Five Beaches off the Beaten Track

Looking for a quiet day at the beach, but not willing to share with hundreds of others? Whatever your beach needs, there is one specially designed for you on Hvar, whether you are looking for family or romantic, naturist or remote, there is somewhere on the coast that will suit your needs. Here are five off the beaten track worthy of a visit. 

Zarace. Not as undiscovered as the others - indeed ex President Mesic was acting here last year in a Croatian-made film - most people travelling from Hvar Town to Stari Grad drive straight past the sign for Zarace. To the left in the hills is a stunning and almost abandoned stone village, but to the right is a single-track road to a memorable beach with a couple of great restaurants.  

The Kabal peninsula north of Stari Grad is one of the least discovered parts of western Hvar, and is a natural paradise, with only two small settlements of Mala and Velika Rudina. The bay of Zukova is close to both villages, and is an excellent bay to sail into and a beach to spend the day swimming.  

On the south side through the Pitve tunnel is the deserted village of Gromin Dolac, which attracts very little traffic. A Belgian reportedly owns a property there, which he makes available to Couchsurfers in the summer, but there is not much activity apart from that, and as such, the beach tends to be less busy. To reach Gromin Dolac, turn left down the rough track in Zavala by the orange church, and continue for about 3km.  

Vela Stiniva is a small settlement on the northern coast east of Jelsa, which is perhaps best known for its excellent rock climbing. There is a restaurant in the season and a child-friendly beach in the bay. To reach Stiniva, turn left as you enter the village of Zastrazisce, and enjoy the fabulous descent. 

Some of the best beaches on the island are to be found on the east of the island, which is considerably less visited that the more fashionable western half. Turn right as you enter Gdinj, and wind your way slowly down to the Gdinske Uvale, or Gdinj Bays, such as this one at Tvrdni Dolac, where you will find a string of beautiful and less visited beaches, some of them with restaurant facilities. 

If you are interested in investigating the more off-beat beaches on the island, check out the excellent map and pictures by our friends at Visit Hvar (where these pictures came from), and if you want a quick overview of what to expect, check out their excellent video below.