The Island of the Sun ..

Hvar, interestingly the ancient Persian word for "Sun-God", is rated amongst the 10 most beautiful and sun-drenched islands in the world, and it is one of the richest historically and culturally. Its earliest inhabitants date back to pre-historic times, and it is the center of early Croatian literature, architecture, sculpture, painting and music, second only to Dubrovnik.

Hvar has 299 square kilometers of rocky, pebble and sandy beaches and is surrounded by brush and pine forest, aromatic medicinal herbs such as lavender, sage and rosemary, and is rich with Mediterranean vegetation and exotic wildlife.

With its crystal clear sea, fresh aromatic breezes, colorful villages, and majestic, sun-bleached towns, Hvar is the ideal place for a magical journey into an ancient culture and to the very seed of your soul.

travel guide - ferry to Hvar - what to pack




Spectacular Hvar
hvar views

 


"My sojourn at Suncokret was the highlight of my trip in Croatia. Evening drove me to her little haven called Suncokret. It was right in the middle of Hvar in a village called Dol. The drive around the island through fields of lavender and olive trees felt like I was on the last few laps of my journey. The air was infused with the sweet smell of lavender and the salty presence of the sea. The sound of the waves was like symphony to the soul. There were no emails, no telephones, no outside influence of any sort, the soul was cleansed and then nourished." - Karen, UK

 

Getting to Suncokret Retreat on Hvar Island

There are so many ways to travel to Hvar Island via various destinations within Croatia and from abroad. For Europen travelers, the closest airport to us is Split Airport. International flights may go via Zagreb with a connecting flight to Split. However, you may also find European flights with connections to Zadar, Pula, Zagreb and Dubrovnik, from where you can later travel onwards to Split.

Here are a list of various ways you can get to us. If you need further assistance, please contact your local travel agency or contact us for some suggestions.

Flying to Split, Croatia

There are direct flights to Split from many European destinations. The range increases continually so please check the full route network from the Split Airport website:

Transport from Split Airport to the Split Port

A bus operated by Croatia Airlines departs from just outside the terminal door. You buy the ticket from the driver (Kuna 30). It takes about 30 minutes to get to the city center.

There is also a local bus that goes to the bus station in Split to and from Trogir every 20 minutes from a stop on the road in front of the Airport Terminal.

A taxi to Split costs about Kuna 250.

The airport bus stop is just outside the old town, at the east end of the Riva. From there you can see the ferry, a short walk away. Next to the bus stop is a ticket booth for Jadrolinija, the ferry company, where you can buy your ferry tickets (Kuna 36 per person, car (Kuna 240 one way).

Alternatively, you can buy them at the ferry terminal itself. There is a left luggage facility opposite the ferries if you want to leave your luggage while you explore Split (Kuna 15 per piece).

Overnight in Split

If you arrive in Split on Saturday, an overnight stay in Split is an enjoyable experience. The attractions and shops stay open until 8pm, so there is time to explore the city and there is an active night life to keep you entertained, as well. You can then take the ferry to Stari Grad on Sunday. Here are a variety of places to stay in Split:

  • Split Apartments- Provide clean but tiny rooms in the old town, just up the hill from Bellevue hotel.
  • Bellevue - A pleasant overnight stay in the town center.
  • Peristil Hotel - 3 star, new and just inside the walls of Diocletian's Palace, next to the cathedral.
  • Palace Vestibul - This is a new, elite boutique hotel in the old town center.
  • Villa Kastel - Very cute B&B in the old palace.

