January 3, 2021 - Its 2400-history is reflected in its name ('Old Town' in Croatian) and a new promotional video - meet Stari Grad on Hvar.

With distance comes perspective. 

For 13 years, I viewed the town of Stari Grad on Hvar from a close distance - my beloved adopted home town of Jelsa 8 kilometres away. 

Both Jelsa and Stari Grad are located in the centre of the island, less fashionable and less popular than their more glamorous neighbour to the west - Hvar Town. 

Jelsa and Stari Grad were similar but different, and both very pleasant places to hang out. As a patriot, of course, Jelsa was the better place to be.

Moving away from the island 4 years ago, perspectives have changed, and so too is Stari Grad. 

It is partly the investment in the new hotels we featured recently in The Rise of the Quality Hotel Scene in Stari Grad on Hvar. It is partly the rise in nautical tourism brought on by the extension of the waterfront in the historic old town, which dates back to the arrival of the Ancient Greeks in 385 BC. It is partly due to the town's commendable direction to avoid party tourism and focus on its authenticity, heritage and natural beauty.

Perhaps the changes are due to my perspective only, but I don't think so. In recent years, Stari Grad has seemed to be more at ease with itself as a destination, with great new restaurants opening (several all year), local arts and craft shops rather than cheap Chinese souvenirs, and an ever more diverse tourism offer.

The Stari Grad Tourist Board released a new promo video for the destination a few days ago, which I really liked. And for the first time, I saw Stari Grad for what it has become - a complete destination.   

Here is the new video above. I am sure that an English-language version (at least with subtitles - I would be happy to help with this) is forthcoming. But even if you don't speak Croatia while we wait, the footage is excellent. 

Looking to learn more about Stari Grad on Hvar? Here are 25 things to know. 

November 21, 2020 - Often overlooked by its more fashionable neighbour on the western tip of the island, the luxury hotel story in Stari Grad on Hvar is developing nicely, with or without Four Seasons. 

When I bought my house in Jelsa back in 2002, the island of Hvar was very different. It was only seven years after the Homeland War had finished, and tourism was only just beginning to recover. Nowhere was this more true than in the hotel industry. With almost no tourists during the war, some of the hotels were used to house refugees and internally displaced people from parts of Croatia and Bosnia which were badly affected by the fighting. Some of those hotels have never recovered. 

Back then, some 18 years ago, there were very few truly luxury places to stay on Hvar, despite its elite island reputation. It would be four more years until ORCO Group took over Suncani Hvar Hotels in Hvar Town and began to add the four and five-star luxury that one can enjoy today. 

The hotels in central Hvar were not so fortunate with post-war investment. Soon after I moved to Jelsa, the town's hotels were sold to a Hungarian investor. At the time, there was much excitement about a new era for Jelsa tourism, with investments promised. Back in the 1980s, Jelsa was THE place to go on Hvar, with no less than four nightclubs, so I am told. It was named the best destination in former Yugoslavia in 1983 (from memory), and its hotels very popular. 

Sadly, the expected investment did not materialise, the oldest hotel on Hvar, Jadran (which opened in 2011) closed, and the town has been stuck in tourism limbo every since with its 2 and 3-star hotels. 

It was a similar story initially in both Vrboska and Stari Grad, both of which have moved onto a path of better fortune. 

In Vrboska, the old two-star Hotel Adriatic was not even available for tourist rental for many years, as the hotel had a contract with the Czech government to host its sick children, who enjoyed the healthy Hvar climate and pristine Adriatic waters. That all changed back in 2016 with a 30 million euro investment, as Hotel Adriatic was transformed into the 4-star standard Senses Resort. 

But by far the most interesting story has been taking place in Stari Grad over the last decade. A story which continues to write new chapters and is quietly becoming a quality destination which offers significant competition to Hvar Town. I wasn't in the least surprised, for example, to learn that the first Michelin-recommended restaurant on the island (Apolon) was in Stari Grad, not Hvar Town. 

And it is with Apolon where  - at least from my perspective - the rise of the hotel scene in Stari Grad began. 

Back in 2013, as Croatia prepared to join the EU, I took a journalist from The Independent to meet Jelsa winemaker Andro Tomic. Tomic at the time was the poster child of EU accession, due to the Italian objections in the 'prosek v prosecco' debate. After the interview and accompanying wine tasting, Tomic suggested we go for lunch at a great new place that had just opened in Stari Grad. As the island blogger, I was intrigued as I had never heard of it. 

