| Ask any image-conscious Croatian, and you'll probably | | | | Scores of couples and families strolled its brilliant |
| be told that the most beautiful of the over 1000 | | | | promenade, rimmed with lively cafes and restaurants. |
| Croatian Islands is Hvar. Indeed, exploring Hvar was the | | | | We wandered through the town's ancient walled gate |
| highlight of our sailing adventures on the Dalmatian | | | | where cobblestone paths wound in a maze of |
| Coast. | | | | architectural wonders - sculptured porticos, ancient |
| We anchored in Stari Grad, the oldest town in Croatia. | | | | wooden doors and bridges spanning alleyways, leading |
| Despite its central location at the heart of the Adriatic | | | | up the town's steep hills towards the castle. The |
| coast's trading routes, there was no permanent | | | | imposing citadel atop was the perfect spot to begin |
| settlement here before 385BC, when the Parans, of | | | | our explorations. The unparalleled hilltop views of the |
| Ionian Greek origin, established the colony of Pharos, | | | | town, the brilliant harbor and countryside provide an |
| and subsequently, Croatians settled here. The town | | | | unmatched sense of the town's environs. Built by the |
| became known as StariGrad, a singularly appropriate | | | | Venetians in the 1550's, Hvar was destroyed in 1571 |
| name meaning old town. From here, we took a local | | | | when Uli Ali's galleons razed the town to the ground. |
| bus to Hvar town, considered the most striking of Hvar | | | | Having been entirely rebuilt, it is one of Dalmatia's best |
| island's villages. The ride through Hvar's rugged interior, | | | | preserved towns. |
| a palm-sweating, white-knuckle trip, is stunning, | | | | On the square's south side, the Venetian arsenal, |
| especially in spring when the blue-mauve lavender | | | | considered an architectural highlight, today houses the |
| adds its colors to the scenery and perfumes the air. | | | | town's theater. The waterside Franciscan Monastery |
| We arrived for our first view of the splendid town at | | | | and simple church, built in 1583, is striking and the last of |
| sunset. As we came around the bend, taking in the | | | | the historic sights in the conventional sense. |
| panorama, we gasped: Idyllic Hvar shimmered before | | | | More than its historic allure, Hvar's appeal is visual - its |
| us, curved around its uniquely indented harbor with | | | | true beauty isn't a matter of any individual building or |
| docked boats of all description, its grey flecked | | | | site, but rather the combination of its parts, set |
| buildings interposed between the brilliant white of the | | | | together between its idyllic harbor and its shining |
| wharf and the blue of the Adriatic, and crowned atop, | | | | sandstone buildings, to the backdrop of its lush |
| its castle fort with walls trailing down to the town. | | | | Mediterranean mountains. |