February 27, 2022 - Young Hvar locals have expressed their dissatisfaction with the new Vrboska bridge and their 'headstrong' mayor, prompting a response from mayor Nikša Peronja.

Vrboska, a picturesque village within the Jelsa Municipality, located in a deep bay in the northern part of Hvar island, is in the spotlight after the local youth, dissatisfied with the appearance of the new bridge, told the public that they had enough of their headstrong mayor.

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"The dissatisfaction of the people of Vrboska has been going on for some time; it is not from yesterday. This bridge is just a drop in the bucket," a 63-year-old resident said for Morksi.hr, noting that he would be happy to share the whole story, but it would then take us hours of conversation, and he doubts that the media coverage of all the real problems facing the people of Vrboska would change anything.

"Vrboska does not need a road bridge at all. It is in the shape of a horseshoe, and the road was built in the 1960s and leans on that horseshoe. So this bridge could easily have been the most common wooden pedestrian bridge, and not a bridge for road traffic," the local adds. 

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Morski learned that the price of the concrete bridge jumped from the original 1.8 to more than 4 million kuna. The bridge is almost a meter higher than the original project, selected by a seven-member jury five years ago, including SDP Jelsa mayor Nikša Peronja, who addressed the dissatisfied residents last week on his Facebook profile.

"The bridge will be completed approximately two weeks before Easter, and we have coordinated this with the contractor, designers, and all other participants in the project. I know that various stories and theories have appeared in Vrboska; most are completely unfounded and have no basis in reality. You must understand that it is the worst for me because I have objections, not the designer who had to change the project several times. We had a problem with mud at the bottom and even a problem with wells that did not show the correct condition of the soil. We encountered a whole series of problems, and the construction of the bridge took some time," said Peronja.

According to the mayor, the old bridge was statically defective and thus unsafe to use, so it was out of order. However, he is convinced that the locals of Vrboska will be satisfied in the end.

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The locals of Vrboska say the municipality makes good money - both from the sale of land and from utilities. But some of them claim that little is being invested in this settlement with about 500 permanent residents who would like to get, for example, public transport and bus stops. In addition, the residents of Vrboska would like to get a new cemetery with a morgue, and the mayor promises that this wish will soon be fulfilled.

"You have to understand that when I came, there was almost nothing, we started from the beginning - we made changes and amendments to the Urban Plan, we bought land for the construction of the cemetery and morgue, we made all the necessary documentation and obtained a building permit. The paving of the cemetery remains, which will begin in about 15 days. And that should also be over by Easter," the mayor of Jelsa promised to Vrboska.

As for the morgue, it should also be completed by the end of this year, according to the mayor.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

November 25, 2021 – From the epic medieval harbour of Vrboska and the buzz of Hvar town to the historic streets of Stari Grad and 250 kilometres of brilliant beaches, this new footage of summertime on Hvar is making us yearn for next season.

© Goran Šafarek

Hvar Town is overflowing with life in summer. By day, families wander by the waterside or between restaurants in the old town. By night, bars and discos are vibrant and full. In Stari Grad, a constant stream of excited new visitors arriving by boat. Such scenes tell of the popularity of summertime on Hvar. Arguably, this is Croatia's most well-known island for holidaymakers.

© Goran Šafarek

But, away from the throngs of people in Hvar Town and Stari Grad, there's a distinctly different side to this island. Famously, Stari Grad Plain (Starogradsko polje) on the interior looks much the same now as it did over 2000 years ago. That's how long grapes and olives have been cultivated here. Pretty rows of vines and fields of olive trees or lavender colour the landscape all over Hvar. Passing by these agricultural endeavours gives a better reminder of just how much room there is for everyone on Hvar.

As shown above, the long, ancient harbour at Vrboska © Goran Šafarek

With 250 kilometres of its own coastline, Hvar is not short of beaches. People love swimming in the island's crystal clear waters. Sailors love them too. In the ancient harbour of Vrboska, there's an altogether different feeling to arrivals by boat. Here, elegant yachts gracefully cruise into the long, thin harbour. They find temporary homes near small, traditional fishing boats. Inside, summertime sailors may have chosen this beautiful part of the island because of its famous restaurants. After the gastronomic joy of lunch, maybe they'll wander the historic promenade or visit one of the famous winemakers near here.

