Hvar, Croatia
Captain Britzolakis gave us a perfect anchorage at the island of Hvar, where we could take a short Zodiac ride to the Franciscan Monastery to begin our morning visit. However, the seawall of the city was crowded with the film crew of a big upcoming ABC series called “Missing” starring Ashley Judd, and they didn’t want the Panorama in the background of their film, so the harbormaster asked us to move the ship during breakfast! We then took a longer Zodiac ride ashore, and were told that the sound of Zodiacs was interfering with the film production, so we had to land at a different marina. It was all a little bit of an “exercise in flexibility” for our first landing, but it turned out to be a great morning in the enchanting Renaissance town of Hvar.
A mild climate, good beaches, art treasures and fields of scented lavender make the island of Hvar one of the treasures of the Adriatic. We started with the Franciscan Monastery outside the city walls, which was built in 15th century. Among many treasures of the monastery we have seen a highly prized painting from Hvar’s art heritage, “The Last Supper” by the 17th century artist Matej Ponzoni-Poncun. On the south side of the square is the Arsenal, the first “public theatre” in the Balkans, where people of all classes could come and see drama, regardless of their social standing.
Walking by the city loggia and along the waterfront, we arrived at the famous belltower of the Renaissance Cathedral of St. Stephen that is situated in the heart of the main square of the city. A seaside path circles the charming little harbor with all kind of boats and people. Many cafes on the “placja” and along the waterfront offer not only excellent possibilities to relax with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine but also great people-watching. Some were so delighted with the atmosphere of the little plaza they decided to stay for lunch there.
In the afternoon the weather and the sea were perfect for the first swim stop. We all knew the water might still be a bit cold but its color was so inviting that many of us took the plunge. With masks and snorkels we swam for a while, trying to find some underwater life at the rocky shores of the nearby uninhabited island. The water felt so refreshing after the big first morning that we ended up having a lot of brave people swimming. So now everyone was ready for the very interesting talk given by National Geographic Expert Grace Fielder called “Myths of Maps.” That was the perfect introduction to enjoy the warm late sun and beautiful view on deck, having cocktails, followed by a delicious dinner.
