Hvar Town the Island of Hvar

Hvar

After the markets in Split it was back on the boat at 8am for breakfast and to depart for the next port of call the Town of Hvar on the Island of Hvar. The Provence of the Adriatic and the party town. Hvar is also the largest supplier of Lavender in the world.

We moored off the coast in the late morning in a pretty bay for our daily swim break. There were a number of other boats nearby. The water is about 23c and clean and clear especially closed to the shore.

Jessica spotted a friend of hers, Nathan on another boat and she swam over and joined them for a while. She ended knowing a few of the boys and couple of the girls on that boat, what a small world, and its not the first time they have met someone that they know.

Jessica's friend Nathan and some other friends were on this boat, nearby.

We were dropped off at the port of Hvar at 3.30pm and the ship left to anchor offshore as it was not allowed to dock until 6pm in order to let the public ferries in and out of the port. The first impressions were that this island was so clean and well maintained and there was a beautiful fortress high above the town on the ridgeline.

We did a walking tour of the town with a local guide Carmen and we learnt about the lavender industry,  and local history, and where to fine the best jewellery and dress shops. It truly is a beautiful town and so far for us the best so far for all round history, scenery, the atmosphere and of course shopping and dining, although all our meals are covered, so we are saving on not having to dine out.

There was a restaurant with a lamb on the spit cooking out the front and a found a really nice restaurant /bar with a beautiful garden and view of the harbour that I thought would be great place for Ves and I to have a drink later at night while Jess and Dylan went of the nightclubs.

I walked up to the fortress, lots of stairs and paths and Ves and Dylan went shopping. I bought a shell for 10Kuna from some local kids, and I had time for a quick swim at the local beach before meeting everyone back at the boat at about 6.30, to get ready for dinner.

We had a beautiful seafood dinner and I recognized the fish, which the Captain had purchased in the morning at the fish markets in Split.

This is definitely the party town and it was rocking after dinner, with live music and doof doof music blaring from the back of the boats lined up on row of eleven out from the dock. When the boats are docked like this, as we have been too, then you walk through the other boats until you get to the dock. Doors to the cabins are usually locked when inn port but not when we are sailing.

Ves and I went for a walk after dinner and we found a really nice restaurant bar with a garden and a view of the harbour, bit out of the way and quieter.

Jess and Dylan and a girl from our group Dianna 23, did not go out until about 11pm. We had heard about the party island where the water taxis take people over to a nearby island with DJ’s and live music and partying until dawn.

After exhausting the local nightclubs Dylan and Dianna went back to the boat and Jess caught up with her friends and went to the party island and did not get back until the early hours. She said it was on of the best nights of her life.

 Vela Luka

It was an early departure from Hvar at 6.30am to make way for the public ferries and we sailed for about two hours to the other side of the island of Korcula and the town of Vela Luka, which means big harbour.

We had a swim stop on the way before getting to Vela Luka just before lunch. We went for a short walk and then back on the boat for lunch.

After lunch we went on a tour of an olive oil factory and a traditional folk museum in the town of Blat, which means mud. Jess and Dylan skipped this one.

Back to the ship in time to get ready for dinner on the boat and a surprise that our cruise director Antonia had told us about, so we had to make sure we were all on the boat at 8pm.

The surprise turned out to be 5 male singers who entertained on the top deck of the boat. It was really good. After that we heard about a show that was occurring in the square in front of the church.

We went to have a look and we were entertained by traditional dancers and a procession of flags and men with swords acting out a battle scene. It was breathtaking, with beautiful costumes and singing and sparks flying from the sword fighting.

Pomena

Next we sailed on to the island of Mljet, pronounced meeyet and the town of Pomena.

This is one of the more vegetated of the islands and includes the Mljet National Park and to inland lakes that we were going to visit.

But first up we had a swim in a nice little beach adjacent to the marina and there was a lovely beachside bar just nearby.

This was a fairly small town with the main attraction being the national park. No shopping to speak of here.

After a swim it was back to the boat to get changed for the walk up to the national park and entry and the short walk to the smaller of the two lakes, and then we took a ferry ride to a small island with a monastery on the edge of the larger saltwater lake and we found a nice swimming spot. Dylan and I swam across to the mainland and found a rock for diving and after we headed back at about 4pm to have another swim near the ship and for a couple of drinks in the nearby bar.

Dinner on the boat a gain and afterwards at about 9pm Ves and I went out for a drink.