Most people come to Hvar Town for its beauty, nightlife, and beaches – with good reason. If you’re seeking history, however, you can easily walk between these sights in a leisurely half-day. While I managed to glimpse the interior of the Cathedral, if you visit at any time outside the summer months you’ll likely only be able to see the exteriors of the buildings discussed below, although having the place more or less to yourself more than compensates.
The Citadel overlooking Hvar Town is the best place to begin any exploration for two reasons. First, it affords an unparalleled view of the town, its harbor, and the surrounding countryside. Second, the zigzagging path uphill to the Citadel is completely exposed to the sun, making it somewhat challenging even on a winter morning. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that you must climb Matije Ivanića (officially called a street but really a long and steep staircase) just to get there. Nevertheless, once you see the town and harbor appear before you you’re certain to feel justly rewarded and indeed encouraged to continue your ascent.
Sometimes misleadingly referred to as the Spanjol Fortress, the Citadel was actually constructed by the Venetians in the 1550s but was of little use to them in 1571 when Uluz Ali destroyed the town. Somewhat strengthened, it was a more effective deterrent thereafter, although both Napoleon and the Hapsburg emperors were each able to take control in the early nineteenth century. Both further fortified the site, which today contains a small museum and a weather station, but unlike Ali spared the town. Although the fortress itself is closed in winter, the hilltop views over the harbor and inland provide an unmatched sense of the town’s beautiful surroundings.
Returning along Ivanića, you’ll see the intact Renaissance Benedictine convent on your right, and beyond it the surviving spire of the otherwise ruined Dominican Monastery, long a landmark for sailors. Continuing down you’ll glimpse an unfinished (but delicately carved) palace possibly commissioned by the Hektorović family, not to be confused with the next-door Palace Hotel, which attractively incorporates the Town Loggia! The graceful area below, the heart of the harbor, merges with St. Stephen’s Square, a very evocative (but rectangular!) expanse overlooked by the sixteenth century Cathedral from which it takes its name. The cafes in the square afford a much more honest and compelling view of Hvar’s life than their counterparts along the Riva, perhaps due to the proximity of the market and bus depot.
The Venetian Arsenal on the Square’s south side today contains the town’s theater, built in 1612 to (unsuccessfully) alleviate class tensions and generally considered its architectural highlight. Personally, I found the simple and stunning located Franciscan Monastery and its simple church, built in 1583, more compelling. Halfway through the ten minute waterside walk from St. Stephen’s Square, I understood that Hvar’s true beauty isn’t a matter of any individual building but rather the ensemble, set together between its idyllic harbor and the mountains.