BASIC INFORMATION AND LOCATION

Stari Grad is a town on the island of Hvar, in Split-Dalmatia County. The locals call it Stori Grod. It consists of 5 settlements. It is located on the western part of the island of Hvar, at the bottom of the Starogrojska Bay. It covers an area of 55 km² and has a population of 2,781. Stari Grad is connected to Split by ferry.

CULTURE, HISTORY AND ATTRACTIONS

Stari Grad is the oldest city in Croatia. Greeks from the island of Pharos in the Aegean Sea founded a city on the island of Hvar in 384 BC, which they called Faros. The ancient Faros was built in a deep bay that flows into a fertile island field. The city is home to the amateur City Theatre, the Faroese Cantadou singing group, and the Croatian City Music Band, which are an indispensable part of every festival or event throughout the year. The city and its surroundings are rich in remains from the past, so visit the Cyclopean Walls, the Faroese Chora – an ancient Greek parcellation of a field protected by UNESCO, the Greek Maslinovnik tower in the Stari Grad field, the Illyrian hillfort above the city Glavica and the Church of St. John, and numerous other churches.

BEACHES

On the southern side of the Old Town Bay, there is the Lanterna beach. The beach has a smaller pebble beach and plateaus with steps to enter the sea. The beach has a catering facility, showers, sun loungers, and changing rooms. Maslinica Bay, located 2 km outside the city, is near the Old Town harbor. It is the only sandy beach in the Old Town Bay that can be reached by car. Banj Beach, a pebble bay located on the northern side of the Old Town Bay, is suitable for small children and access to the beach is provided for people with physical disabilities. The beach has catering facilities and you can rent sun loungers.

OTHER CONTENT

Taverns and restaurants with healthy local food and traditionally good island wines are Konobe Stari Mlin and Pharia, and restaurants Apolon, Ermitaž, Kod Barba Luke, Pinetta, Nauta and Zvijezda mora. Throughout the year, you should attend the Wildflower Festival, Stari Grad Summer Events, Days of Hungarian-Croatian Culture, Cantonese Evenings, Asparagus Days and many others.

SPORT

At the end of August, Stari Grad hosts the Faros Marathon, the international Croatian long-distance swimming championship. You can play football or water polo, sail or dive, rent a bike or kayak and explore the island and the coast, jog or just enjoy long walks surrounded by pine trees and cooled by the summer mistral. The old road Stari Grad-Hvar is an attractive cycling route.

WHAT TO DO AND EXCURSION OPPORTUNITIES

Discover the hidden areas of the island of Hvar by driving along the gravel roads inland. For excursions outside the island, you can contact a local tourist agency. Visit Split, Makarska, Dubrovnik, Bol on Brač, Mostar, Međugorje or the neighboring islands of Vis and Biševo, Brač, Korčula or Mljet with a professional guide.

ACCOMMODATION

In the Old Town, there are the Arkada and Lavanda hotels, as well as numerous private accommodation facilities in the form of apartments, houses or holiday villas. We should mention the beautiful Heritage Villa Apolon. For camping fans, there is the Jurjevac camp.