Lusso Travel Ltd, No. 1 Glasshouse - 1LG1,
Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK10 4TG
Croatia may claim over 1,000 islands but none have the fame and status of Hvar, the sunniest place in the country and the summertime haunt of celebrities and yachties, who come to sip cocktails at its waterfront bars.
Hvar sees more sunshine than any other spot in Croatia, with over 2,700 hours of sunlight a year.
Hvar Town remains one of the Adriatic's best-preserved historic ports, with a busy harbour and elegant limestone streets.
Take a private boat across to the Pakleni islands, an 11-islet chain with clear waters and calm bays for swimming.
The interior is green and open, with seasonal lavender and a coastline of quiet beaches and sheltered coves.
With a 2,400-year winegrowing legacy, Hvar is known as the Island of Wine—many producers offer private tastings on site.
The island’s capital, Hvar Town, is one of the best-preserved historic towns in the Adriatic. Sprawled around a sheltered harbour packed with yachts, it boasts a vast paved piazza with a Baroque cathedral at its centre, a palm-lined seafront promenade, a hilltop castle and a maze of cobbled alleyways hiding chic seafood restaurants, trendy cocktail bars and boutiques stocking handmade jewellery and designer swimwear.
But there’s more to Hvar than just its glamorous veneer. The verdant interior is scented by lavender fields and aromatic herbs. And the coast is awash with hidden coves and pretty beaches. Of particular note are the Pakleni Islands, a gorgeous chain of wooded islets in front of Hvar Town, surrounded by sapphire waters and littered with lovely restaurants.
Situated in its own sheltered bay with stunning sunset views off Hvar’s west coast, this Relais & Châteaux resort offers 53 spacious rooms, suites and villas, all with sea-view terraces, super comfy beds and wooden, custom-built bathtubs; some suites even come with their own heated plunge pools.