Day 9
The town of Hvar and the Pakleni Islands
Morning
St Stephen's Square, the arsenal and the theater
St Stephen's Square is the largest in Dalmatia, four thousand five hundred square meters (48,400 sq ft) of stone paving open to the harbor and closed to the east by the cathedral and its four-story bell tower. The Venetian arsenal was used to repair galleys afloat; on its upper floor, the municipal theater opened in 1612, the oldest in Europe open to all inhabitants regardless of rank.
Španjola Fortress
A twenty-minute climb from the square. The fortress, completed in the mid-16th century, protected the population during the Ottoman siege of 1571; its cisterns and dungeons can be visited, and a small collection of ancient amphorae occupies a vaulted room. The view takes in the whole Pakleni archipelago.
Afternoon
Palmižana, Jerolim and Dubovica
Taxi boats from the harbor serve the Pakleni Islands continuously. Palmižana, on Sveti Klement, preserves the botanical garden planted by the Meneghello family since the 1900s, with a marina and restaurants under the pines. Jerolim is the closest and the simplest, and largely naturist. On the south coast of Hvar, Dubovica cove, below the road, with its solitary stone house, is the most photographed on the island.
Good to know
Taxi boats leave from Hvar harbor, with continuous departures in season: Palmižana and Jerolim are served every 30 to 60 minutes, no booking needed. Check the time of the last return with the boatman. Price depends on the boatman.