(Apolon in 2013)

Restaurant Apolon and the 7 luxury rooms in a historic building at the top of the expanded Stari Grad riva were a statement of intent from owner Tonci Tadic, with no expense spared to open the first four-star luxury accommodation in Stari Grad. It was an instant success, with many higher-paying guests choosing the peace and quiet of the Stari Grad waterfront, as Hvar Town went through its experiment with party tourism. Stari Grad finally had an alternative for those looking for a great place to stay and eat in the oldest settlement on the island. 

Stari Grad's main hotels, the Helios Group, were in a similar situation as Jelsa. Two and three-star, trying to recover from the war, and deprived of investment and with significant ownership issues. The lack of quality hotels was holding the destination back from development.  

And then, slowly, things changed for the better. 

(Brizenica Bay, Four Seasons Hvar plan back in 2016)

Ironically, the biggest move towards luxury hotel tourism in Stari Grad on Hvar is the one which is looking increasingly less likely ot happen - the Four Seasons Resort at Brizenica Bay a short walk north of the town. If the 140 million euro investment were to go ahead, it would be one of the most luxurious hotel resorts on the entire Adriatic coast. Despite former Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli announcing that the resort would be expecting guests for the 2019 season, the project is still waiting for its building permit. But while the Four Seasons may be on hold, there is plenty of other tourism good news for the hotel industry in Stari Grad. 

Perhaps the most significant in the long term is the new ownership of the flagship hotels from Helios Group. They have been taken over by Valamar Hotels, the first investment on Hvar from the influential Croatian company which is a dominant player in the hotel industry here. The plans are in place, and the news is good - a complete overhaul of the existing hotels towards a four-star offer more in keeping with the quality of the destination. The renovations will take a couple of years, but once completed, the spectacular position of Hotel Arkada in particular should be a very popular spot for those wanting to combine a beach holiday with a relaxed setting. 

(Photo credit - Hotel Antica)

But there is more happening in the higher quality hotel story in Stari Grad. With a much lower profile, another 4-star hotel opened back in 2018, close to the ferry, as we reported at the time - Hotel Antica. 

And 2020 took the Stari Grad hotel offer to new heights, despite the attentions of the pandemic. While the Four Seasons project was arguing building permits with the town council, across the harbour on the other side of the ferry, one project was doing everything right - Maslina Resort in Maslinica Bay, the first five-star hotel for Stari Grad. Indeed, it is only the fourth 5-star hotel on a Croatian island (excluding the very small boutigue hotels), the others being on Losinj, and Palace Elisabeth heritage hvar hotel, which was the first 5-star hotel to open on Hvar last year. 

(Photo credit - Maslina Resort)

With its signature motto, Mindful Luxury, Maslina will be looking to set the standards of hotel luxury not only on Hvar, but also the Adriatic, when it opens for its first full season next year. You can check it out here. 

It is just 7 years since Apolon opened in Stari Grad, bringing four-star excellence to the town. Valamar, Antica, Maslina, as well as a host of higher-quality private accommodation options in the historic old town and villas overlooking the sea, are helping to life the tourism offer of what was once the capital of this beautiful island. 

I predict good things for Stari Grad's future - a safe, authentic lifestyle destination which is developing tourism as it should be. 

Follow the latest from the island of Hvar in our dedicated Hvar section. 

September 19, 2020 - It is one of the most beautiful road journeys in Croatia, and one with little traffic these days. Have you taken the Hvar old road from Stari Grad?

Connectivity on the island of Hvar changed a lot in 2001, the year before I arrived on Croatia's Premier Island. The opening of a tunnel and new fast road between Stari Grad and Havr Town meant that journey times were cut to just 20 minutes, and there was no longer any need to go over the top of the island.

(Photo credit Prosper Maricic)

The new road was certainly an upgrade on the previous path - a great 1971 photo of the slow journey to Milna along the same route. 

(Photo credit Andy Leedham)

Because of the quick connection between the two major settlements on the island, the Hvar old road - which hitherto had been the only transport artery - lost its popularity overnight and has been largely forgotten ever since. Indeed, it took me a while to take the left turn at Stari Grad, direction Selca and Brusje. 

But when I finally did, I found one of the most beautiful and most tranquil parts of the island. Right from the turn off the main road and slow ascent, the views were astonishing - the northern view to Brac and the mainland over Hvar's Kabal Peninsula above Stari Grad.

And there was quite a climb. The road has become popular with cyclists and is now also home to the annual Hvar Half Marathon, surely one of the most beautiful runs in Croatia. 

