite the high number of islands, on closer observation, one sees that only 43 of Croatia’s islands are inhabited, due to their unviable size or lack of drinking water – which of course doesn’t mean that holidaymakers can’t enjoy every aspect of the populated ones... Moving along the Hvar coastline, we passed fantastically beautiful, solitary beaches, and then a hotel directly on the beach in a bay. In the next bay we saw the Amfora Hotel, with its breathtaking ensemble of modern hotel complex, a yacht club, a beach and the spa, wellness club and »Bonj les Bains« Restaurant. With its 1930s architecture, the gently curving colonnaded building is still eyecatching. And – as I later discovered – in view of the choiceness of its cuisine, massages and relaxing options, the ideal herald for what was waiting in the next bay. Hvar’s little harbour welcomed me in golden sunshine. In front of me was a historic harbour basin made out of white volcanic stone blocks, worn down over the centuries. It is surrounded by wonderful buildings in Sicilian, Romanesque and Renaissance styles, creating an overwhelming impression. Especially since the preservation and restoration of the buildings, many of which are over 300 years old, have been as conservative as the city’s conquest by the ubiquitous souvenir shop and snack bar. Although these exist, they are so carefully integrated into the historic structure, that one almost has to look for them. My hotel and destination was exactly opposite our dock and the Riva Yacht Hotel. The sun dried the saltwater in my hair as, relieved of the weight of my luggage, I walked the short distance around the harbour to the Adriana. As a member of »The Leading Small Hotels of the World«, the Adriana appeals from the first glance with its contemporary look and a clever architectural concept. Concealed behind a simple and elegant sandstone façade with narrow shutters are generous restaurant and lobby spaces, two bars, an indoor saltwater pool, the Sensori Spa with a large number of treatment rooms and seven terraces with massage tents and jacuzzi. There are 59 guest rooms of two carefully composed types, whose mix of materials and styles is versatile and appealing at the same time. Many of the rooms offer a fantastic view of the harbour, filled with equally impressive yachts. The rooms of the Sensori Spa and the spacious pool area in particular are captivating with their 89
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