SEPTEMBER 2023
Hvar is known as the party island of Croatia and because of that is sometimes gets a bad rep. However, we visited Hvar with a toddler and discovered that it is a very good destination with kids too. Hvar was the highlight of our Croatia trip and I was very happy that I didn’t listen to those that advised against Hvar. Hvar might be a party island, but that has it’s advantages too…. read about it in this blogpost!
Practical information
Hvar is an island located in front of Split, in Croatia’s Adriatic sea. It is one of the oldest tourist destinations in Croatia, apparantly people have leisurely been visiting the island since the 19th Century. Hvar is very well connected to the mainland, from Split you can take ferries multiple times a day. The catamaran ferries only take foot passengers and arrive in Hvar town, while the car ferry goes to Stari Grad. If you visit during the high season it is advised to book your tickets in advance, however we noted that there were plenty of empty seats on the ferry. Prebooking does keep you from standing in a very long queue in Split port. You should arrive about 45 minutes for take off, but the boats don’t actually arrive until 10 minutes before departure time, so this seems unnecessary. We found our ferry ride with Krilo to be very comfortable and kid friendly and paid € 20 per adult, young kids were free.
One thing that does run out during the high season is affordable accommodation. I wasn’t too quick with booking an apartment and we ended up paying € 220 per night for a comfortable and modern apartment. Though our stay was absolutely fine, it did seem a bit excessive. We stayed in Coco Apartments and would recommend to stay here (if you cannot find anything cheaper).
Why visit with kids
We visited Hvar during a nationwide heatwave in July and were very happy with our choice of destination, there is nowhere I’d rather stay than on an island during a heatwave. Most accomodation and Hvar old town is very close to the sea, so when it gets too hot you can easily take a dip. The Adriatic sea is not as cold as the Mediterrenean sea, making it a more kid friendly sea. Hugo loved dipping in the water just as much as we do because the water temperature was so agreeable. We did see some other families enjoy Hvar, but it hasn’t really been discovered as a family destination. Pokonji dol was a nice beach which was close to our apartment, it was a little hike down, which Hugo loved to do by himself. Krizna Luka beach is very close to the old town, where we found little rock pools, where Hugo was able to play independently.
Krizna Luka beach:
Another thing which I found great about Hvar with kids, is that you can have the island to yourself if you rise with the kids. The party people are sleeping until 11AM, so it doesn’t get busy in the streets very early. Rising with Hugo gave me the opportunity to get the best pics with the bougainvillea and cobblestone streets. This would never be the case in similar popular destinations, such as Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Santorini or beachtowns in for example Puglia, where you will find crowds early in the morning. We also didn’t encounter cruise tourists in Hvar, making it less overpopulated.
We found most restaurants kid friendly enough, especially the bigger ones on the main square had equipment such as high chairs and were accustomed to kids. The activities in Hvar are not particularly kid friendly, but because you have the beach close to wherever you are, I did not find that necessary. One thing that was a lot of fun was taking a boat to the small islands near Hvar. We took a boat to Mamato Bar on the Paklinski islands, where we spent the day in their lounge chairs enjoying crystal clear blue water (free if you spend € 50 in the restaurant). There are many other spots where you can take a boat too that are family friendly too, make sure to discuss with the boat driver or taxi boats.
Overall, we loved our stay in Hvar. We stayed for three nights and found that the perfect amount to explore Hvar town. You can decide to stay longer, but I would then advise to rent a car so you can explore more of the island and the other towns.
Restaurants
We loved discovering all restaurants that Hvar town has to offer. It is such a good location to enjoy the gastronomy scene and because most restaurants have a large terrace and are low key you can easily eat there with kids. These were our faves:
Fig: This is a little restaurant that is situated in a small alleyway, which creates the most romantic setting. You can go here from breakfast-dinner and it usually is full, make a reservation. We arrived at 11.30 for an early lunch and were lucky to find a spot quickly. The menu is very small, but the ingredients are very fresh and the personnel is super kind. Highly recommend!
Kogo: Kogo is an Italian restaurant which is located on the main square of Hvar town. As it is in a very touristy location, it is a bit higher priced, but still I found it of very good value. The view from the terrace is unbeatable and it is a very good location for people watching. The truffle pasta was divine and they had very original and tasty pizzas. The waiters seem to be choosen because of their good looks, but they were also very attentive to us and Hugo!
Hvar brewing company: We spontaneously had dinner in Hvar brewing company and were positively surprised. They have an original menu, food is well priced and we liked their beer. If you are lucky you can have a seaside table and enjoy the sunset.
Mamato bar: We loved our lunch in Mamato bar on the Paklinski islands. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and gave off the best beach vibes. You can have fresh seafood with views over the Adriatic sea. The only downside is that you have to take a water taxi to come here. Make sure to arrive in the morning, as it fills up pretty quickly.
Kantun: This is not a restaurant, but a coffee and smoothie bar with delicious treats. There usually is a bit of a queue, but if you arrive in the morning you will be able to snag a spot. We loved our juices and croissants.