After just a few minutes, the first village came into view - Selca. Back in 2003, when I started a real estate business on the island, the village was all but abandoned, with a permanent population of just five people. It was wildly popular with foreigners, eager to buy and renovate some Adriatic stone in a pretty village just five minutes from the ferry. I sold five properties in the village, all of which got renovated to a high standard.

The village also comes with something which the Hvar old road specialises in - a spectacular view. 

Shortly after Selca, there is an unpaved path to the left with a sharp turn. Take it and it will lead you to the very peak of Paradise - a 360 degree view of the island and the Adriatic from the top of Hvar. Highly recommended for sunrise and sunset. A normal car can drive most of the way, with the last 300m recommended to walk 

Continue on, however, and you will come to the recently renovated restaurant, Vidikovac Levanda, which is blessed with rather a nice option for its guests - sea view to the south towards Vis with your meal, or sea view to the north. Both are outstanding, as is the food. 

Perhaps the most unusual sight on the Hvar old road is the abundance of dry stone walls, which appear like a giant patchwork in the fields and hills around. Dry stone walling has now been inscribed as intangible UNESCO heritage, the 6th UNESCO heritage Hvar has (more than any other island in the world). It is very skilled work. I used to joke with clients that winters were very slow on Hvar, and these were the result on an annual best dry stone wall competition. The reason, of course, is that the stones were sorted from the land for agricultural purposes. 

Come in June and July and you will see another unusual sight. Cars abandoned at the side of the road, their passengers wandering into the nearby fields for selfies with nature. For this is lavender season, one of the things for which Hvar is famous. The picturesque and aromatic lavender bushes are too gorgeous to resist. 

And if you cannot make the festival, park the car and enjoy the south-side view. Perhaps above the village of Velo Grablje, which was once the centre of lavender production in all Dalmatia. It too had a population of just view 15 years ago, a number that has now swelled to at least 14, as well as a new restaurant, winter pub and... lavender festival at the end of June. 

There may not be too many cars on the Hvar old road, but there are other travellers to look out for. Timeless Dalmatia is perhaps best symbolised by one of its most beloved icons - the donkey. 

Donkeys are a lot less common that there were in Dalmatia, but there are still plenty around, and the biggest concentration of donkeys on Hvar is in the second and last village on the Hvar old road. 

(Entrance to Brusje)

Brusje.

Brusje is 6 km from Hvar Town, offering fabulous sea views, this time back to the north. My father-in-law is from the village, and he often recalls the 6 km walk to school through the fields, and the 6 km home again. A different world. The island has strong intellectual credentials. It is apparently home to the first library on a Dalmatian island, as well as a large number of its residents going on to be doctors and working in other distinguished professions. 

(Photo credit Visit Hvar)

Looking for a beach away from the crowds? The beaches in the Brusje bays are fantastic and relatively undiscovered. Get to know them here. 

As the road twists and turns with wonderful views of the Adriatic, there is one more turn which is highly recommended if you have the time - a left just before Hvar Town to climb to the Napoljun fortress high above the famous town. 

For there is perhaps the best bench view in all Croatia. 

And once you have admired the view, now find out about all the incredible things you are looking at in this video explanation below.

A word of warning to cautious drivers. There are plenty of very windy parts of the road, and barriers are not in place at all junctions where the land drops next to the road, so take it slow. I just can't imagine how this road functioned before the opening of the new road in 2001, especially in peak season. The impatient German Mercedes driver behind the Italian caravan, that kind of thing. And when two caravans approached in different directions... 

(Photo credit Hvar Adventure)

The Hvar old road has become much more popular for sport in recent years, in particular for cycling (the photo above is from the new road - I couldn't find one of cycling on the old road, but the view are equally breathtaking. Leading cycling team Bahrain McLaren have been coming to Hvar for three years now for their winter training and testing their skills on this gorgeous road. 

(Photo credit Hvar Half Marathon)

As previously mentioned, the road is also home to the Hvar Half Marathon, a 21 km race from the centre of Stari Grad to the finish on the main square in Hvar Town.

It is surely one of the most beautiful races in Europe. 

Want to experience the route, without running out of breath? Sit back and relax and take in the Hvar old road in its entirety. 

At least once a year when visiting Hvar, I always come back on the old road. A chance to appreciate the magnificent beauty and nature of this island on a road largely untouched for decades.

Take the new road and arrive in 20 minutes if you must, but why not instead take a whole afternoon?

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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August 14, 2020 - Another major foreign investment in Croatia heading for the graveyard, despite being a project of national strategic importance? A major blow for the Four Seasons Hvar project. 

It is more than three years since I find myself in the rather unusual position of drinking Champagne on a specially chartered train from Zagreb to Sesvete, in the east of the Croatian capital, before a transfer to a warehouse.