More information about Split can be found at the Split Tourist Bureau

Dining out in Split

  • Makrovega - vegan restaurant
  • Sperun - No website, but more info here

Split Tourist Agency

Airlines that fly to Croatia:

You can also fly to Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula and Zagreb airports. From these places, you can easily connect to Split by plane, bus, train or car-rental. Here are some airlines that fly to Croatia:

  • Easyjet from London Gatwick
  • Wizz from London Luton
  • Austrian from Vienna
  • Germanwings from Berlin Schonefeld, Cologne, Bonn, Hamburg and Stuttgart
  • Lufthansa from Frankfurt/Main International
  • SNBrussels Airlines from Brussels
  • Norwegian Air from Oslo
  • SkyEurope from Bratislava, Prague, Budapest and Kracow
  • Croatia Airlines flies from London Gatwick, Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Vienna, Zagreb, Berlin Schonefeld, Dusseldorf, Hannover, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Rome, Athens.

    There are also charter flights to Split from UK regional airports like Bristol, Norwich, Birmingham, Southampton, Luton and Manchester.

2011 Cheap flights to Zadar from UK & Europe

You can also travel to Split via nearby Zadar on the Dalmatian coast. From Zadar, fly to Split or take a bus along the coast to Split (approx. 2.5 hours)

Top

 

 

Traveling to Hvar via Dubrovnik

2011 Cheap flights to Dubrovnik from UK & Europe

Another good travel option is to fly into Dubrovnik, and travel to the island via direct ferry line, bus to Split and ferry to Stari Grad, or rent a car.

Many airlines (like British Airways and Germanwings) serve both Dubrovnik airports and you can also rent a car to enjoy a drive up the coast. (One option is to pick up your car from Dubrovnik Airport and drop it off at Split Airport, or take it onto the island via ferry.) Dubrovnik is about 200 km down the coast from Split.

Alternatively, you can ferry to the island from Dubrovnik on Sunday at 7 am, and arriving in Stari Grad at 16.30.

You could go get onto the island via the short ferry crossing from Drvenik, about 110km up the coast from Dubrovnik, to beautiful Sucuraj on the eastern end of Hvar Island, from where it is an adventurous and scenic drive to Stari Grad. Public transport is not good, however, so it is a difficult option without a car.
Or, you could take a bus from Dubrovnik to Split and get the ferry from there.

Over Night in Dubrovnik

Traveling via Slovenia

Traveling to Croatia via Slovenia is fairly strait-forward, especially in summer months when several additional options are available.

Flights - Flights to Split from Brnik Airport leave Saturdays from 21st May - 8th October, 2011. You can find charter flights from Brnik to Split via Kompas Travel Agency.

Train Journey - You can also travel via train from Ljubljana to Zagreb, and from Zagreb to Split. The train ride takes approximately 12 hours with 1 connection necessary in Zagreb. The journey offers a lovely, picturesque ride worth remembering.

Busses from Slovenia to Croatia

Traveling by Car - from Slovenia to Split is also easy and convenient, as well. You can either go by highway from Ljubljana to Zagreb and Split.You can also travel via Rijeka along the stunning Croatian coastline to Split. Allow 8-12 hours for the coastline journey, and 6-8 hours for the highway route.

Accommodation in Ljubljana: B&B in the heart of Ljubljana, in well-kept youth-hostels, short-term rental apartments, or a range of hotels, according to your preference and budget.

Traveling via Italy

You could combine a visit to Venice or Trieste in Italy, both of which are served by a variety of low cost airlines.
Ryanair flies to Ancona From Italy you can also take the ferry from Ancona or Pescara direct to Stari Grad or Split. More info can be found on these two websites: BlueLine & Snav.

EasyJet flies from London Stanstead to Venice, where you could then catch a bus to Rijeka and take the Jadrolinija ferry overnight down the coast to Stari Grad (via Split).

Further south, you can go from Bari to Dubrovnik via Jadrolinija and either travel up the coast by bus to Split or take the ferry from Dubrovnik to Stari Grad on Sunday morning.

Busses from Italy to Croatia

Croatian Busses and Trains

Car Rental

If you decide to hire a car during your time in Croatia, there are a lot of options to choose from:


ferry Ferry to Hvar Island

From Split to Hvar Island

The most direct and easy route to get to the island is to fly to Split and get the ferry from there direct to Stari Grad.

