While much has changed, it’s still possible to escape
the crowds. For instance, just 20 minutes fromHvar’s
harbour by taxi-boat sit the scattered Pakleni Otoci, an
archipelago of 16 unspoilt islets, which are considered
uninhabited as no one lives on them permanently.
Covered with Aleppo pines and fragrant rosemary, mint
and fennel, their rocky indented coastlines give way to
turquoise bays and secluded pebble coves. Locals say
that their name comes from
paklina
,
meaning pine
resin, used as a type of pitch to protect the hulls of
wooden boats.
It’s the perfect place to get back to nature. On
the western end of the largest islet, Sveti Klement,
archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of a Roman
villa
rustica
(
country house) dating from the 4th-6th century
AD. Overlooking a small, sheltered bay, the villa was
built of white stone, had mosaic floors, and was backed
by fertile land that would have been used for vineyards
and olive groves. It was probably the summer home of a
wealthy Roman patrician who came to enjoy the warm
sunny climate with its gentle cooling winds, the seaside
location, lush nature, abundant food and ease of access
to nearby larger settlements. These are precisely why
Hvar has been a holiday destination for almost 2,000
years, and many of these same reasons still bring visitors
here today.
A lovely footpath stretches the length of Sveti
Klement, passing through lush, overgrown vegetation
and skirting several idyllic small bays to arrive at
Palmižana (
palmizana.hr
).
Resembling a modern-day
Garden of Eden, this whimsical bohemian retreat was
created by Professor Eugen Meneghello in 1906. He
turned his family’s land into a botanical garden, planted
with palms, cypresses, eucalyptus and pomegranate
»
THE HIGH LIFE
01
Frolicking like film
stars at Bonj 'Les
Bains' Beach Club
(
suncanihvar.com)
02
The
Martinis Marchi
Hotel on Šolta Island
03
Hvar Old Town
04
The sweet smell of
lavender fills the air
around Hvar
02
03
04
0 9 7
S E C R E T I S L A N D S
S P L I T