It was perhaps not the most luxurious of settings, but what I found inside certainly was, a mock-up room of the 140-million-euro showcase Four Seasons Hvar resort, which was about to up the luxury tourism story on the Adriatic. 

The Brizenica Bay and Four Seasons partnership in Stari Grad was set to give Croatia's premier island of Hvar the global hospitality brand worthy of its elite identity, and the mood within that Sesvete warehouse was ebullient, as TCN reported at the time:

"This extremely important project, almost a billion-kuna investment, will be of great importance to Stari Grad on the island of Hvar as well as for the whole of Croatia. The island of Hvar will be provided with the necessary quality accommodation facilities, which will certainly stimulate further investment in additional facilities, thus enabling the further development of tourism on the island of Hvar. This is also an opportunity for the local tourist community to begin with the complete management of this destination and thus make the island of Hvar a high quality destination. As an islander, I am particularly pleased to see that the potential of our islands has been recognised and I would be delighted if such investments were made on my island as well.'' said Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli, adding that this investment would certainly trigger other potential investors to pay deeper attention and look for opportunities for investment on the island of Hvar, in Split-Dalmatia County and in Croatia in general.

Dennis Wijsmuller, co-founder and CEO of Arqaam Capital, highlighted how proud Arqaam Capital is to support the Croatian tourism development strategy and contribute to the social and economic development of the country, the island of Hvar, and especially Stari Grad.

"By realising this project, we are strengthening the tourist infrastructure within the region, creating new jobs, and firmly placing the island of Hvar on the global luxury destination map'' stated Wijsmuller, noting that the first guests at Brizenica Four Seasons - Resort and Private Residences are expected in 2019.

Time passed. 

2019 passed. 

Minister Cappelli's time in the spotlight passed. 

Nothing happened. 

It is now 13 years since the investors bought the land to develop the resort. One might have thought that a public announcement from a government minister stating that this was a project of strategic national importance would mean something in a country starved of foreign investment, largely due to its bureaucracy. And yet, it appears not to be the case. 

A town council meeting in Stari Grad yesterday voted on the changes to the urbanistic plan to include amendments to the Four Seasons Hvar project, which now has a location permit, but still no road access after all these years. The investors must have been confident that the amendments would pass or they would not have put it forward for approval (if rejected, an amendment cannot normally be resubmitted for 6 months). But it would seem that their local intelligence was somewhat lacking. 

The vote of the 13-person Stari Grad council was unanimous - for the motion 0, against the motion 13. 

Yet one more delay for this increasingly ill-fated project, perhaps a fatal one. Interestingly, 6 of the 13 councillors to vote against were members of the ruling HDZ party, whose minister talked of the project's national strategic importance just three years ago. 

As a message to the international investment community, this is the latest high-profile failure of a major international hotel brand in Croatia. 

As I noted in an editorial over a year ago, while the potential of Croatian tourism is huge for international investors, the successes are miniscule compared to the competition. Neighbouring Montenegro, for example, has a much higher investment despite a lesser tourism brand and only a sixth of Croatia's coast. Major investments of 1.1 billion euro (Orascum, Egypt), 900 million euro (Porta Novi, Azerbaijan) and 500 million euro (Porto Montenegro, Canada and UAE) are just some investment examples which dwarf the size of the most successful major investments on the Croatian Adriatic - 160 million euro in Falkensteiner Punta Skala in 2011 and Sun Gardens Dubrovnik in 2009. 

Local sources in Stari Grad told me that the opposition to the project resolves around unfulfilled financial promises (a commitment to pay for the connecting road - a road, it should be noted, whose ownership is still to be determined), aggressive lobbyists, a total absence of community involvement. Issues, one would have thought, could have been resolved over a 13-year period since the acquisition, but apparently not. 

A 13-0 vote against three years after a public government commitment tells its own story and probably signals the Brizenica Bay Four Seasons Project to the major foreign investment graveyard for which Croatia has unfortunately become well-known. The door has been left open, however, as next year is election year. Applications can normally be resubmitted only after six months, but the council has agreed to a vote at any time. One wonders what would have to happen to enable a unanimous vote against to suddenly become acceptable. 

It is not all bad news for foreign investors, however, and this weekend sees the opening of only the second 5-star hotel on Hvar. Maslina Resort in Stari Grad lies across the bay from Brizenica Bay. Smaller in size, embracing local manpower and products where possible, it has managed to navigate the rocky waters of Croatian planning, as well as the setbacks of corona, to open one of the most luxurious developments on the Adriatic. 