These large ferries take cars and foot passengers, and run from Split to Stari Grad, mooring just outside the town,several times a day. The journey lasts about 2 hours.

Queues for the car ferry build up fast in the summer, so it is advisable to book ahead if you are taking a car. Foot passengers need not book tickets in advance.

Tickets are available in Split from booths alongside the ferry and alongside the airport bus stop, and on the Jadrolinija website.

There is also a catamaran from Split to Jelsa Town on Hvar Island that travels via Bol on nearby Brac Island, which is a short taxi or bus-ride away from Dol or Stari Grad. We also offer pick up from Jelsa with advanced notice.

From mid May to mid September, there is a fast catamaran service, taking about an hour, from Hvar Town to Split. It is foot passengers only. A bus to Stari Grad from Hvar Town leaves from Hvar at 17.10 (queue early to get a seat on board) and arrives at the port at 17.35, where we can collect you on Sundays with advanced notice.

If you arrive in Stari Grad port prior to pick up time, you can take a bus from the port to Stari Grad or Hvar towns to enjoy sightseeing for the day prior to scheduled pick up for Suncokret at the noted times.

Summer Ferry Timetable that Coordinates with Ours

For your convenience, here are the best ferry connections that coordinate well with our summer retreat arrivals/departures schedule:

Arrival to Hvar Island, 1 June -30 September:
Split - Stari Grad: 14.30, 17.00 (2 hour trip)
Split - Jelsa: 16.00 arriving 17.45 or 18.00 *Note: be sure to depart the catamarn in Jelsa - which is the 2nd stop - not in Bol - which is the first stop - otherwise, you will have to spend a night in Bol on Brac Island!

Departure from Hvar Island, 1 June -30 September:
 Stari Grad - Split: 11.30 (2 hour trip)

Many more ferry options can be found on the Jadrolinija Website. Please note, we accept new arrivals at the retreat on Sundays after 16.00 only. Please confirm your travel plans prior to arrival.

Top

 

Ferries from Other Croatian Ports

If you are traveling to Hvar from other destinations in Croatia, you may also catch a ferry from Croatian port towns of Split, Dubrovnik (via Mljet), and Rijeka, as well as the neighboring islands of Brac, Vis, and Kortula. More info can be found on the Jadrolinija Website

Ferry Collection & Drop-Off Service

Complimentary ferry transfer from/to Stari Grad and Jelsa ports is offered on Sundays, as follows:

  • Sunday arrivals from Stari Grad port at 16.30 and 19.00, from Stari Grad town at 16.45 and from Jelsa port at 17.45.
  • Sunday departures from Dol at 10.30 a.m. to Stari Grad port for the 11/11.30 ferry to Split.

*Those traveling outside these hours are kindly asked to hire a taxi - on call at the port - to/from the retreat. The taxi fee is approximately 15 euros. Please be sure to notify us of your travel plans 24 hours prior to your expected arrival.We do not accept new arrivals before 16.00 on Sundays, however, if you arrive on the island prior to check-in time, you may leave your luggage at the luggage check in service in Hvar Town, and at the Stari Grad tourist information center.

Croatia Visa Requirements

What to Pack

To ensure your maximum comfort, we recommend that you bring the following:

  • Comfortable yoga wear & clothes for outdoors
  • Clothes for various kinds of weather
  • Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
  • Waterproof beach shoes (for rocky sea bottom)
  • 2 swimming suits (May- October)
  • Beach towel/sarong
  • Mosquito repellant
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Travel journal
  • Ear plugs (if sensitive to the sounds of nature)
  • Flashlight (for moonlight strolls in Dol)

Yoga mat & protective foam mat are provided to guests free of charge. We ask you to keep the yoga mat in good condition and wash it down prior to departure.

Tips on traveling responsibly

 

Top