The Pakleni view
The islands scattered beyond the harbour, Hvar''s best-known sight.
August Dominus — CC BY-SA 4.0 · August Dominus — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Quahadi Añtó 17:08, 26 November 2015 (UTC) — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Quahadi Añtó 17:09, 26 November 2015 (UTC) — CC BY-SA 3.0
A fortress on a hill about **90 metres** above Hvar Town, known locally as **Španjola** because a Spanish engineer worked on its construction. It was built in the sixteenth century on the site of an older stronghold, with a specific purpose: **a refuge for the townspeople**, not simply a military position. And it served exactly that in **1571**, when the Ottomans attacked Hvar and burned the town — the inhabitants sheltered inside the fortress and survived. In **1579** lightning struck its powder magazine, which exploded and destroyed a large part of it; it was rebuilt afterwards. From the walls comes **the finest view in central Dalmatia**: the town and its roofs directly beneath you, the harbour, and beyond it the **Pakleni Islands** scattered across the sea — the image Hvar is known by. In the vaults are displays including a collection of **amphorae** recovered from the seabed around the island, some of them Greek. Note: the climb from the square is **steep, by steps and a winding path** — about 20 minutes, with no shade.
The islands scattered beyond the harbour, Hvar''s best-known sight.
Recovered from the water around the island, some of them Greek.
The best hour to climb, for temperature and light alike.
The hill above Hvar Town
An archipelago of about **twenty small islands** directly off Hvar Town, the nearest a few minutes away by boat. The name is sometimes translated as the «Hell''s Islands», which is a **common mistranslation**: it comes from *paklina*, the pine resin once extracted here for coating ships'' hulls. The islands are all but uninhabited, covered in pine, with small rocky coves and very clear water. Access is by **regular water taxis** from the Hvar quay, and the trip to **Jerolim** or **Palmižana** takes 10-20 minutes, running from morning to evening in season. ⚠ The best known is **Palmižana**, with a botanical garden and organised beaches; **Jerolim** is quieter and further. ⚠ **Entirely seasonal** — the boats all but stop outside summer.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.