The town of Hvar is the largest settlement on the island of Hvar.
The access to Hvar implies the point from which we have reached it.
From the sea, we get the sight of a waterfront promenade strip bordered
with a row of palm trees and seven centuries old walls, overtopped by
the fortresses protecting Hvar, extending downwards to the town and
to the Venetian loggia. Coming from the central part of the island or
using the road from the ferry harbour we arrive at the magnificent Piazza,
a square generally considered the most beautiful of the kind in Dalmatia,
dominated by St. Stephen's Cathedral and bordered by the palaces of
Groda and by the cascading stone-built houses of Burag. But, no matter
from which point this town is approached, Hvar straightway presents
itself as a monument. Centuries have ground its stone, epochs, above
all renaissance, have shaped its appearance. Monuments within monuments,
monuments on monuments. Hvar is a jewel hidden by the time.
The aura of medieval Croatia endures in the cobbled streets of Rovinj
and the recently restored other-worldliness of Dubrovnik's Stari Grad.
The country is also home to some of Europe's finest Roman ruins, including
the immense palace of Diocletian in Split.
Yet, the presentation of Hvar is not defined by its monuments only. It should include its harbour spreading towards the sea and the islands called Pakleni Otoci, its hotels, apartments, its unmatched climate having healing properties, its restaurants and cafes, all reflecting the glossy spirit of an exquisite resort area for almost a century and a half.
Hvar displays with pride the oldest municipal theatre in Europe. Hvar has been built through time by notable domestic and foreign architects. Hvar has been celebrated in verses. Hvar has been painted by the painters. But Hvar itself is the best narrator of its own story. It is enough to come and see for oneself. That way we shall touch piece of the legend.
Hvar belongs to the central island group of the Adriatic and lies in an east-west direction at right angles to the coast. These islands together are called "The Hvar Group". The eastern promontory of Hvar is only 4.5 km away from the mainland, while the western one faces the open sea. It is the longest of the Adriatic islands. "Lower Hvar", the western part, is called the "head of the island", as its main area. Plume - the eastern part - gets narrower towards "the top".
Hvar (68 km long), is also the fourth largest in area (300 sq. m). The longitudinal road which links the town of Hvar with Sućurje at the eastern end of the island is 84 km long. The high plateau between St. Nicholas hill (626 m) and Hum (603 m) which extends from Sv. Nedjelja to Jelsa and is partly under pine woods and partly under arable land is marked by distinctive beauty and a fresh climate. The flat part of the island between Stari Grad, Vrboska and Jelsa is under vineyards which produce up to 50,000 hectoliters of wine per year.
From 21 March to 4 April, Zagreb snaps its fingers and nods knowingly
to the groovy toons of Spring Time Jazz Fever. For still more improv,
try Zagreb's International Days of Jazz in mid-October. It's worth checking
out spotty pop Dalmatian-style at the Split Summer Festival, which goes
from mid-July to mid-August, and Zagreb's Summer Festival, from early
July to mid-August, where you can hear classical works by Croatian composers.
Dubrovnik's Summer Festival, held in July and August, showcases the
country's dramatic and classical music stars. In July and August, Omis
throws its tambura out the window for a festival of acapella vocal music.
Zagreb has been the capital of Croatia since 1557, and a lot of the
medieval city is still around today. Although Zagreb was hit by rockets
in 1995, the damage was not severe and recovery has been rapid: you'll
still see affluent looking folks shopping and sipping their way around
town in expensive threads.
The twin neo-Gothic spires of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary (formerly St Stephen's Cathedral) were built in
1899, but you can still see elements of the medieval cathedral that
was once on this site. Particularly interesting are the 13th century
frescos, Renaissance pews, marble altars and a baroque pulpit. North-west
of the city centre, climb the Lotrscak Tower for a sweeping 360° view
of the city, or visit the Galerija Klovicevi Dvori, which hosts superb
art shows. Also in the area is St Mark's Church, with its colourful
painted-tile roof and sculptures by Ivan Mestrovic, and the Natural
History Museum, Historical Museum of Croatia and the City Museum, housed
in a former convent.
With Croatia becoming ever more popular as a holiday destination, interest in purchasing property, or real estate, in the country has also risen quite suddenly in recent years.
Here we have complied a short guide to help you get started if you are interested in purchasing property in Croatia. Although, at present, there are few Croatian real estate agents that have websites, those that do seem to offer quite a good selection to at least give you an idea of what sort of properties are on offer and for what price.
It is, of course, important to remember the regulations are in place for non-Croatian citizens purchasing property in Croatia. This information from the US Embassy in Zagreb is a good starting point in understanding the regulations and legal documents required. These regulations are valid for citizens of all countries with which Croatia has got an reciprocal agreement - meaning countries in which Croatian citizens can purchase property, and vice versa. This covers the citizens of all EU countries (except Italy); USA; the Russian Federation; and Hungary. The citizens of Italy, Switzerland and Bosnia & Herzegovina can only purchase property if they intend to settle in Croatia permanently.
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