St Stephen''s Square
The water reaches its edge with no quay between.
Carsten Steger — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nebojsa Ljuboja — CC BY 2.0 · Nebojsa Ljuboja — CC BY 2.0 · Nebojsa Ljuboja — CC BY 2.0
The historic centre of the island of Hvar, and one of the oldest planned towns on the Adriatic. Its heart is **St Stephen''s Square**, the largest in Dalmatia at some 4,500 square metres and one of very few European squares that **opens directly onto the sea** with no quay dividing them — the water reaches its edge. **Venice** ruled Hvar for centuries because its position commands the sea route between Venice and the east, so walls, a fortress and noble houses with Gothic fronts were built here. On the square stands **St Stephen''s Cathedral** with its tiered bell tower, and at the far end the sixteenth-century **Arsenal** — a vaulted shipyard, above which sits one of **the oldest municipal theatres in Europe** (1612), built for nobles and commoners to enter together, which was unusual for its time. Above the town stands the **Fortica** fortress on its hill. Note: Hvar is close to **Croatia''s most expensive town** in summer, and known for loud nightlife in July and August — anyone wanting quiet should head for Jelsa or Stari Grad.
The water reaches its edge with no quay between.
A vaulted sixteenth-century shipyard.
Venetian noble houses in the lanes behind the square.
Hvar Town, island of Hvar
The island has **two entirely different harbours** and they are commonly confused. **Hvar Town** takes the **passenger-only fast ferries** (catamarans) from Split — about an hour, landing you in the middle of town, and the right choice without a car. **Stari Grad** is the **car-ferry port**, and it is about **20 km from Hvar Town** — landing there you need a bus or a car to finish the journey, which catches many visitors out. ⚠ There is also a ferry to **Sućuraj** at the island''s far eastern end from Drvenik, which is a very long way from Hvar Town (about 75 km on a slow mountain road). ⚠ Ferries are **far less frequent outside summer** and are cancelled in strong wind.
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