It is a rare exception to the rule for foreign investments on the Adriatic. 

May 20, 2020 - Tourism is on hold, but most of us have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Stari Grad on Hvar.

A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism. 

One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over. 

I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world.  You can find Zoran's articles here.

Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research. 

South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.

But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many. 

So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home. 

We started last week with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.

After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series. 

The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Klis, Discover Trogir and Discover Omis.

Next up, Jaksa Damjanic from the Stari Grad Tourist Board, who sent me some virtual tools to help us discover Stari Grad. 

Let's begin! 

Welcome to Stari Grad, Home to 2,400 Years of Tradition of Creating New Experiences

Released just a few days ago, 

Remember Pharrell Williams? Be Happy, Stari Grad style.

Discover the old town and the secrets of 2,400 years. 

Stari Grad from the air.

A spectacular birds eye view. 

The relaxed evening atmosphere. 

A one-hour national television discovery of Stari Grad and some of its most lovable characters. 

A Small Place with a Famous Heritage

Stari Grad is perhaps best known in the minds of a sizable chunk of the population of former Yugoslavia as the location for the VERY popular show Malo Misto (Little Place), which characterised and satirised life in a small town in Dalmatia. Even with my limited ability to pick up the words of the actors, I find it wonderfully funny, and Stari Grad looks glorious. A sample episode is above.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a Sail Back to Ancient Greek Roots

Every travelled 5,000 years of UNESCO heritage in just 90 seconds? Fasten your seatbelts. 

Learn more about the Stari Grad Plain with this reconstruction of how life was in the time of the Ancient Greeks. 

From Faros to Paros. And in 2003, a rather unusual expedition was organised to retrace the steps of the Ancient Greeks all those years ago - a voyage in a traditional sailboat, from 'Faros to Paros', Faros being the name the Greeks gave to what is today Stari Grad, close as it sounded to their native island of Paros. The voyage included taking gifts including vines and olive trees which had brought som much prosperity and goodness to the residents of Hvar, and which had originally come from Paros in 384 BC. There is a documentary on the journey (in Croatian) which you can watch here. 

It may not evoke comparisons with London Heathrow, but Stari Grad even has its own airport, located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Due to cultural considerations, the airport cannot be upgraded or expanded, but it does serve as a useful and convenient point for small aircraft and helicopters (the airstrip can accommodate planes of maximum six passengers), as well as providing a summer base for Hvar's popular sky-diving offer. 

5 UNESCO Heritages in 1 Town, More than Any Island in the World

No other island in the world has 4 UNESCO heritages. The town of Stari Grad has 5. The official video of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Stari Grad Plain. 

The Mediterranean Diet was inscribed at intangible UNESCO heritage in 2013. 

The 500-year-old Za Krizen procession (Behind the Cross) includes the village of Vrbanj, which is in the Stari Grad administrative district. 

And one cannot leave Dalmatia without some unforgettable Dalmatian klapa. 

The art of dry-stone walling is a rare skill, and one which has also achieved UNESCO status.

Discover Stari Grad, Where Wine and Song Meet

Stari Grad is fabulous, with something for everyone. A place where music and wine collide in different forms.  The Jazz and  Wine festival. 

 Dani u vali - Days in the Bay. 

 The Hvar Wine Association hosts wonderful evenings of wine tasting and song in the picturesque squares in the old town. 

And a little wine always brings a little impromptu song. 

For such a small town (the permanent population was less than 1800 at the last census), Stari Grad has an incredibly vibrant cultural scene. In addition to several excellent museums, two theatres (and two fabulous amateur theatre groups) and a host of other cultural activities, the male voices of Stari Grad are known throughout the land, and if you ever get the chance to hear the Faros Kantaduri, don't miss them. For a taster, check them out in the video above. 

One of the world's most challenging swims, and other activities

Stari Grad is home to one of the most challenging international swimming races in the world, an annual event in August which attracts some of the globe's finest swimmers, including Olympic gold medal winners. Started in 1974, the Faros Marathon is a 16km race in the open sea, starting and finishing in the town's harbour, from where competitors race to the tip of the Kabal Peninsula at the top of the Stari Grad Bay - some 8km away - and back. A phenomenal physical effort for the increasingly international field, where the winner has yet to break three hours. Check out the race in the video above. 

Also home to the start of the slightly less challenging Hvar Half Marathon, which takes place in August every year to Hvar Town along the old road. Surely one of the most beautiful races in Europe. 

Biking heaven. 

MTB heaven too. 

Sail Croatia loves Stari Grad.

And if you are sailing into Stari Grad, with its new marina, here is some useful advice. 

