Of all the places we visited on our Mediterranean cruise, Hvar, Croatia was my favorite place! Why do you ask? Because it was not stifling hot, humid, sticky and crowded with tourists! It had an awesome, smallish beach. It had the most beautiful and walkable waterfront area surrounded by tiny cafes.  It had lots of restaurants on back, narrow, winding streets. It had old churches and one where the nuns made tatted lace. They still use Croatian money there and will for the next two years; it feels unspoiled!  Hvar boasts of 360 days of sunshine a year; the sunniest and the coffeeeist! See the sign? Let’s start at the waterfront!

Is that a little mermaid too?

Look how blue and cloudless the sky is……..

Color, color everywhere!

That small island in the background was at one time a leper colony…………….but I’m looking at the water!  Isn’t the sea a beautiful array of blues and greens?

A few minutes walk from the waterfront, past one of the small secluded beach areas, is the Franciscan Monastery, built in the 15th century. Outside the walls are pieces of stone artifacts that have been taken off various churches and the fortress in Hvar, that displayed remnants of past Greek, Roman and Venetian times. These islands were constantly being attacked and taken over by the bigger boys! Inside the monastery is a painting of the Last Supper, which critics believe is the work of Matteo Ingoli from Ravenna. Outside the monastery is a 300 year-old cypress tree! Let’s walk over there first…………

Past the small beach……..secluded by those stubby trees!

and here is the famous cypress………..

Just put the artifacts here………….

or play checkers……..on the ground………..with pebbles……..

The monastery has old and new……..

and old jugs taken from the sea…………..

A wonderful view of our ship from here……….

Sometimes the new churches were added to the cornerstones of previous temples………

Or just part of the lion  was revealed ………..a reminder of the Venetian period on the corner of a smaller church. There are layers and layers of history here.

Walking back to the waterfront we see cafe after cafe……………

nestled in between the old structures………

and looking out……

from this way and that……..

A reminder ………..at another small outdoor cafe………..

A look at the winding old streets, off the beaten path. Let’s turn this way and see what’s down there!

Be sure to look up! The buildings are a treasure, with ropes and pulleys, and bottles and beams!

More from Hvar tomorrow!  I can’t wait to show it to you! See you there!