Hvar is vaguely shaped like the profile of a holidaymaker reclining on a sunlounger, which may be appropriate for the sunniest spot in the country -- and its most luxurious beach destination.
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(in the Southern Adriatic Sea, off the Dalmatian coast in southern Croatia) Hvar, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis, and Korčula, is about 68 km (~42 mi.) long, with a high east–west ridge of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite. The island of Hvar is unusual in the area for having a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh-water springs. Its hillsides are covered in pine forests, with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards. and lavender fields in the agricultural areas. The climate is characterized by mild winters, and warm summers with many hours of sunshine.
+ Hvar's location at the northeast center of the Adriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across to Italy and throughout the wider Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, originally by a Neolithic people whose distinctive pottery gave rise to the term Hvar culture, and later by the Illyrians. The ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BCE on the site of today's Stari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe. They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of the Stari Grad Plain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In medieval times, the town of Hvar rose to importance within the Venetian Empire as a major naval base. Prosperity brought culture and the arts, with one of the first public theaters in Europe, nobles' palaces, and many fine communal buildings.
+ The 16th century was an unsettled time, with the Hvar Rebellion, coastal raids by pirates, and the Ottoman army from the mainland, resulting in some unusual fortified buildings on the northern shore to protect the local population. After a brief time under Napoleonic rule, the island became part of the Austrian Empire, a more peaceful and prosperous time. On the coast, harbors were expanded, quays built, fishing and boat building businesses grew. At the same time, the island's wine exports increased, along with lavender and rosemary production for the French perfume industry.
+ The port town of Hvar on the island of Hvar, part of the Split-Dalmatia County, in Croatia. It is situated on a bay in the south coast of the island, opposite the other nearby towns of Stari Grad and Jelsa. By the 19th century, the port of Hvar was no longer a military base, and The Hygienic Society of Hvar, celebrating 150 years in 2018, took the economy of the town and the island in a new direction. As one of the earliest "tourist boards" in Europe, it was founded in 1868 with the purpose of providing "good care for visitors". Today, the town has a variety of hotels, galleries, museums, and exhibitions, including the Arsenal, Loggia, the Croatian Institute, and the Hvar Heritage Museum.