Of sunsets and plima 

Some of the most beautiful sunsets in Dalmatia. But beware... 

Ah, the deep Stari Grad Bay. It caused considerable distress to a poor dolphin, who inadvertantly swam into the harbour in 2005, and could not figure a way out for three days until expert help pointed the poor creature in the right drection. A scarier prospect for local residents is the 'plima', a raising of the water level cauased by particular climatic conditions and such a deep bay, which results in rapid rising of the water level. It is quite a spectacle to watch, as long as you are not a waterfront home owner. Check out the video above. 

Local traditions, art and food

Starogrojski paprenjok is an original souvenir made as a homage to a traditional biscuit which the women and girls of Stari Grad on the Island of Hvar have lovingly prepared since 1167 for their sons and husbands, packing them in sailor's chests before their loved ones' departure on long and faraway journeys.

These cakes are prepared according to a carefully preserved recipe of the old island women and have retained the traditional shapes of amphora, fish, heart, clover and other imaginative forms lined with sweet stripes and playful dots.

The earliest mention of the famous cake from Stari Grad, Starogrojski paprenjok, was left by Petar Hektorović, in his famous poem, 'Ribanje i ribarsko prigovaranje', from 1556. The work is a description of a three-day fishing trip from Stari Grad to the island of Šolta and back. In it, the poet Petar Hektorović sailed in the company of two fishermen, Paskoje and Nikola. They took with them: good wine muškatil, sweet wine (prošek), turta (cake), honeycomb, kaškaval cheese, fruit and paprenakov.

The main ingredient for paprenjok is honey. In the castle, that is, in the flaunting park, the Hektorović family cultivated poultry, silkworms and bees.

Hektorović’s farmers cultivated wheat in the fertile Stari Grad fields; they milled it in the mill located in Tvrdalj. Another important ingredient was also olive oil. The Hektorović family's olive groves were located in the southern part of the town.

To prepare a paprenjok they also needed prošek. Prošek was made from good quality grapes in the tavern in Tvrdalj.
The only thing which could not be cultivated in Tvrdalj were the aromatic herbs – cinnamon, cloves and nutmegs.

But in that period they were easily obtained, as the port of Stari Grad was located on the route between Venice, Dubrovnik and the numerous Mediterranean ports with which trade took place.

Stari Grad even had its own honey festival at one point, and I understand that there are plans to resurrect its honey heritage this year.  

 Never eaten a dormouse? Don't miss the Puhijada edible dormouse festival in Dol. 

One of the great attractions of Stari Grad are its quaint streets, which are lined with art galleries and boutique shops, selling authentic local products. Some of the artists are quite unique. Meet Fantazam. 

Home to no less than two amateur theatre groups. 

Mali Grad Faros - a wonderful initiative for the little ones.

And the magical night of Sv. Nikola in December is accompanied with the traditional burning of a boat.

And where else to go for the biggest live snake exhibition in Europe? 

Stari Grad, the secret of a happy and healthy life - 104 years and still mending fishing nets.

Stari Grad has its own celebrities, including this man, who has seen them come and seen them go. Andrija Petric Muse is one of the icons of Hvar, a quiet unassuming man who can be seen most days oppostite Pizzeria Marko mending nets, as he has done for generations. An avid smoker for more than 80 years, he celebrated his 104th birthday this year. A survivor of the Spanish Flu AND corona, life of Croatia's premier island with its healthy climate and UNESCO Mediterranean Diet must have played a small part. 

A wonderful town.

Official Stari Grad Tourist Board Website & 25 Things to Know about Stari Grad

Discover Stari Grad via the official tourist board website.

Learn more about Stari Grad with the TCN feature article, Stari Grad: 25 Things to Know about Croatia's 2017 European Best Destinations Nominee.

THIS. IS. STARI GRAD. When can we expect your visit? 

To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia. 

If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)

May 7, 2020 - Maslina Resort is a five-star boutique hotel, slated to open this summer in Maslinica Bay on the island of Hvar, just minutes away from the UNESCO-protected Stari Grad.

First, tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to being head chef at Maslina Resort?

I am culturally confused; I'm of Chinese ancestry born in Malaysia, raised in the UK and the US. I’ve also lived for extended periods in five other countries.  All this traveling is a real advantage culinarily.  

I was browsing LinkedIn and saw a post for the chef position at Maslina, I usually would not respond, but on a lark, I sent Zoran a note, he responded in 2 hours, and two weeks later I was moving to Croatia.  

How would you explain your culinary philosophy? 

