The Pacific Princess crossed the Adriatic Sea from Italy to Croatia overnight to anchor in the Hvarski Luca or Port of Hvar. Hvar is a small island of the coast of Croatia, South of Split. It is believed that the island was first inhabited around 1200 B.C.E. by the Illyrians, followed by the Celts, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines, etc. It is generally felt that the greatest influence was the Venetians who ruled the island from 1409 C.E. to 1797.
We tendered into Hvar (pronounced hVar) but we did so in much calmer waters than our rocky trip in Zakynthos. The harbor is full of islands. We landed on a rock waterfront lined with shops … every other one seemed to be a bakery. We walked along the waterfront, past the shops to the town square where we boarded our bus for a ride to the other side of the island.
We drove up mountainous roads through thick forest. Below us we could see clear, azure waters. In about half an hour we were on the other side of the island at the town of Stari Grad (Stari – Old, Grad – city). Here we visited a Dominican Monastery built in the 14th Century. Currently it houses a museum with a priceless collection of paintings and books, including Tintoretto’s 16th Century painting, The Lamentation of Christ.
From Stari Grad we rode to Vrisnik to visit a winery and sample local wine, cheese, figs and olives.
Then it was back over the central mountains of the island to the Venetian Fort overlooking the City of Hvar and the harbor.
Finally we returned to Hvar where we met up with some friends for lunch before catching the tender back to the ship.