In the background, sailors into Vrboska © Goran Šafarek

All these different aspects of summertime on Hvar and more have been captured in an all-new video made by Goran Šafarek. Goran, who is an independent biologist, publicist, photographer and filmmaker, was on the Adriatic working in summer 2021. His assignments included film work commissioned by Croatian National Parks. But, he took advantage of being on the coast and made time between assignments for a family sailing holiday. He visited Korčula island and Hvar island, using the opportunity to make new videos of each.

© Goran Šafarek

Total Croatia News has already published Goran's new video of Korčula, which you can watch here. This new one of Hvar has us pining for summer and making plans for next.

For more info about Hvar island, look here. And for the latest news from Hvar, bookmark Total Croatia News pages here

May 4, 2020 - Just because we can't physically travel right now, that does not mean we cannot enjoy destinations remotely. TCN Talks, our new vlog takes in the Adriatic on a walk from Jelsa to discover Vrboska on Hvar. 

When I first moved to Croatia back in 2002, I had a very strict routine. I would get up at 06:00 in my home in the old town of Jelsa and then walk all the way to Vrboska, about 40 minutes away. It was - still is - a delightful little walk along the Adriatic, with its pine forests and gorgeous hidden coves. And first thing in the morning, when there is nobody around, it is magical. And the prize at the end of the walk - to discover Vrboska!

I would have a morning coffee in a cafe in 'Little Venice' then walk back home to Jelsa, enjoying that peace, tranquility and view in reverse, and then be fully ready for work at 08:00, fully energised. 

I kinda miss those days... 

I found myself walking along the route again last week, then decided to film a little. People have been enjoying (or at least they claim to) the short videos of Hvar under lockdown that I have been posting on my Facebook page, and do I decided to capture some of the current magic. 

Then, when I reached Vrboska for the first time in a year, I fell in love again once more, and I decided to film parts of this lovely slice of heaven, as well as add some of the knowledge I have acquired about Vrboska over the years and then turn it into the latest installment in our new experimental vlog (I will find my 'voice' soon) - TCN Talks. 

I am VERY open to feedback and suggestions (and yes, I called the church a cathedral by mistake), so please leave any comments under the video. 

To discover Vrboska in more detail, here are 25 things to know about Little Venice.

March 20, 2020 - The first case of coronavirus on Hvar has been confirmed, the first case recorded on Croatia's islands. 

The first case of coronavirus on Hvar has been officially confirmed at a press conference in Split. 

A 40-year-old local man from Vrboska tested positive for coronavirus and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital in Split. 

According to local media reports, the man had recently returned from Austria, where he has been working as a waiter. During his travels in Croatia, he used the train twice, the bus once, and the Jadrolinija ferry, Zadar. 

Local media report that he followed all the rules on self-exclusion, and when he noticed the first signs of the disease, he contacted the doctors, and when the tests turned out to be positive, he was transferred to a hospital in Split.

There were more details from the press conference:

"The person who came from Austria was sent into self-isolation immediately upon arrival. He went home. All contacts were immediately controlled, only one girl was in close contact. He had to get away from the others on the ferry, he had a mask on. He didn't hang out with anyone. Upon the onset of the first symptoms, he responded and an epidemiologist in Hvar responded promptly."

This is the first case of coronavirus on Hvar or any other Croatian island. The total number of cases in Croatia stands at 113, of which one has died, one is on a respirator, and five have recovered. 

You can follow the latest national update from our coverage of this morning's press coverage here. 

We will have the main TCN daily update about the situation all over Croatia coming shortly, and you can find that and all the latest TCN updates on our dedicated coronavirus section. 

For the latest official updates from the Croatian Government, check out Koronavirus.hr (in Croatian only - Google Translate is your friend).

July 28, 2018 - Fourth and final piece from Frank McGinley on the occupation, resistance and liberation of the island of Hvar during World War II. 

Looking ahead to the incoming summer season, we speak with Vrboska Tourism Board director Sandra Bogdanić

Yes, the sunniest spot in Croatia has indeed been frozen over this week, with a lovely white blanket transforming the landscape