I think my food is very much ingredient-based. Use the best ingredients and treat them with respect. This means using meats that are ethically grown and killed humanely, using the whole animal not just the prime cuts, fish that is locally and preferably line caught (i.e., not trawled with large nets which catch fish indiscriminately trapping young breeding fish interrupting the live cycle), produce that is locally grown and in season. This means I do a lot of preserving, whether it is pickling, curing, jamming, dehydrating. It allows me to use cherries in December because I brandied it in June.  

How will this philosophy integrate into the cuisine at Maslina Resort?

Part of the reason I am so excited to be at Maslina, is because it is a prolific growing region with a great variety of fish and game. I have gone foraging with a local lady who is an ethnobotanist, and there are so many wild plants and herbs that are edible. Having the ability to use local, foraged ingredients is such a treat. I can’t wait for the mushroom season this fall. As someone who is inspired by ingredients I am in heaven, nothing inspires and excites more than picking perfect kumquats from a fruit-laden bush or watching figs ripen on a tree down the street. Really, everywhere one walks on Hvar, there are sights and smells that inspire, rosemary, pine, wild sage, briny sea breeze, lemon blossom. It is fabulous.  

How will you implement local producers and suppliers?

We are fortunate at Maslina to have a great organic garden that is in a sheltered bay with lots of light, water, and well protected from the winds.  Mario, our fabulous head gardener, will be able to grow a lot of herbs and soft greens for the kitchen. We are also going to work with a number of farmers from the Stari Grad Plains, and in some cases, they will grow specialty products for us and in others, we will simply use what they normally grow.  We have made really good contacts from local goat cheese producers to beekeepers for honey and wax to fishermen. Because of the style of the menu (which will change daily, we are able to work with whatever ingredient they bring us. It is a more organic way of cooking, letting the ingredients dictate what we cook rather than having a menu dictate the ingredients we use. It is also a lot more fun.

Nataly Lee

What would you name as the key differences between working in a hotel or resort and a standalone restaurant?

The main difference is not the work in the kitchen, by that, I mean the cooking and production of good food are the same in both cases. The difference is the financial aspect of the business. As a chef of a standalone restaurant (especially if you are also the owner), there is a constant worry about making enough to pay the bills. In a resort or hotel, one of the most expensive fixed cost is eliminated. Rent usually takes up as much as 40% of a restaurant’s revenue, so with not paying rent, you are already ahead of the game.

From a Food & Beverage perspective, what is required to operate in a luxury resort? 

Producing good food, whether it is in a luxury resort, a fine dining restaurant or even in your home kitchen, is the same, I think. You need to care about what you are doing; you need to be flexible and adapt to the needs and desires of your guest, you need to create a great environment for your guests to enjoy the meal. Luxury means different things to different people.  Luxury, for me, means having a choice, be it caviar and champagne or a grilled cheese sandwich. Our goal is to provide this choice. 

Has the island of Hvar and Croatia been able to provide everything you need so far?

It has been fabulous, not just in terms of cuisine but also in terms of a wonderfully beautiful place to live. The people in Stari Grad have been so warm and welcoming. They are so willing to share recipes, cooking techniques, local knowledge of ingredients.  

What are you looking forward to most about running the kitchen at Maslina Resort? And about being in Croatia?

One of the first things I am going to do once I can get into the kitchen at Maslina is cooking for my co-workers, who have become my family in Croatia. There is nothing better than cooking for the people you love.

Nataly Lee

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 3, 2020 - As Barba Andro turns 104 in Stari Grad on Hvar, what is the secret for a long and fulfilled life? 

 He was born during the First World War, survived the Spanish Flu and served in the Second World War, and for many, many years, he has been one of the most recognisable icons of Stari Grad on Hvar. 

Barbe Andro Muse, a fisherman by trade, whose dedication and expertise in repairing fishing nets over many years has made him one of the most-loved characters in Stari Grad. For many years, I would admire him from afar at Pizzeria Marko, as he worked tirelessly away repairing nets all day long, cigarette never far from his mouth (he has been a regular smoker for over 80 years). 

Everyone is allowed one vice, but perhaps the secret of Barba Andro's longevity is a combination of the temperate Hvar climate, its UNESCO Mediterranean Diet, including plenty of fish caught by himself over the years, the relaxed 'laganini' lifestyle, and a great work ethic. 

In honour of Barba Andro's 103rd birthday last year, local TV reporters Maja Zrnic and Jurica Vodanovic put together this wonderful tribute to him, reflecting on his many years on Hvar and his dedication to those fishing nets, which he still diligently repairs without the aid of glasses. 

