Croatia has more than 1200 islands. Every summer (and in winter and then it’s a completely different story - only locals, no tourists so it’s very quiet and slow-paced, winter sunsets, coffee in the warm winter sun, long walks…) I keep returning to my two favourite ones, Hvar and Vis and trust me, there is always something new to see, feel and explore. If you’re looking for a party, I would definitely recommend you to stay in Hvar Town, but if you want to relax, I would choose Stari Grad (a 10min car drive from Hvar Town). If you didn’t know, Stari Grad is the oldest town in Croatia. Located in the city centre is Tvrdalj castle, the summer residence of Petar Hektorović, the Croatian poet and it’s a must-see.

Hvar is probably the trendiest summer destination to visit in summer, especially Hvar Town. If you’re on Hvar island you must admire and enjoy vast fields of lavender, olive trees and vineyards and my favourite place for this activity is Hora Farm situated in the Stari Grad Plain where you’ll eat amazing authentic local food such as fish, meat and my favourite, octopus peka. With this great food, you can also try many different sorts of local wine (I always leave this place tipsy haha) and olive oil (friendly staff also explains how everything is made so you also learn something), pet-friendly donkeys, enjoy the sound of nature, crickets and a gorgeous sunset over the Stari Grad Plain. Where I usually spend most of my day is at the beach of course, and trust me, Hvar has some heavenly beaches to offer such as Zavala, Dubovica, Vrboska, Zaraće, Sveta Nedjelja, Milna… Most of them are pebble beaches and to reach some of them, you have to hike for a short time, but it’s completely worth it at the end when you see the turquoise blue sea and you know you’re going to jump in a couple of minutes, it all becomes worth walking and sweating in high summer temperatures.

Some of the best places to eat on Hvar island, other than Hora Farm are Mediterraneo Wine and Dine, Fig, Black Pepper, Dalmatino, Antika… If you’re indecisive about your next holiday location, just consider that Hvar is also known as the island of wine. The first vines were brought to the island by the Ancient Greek settlers, who settled in the plain of Stari Grad and started the winemaking tradition strong to this day and now we can proudly say that Croatian wines are amongst the best ones in the world.

Another activity you can do is get a water taxi to the peaceful and uninhabited Pakleni Islands or a boat trip to Blue and Green Cave! If you’re in Hvar town, you should most definitely catch a view from above at Tvrđava Fortress and admire St. Stephen’s Square. But my favourite activity in both Hvar and Stari Grad is getting lost, exploring narrow, tiny streets and having multiple coffees (that’s what Croatians do!) at different locations while staring at the beauty that surrounds me. My favourite coffee place that just opened in Stari Grad is Melting Spot and if you’re looking for a place that serves the same vibes but in Hvar town, then Kava is a place to go. You must visit Sveta Nedjelja as well, it’s a tiny, most picturesque little village.

Clothing wise, the most needed item is definitely a bikini! When going out for night drinks in town, I always wear cotton or linen dresses, nothing too tight, it has to be breathable and light. I mostly wear short dresses because you know, I have to show off my tan! This year I discovered I love wearing oversized linen shirts over almost everything. And lots and lots of sun protection!