From surviving the Spanish Flu a century ago, to surviving corona today, Barba Andro keeps soldiering on. 

And the tributes continue, this birthday message from Hvar Island Concierge, below. 

Happy 104th, Sir!

To learn more about the magic of Stari Grad, here are 25 things to know. 

April 23, 2020 - Maslina Resort is a five-star boutique hotel, slated to open this year in Maslinica Bay on the island of Hvar, just minutes away from the UNESCO-protected Stari Grad.

While health and safety should always be at the forefront of the hospitality industry, in the corona era, this has never been more true. 

Thus, a new luxury resort on Hvar Island is getting ahead of the game by introducing a Health & Safety Leader to their team just in time for its opening this year. 

TCN caught up with the Communication Specialist of Maslina Resort, Matko Kovacevic, to learn more.

April 19, 2020 - A visit to the Hvar ferry terminal to see how it functions in the Corona Era in the latest TCN report on Croatia's premier island under lockdown.

The birthplace of quarantine has bee accredited to Dubrovnik in some quarters, after the Republic of Ragusa, as it was then called, introduced the isolation strategy to nearby islands back in 1377 - more information in Croatia Self-Isolating Since 1377: Dubrovnik, the Birthplace of Quarantine.

So where better to sit out the current corona threat than on a Dalmatian island?

I have been back on Hvar for over a month now, ever since the announcement was made that schools were closing. I have been very strict in my self-isolation (the only things were I break the social distancing guidelines are my laptop and immediate self-isolation unit of my immediate family), and I only ventured out with a press pass to engage with island three days ago (apart from covering the Za Krizen procession from distance). 

The Hvar police have kindly given me a press permit, allowing me to travel around the island to document the realities of the island under lockdown, for which many thanks. I am not free to leave the island myself, since I am registered with the police in Varazdin, and only people with island IDs can apply for special permits to use the ferry. This is an excellent precaution, as it stopped any mainlanders wanting to self-isolate on the island and potentially bring the virus to the island. 

So what actually happens at the Hvar ferry, and who is using it? How strict are the controls?

I have made three trips to the main Hvar ferry terminal in Stari Grad in recent days, to meet the day ferry, which arrives at 10:30 and the evening ferry which docks at 20:30. It is a completely different experience to normal, as one would expect. I thought it would be better to show the realities by video report, which you can find below - shot and edited by Miranda Milicic Bradbury. 

I also enquired after shooting who was using the ferry. In addition to supplies and emergency services, islanders who are going to Split with a permit include pregnant women and oncology patients going for treatment and checkups. 

The whole system is extremely well-organised, and I certainly feel much safer and reassured, having witness everything first hand. Many thanks to those working so hard to keep us safe. 

In this series, you can also see more about the realities of the island of Hvar in the Corona Era:

Hvar Supermarkets in the Corona Era: How are Supplies?

A 3 Video Tour of the Stari Grad Lockdown on the island of Hvar

April 18, 2020 - A lovely story from Stari Grad on Hvar about how the cholera epidemic of 1855 was responsible for the cobbles coming to Srinja Kola street in this 2,400-year-old town. 

Here is a story about the cobbles of Srinja Kola street in the old town of Stari Grad. 

How Middle Street Got Its Cobbles

It just goes to show that while history may not exactly repeat itself, it certainly does rhyme. While Mark Twain may not have had epidemics in mind, this episode proves him correct. Thanks go to Hvar Island Concierge for the story, and to Zdravko Podolski for the eagle eye at spotting it, as well as this translation.

Dinko Gazzari and Marko Niseteo, were doctors responsible for conquering the cholera epidemic that plagued Stari Grad on Hvar in the summer of 1855.

For their contribution they were due to receive gold medals,  but they declined and suggested that instead the Middle Street (Srinja Kola) should be paved. Instead of a muddy creek in winter and a dusty mess in summer it got paved in beautiful stone cobbles. (Depicted here in the photo by Vilma Vodanović. 

At that time people were hiding in huts and trims (stone field shelters) outside town, and boats anchored in the bay. In shops, coins were dropped into bowls of vinegar, and everyone was careful not to touch anyone else. Strict isolation of all local settlements prevented mass deaths, except in Dol which was loose with its quarantine and several villagers died, and their houses were burnt to prevent the disease spreading. The Gendarmes were very active, and mention should also be made of pharmacist  Peter Confalonieri and mayor Peter Scuttari.

Thanks Hvar Concierge and Zdravko - great story. 

And to see how the gorgeous old town of Stari Grad is faring in the corona era, here is yesterday's look at life under lockdown in Stari Grad.