By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Nightlife Editor
Croatia Yacht Week is one of Europe’s top parties – and how could seven days on a yacht cruising around the Croatian islands not be a party, right!? – and here’s a guide to the bars and nightlife on the island of Hvar.
For decades, Hvar has been well known around the world as one of the top party destinations on the planet. Lately, celebrities and jetsetters have discovered it but thankfully they have not ruined it for the rest of us.
So let’s (yacht) rock it on Hvar! Croatia Yacht Week, for those who may not know, lasts much more than a week. It takes place from late May into September.
Daytime Bars In Hvar
During the daytime, all roads (or all boats, since it’s on an island) lead to Carp Diem Beach Bar. It’s a very nice cabana lounge, which kind of disguises its true self because starting at Midnight it turns into an all-out dance party with top DJs from around the world pumping out tunes until 5 a.m. And it’s quite fun during the daytime, too.
If you don’t have your own aquatic transportation, water taxis take you there for 10€ round-trip. During the day they depart from in front of Mlinar bakery and starting at midnight, from in front of the land-based Carp Diem bar.
There are other cool daytime bars, too. PubClub.com likes Hula-Hula Hvar on the scenie walk path past the harbor. There you can jump into the beautiful, clear water, which is added fun. It’s just past another gorgeous bar, Beach Club Hvar.
Late afternoons, when the daytime people make their way back to Hvar from Carp Diem Beach Bar and Hula-Hula, the place to be is past the Carp Diem Hvar Town bar at rocky beach (Beach Kriza). There are some drinking spots on the water, including Hvar Brewing Company which brews Croatian craft beers.
Hvar Bars & Nightlife After Dark
Aside from Carp Diem Beach Bar, there are small tho very lively bars around the harbor. One cranking place is Seven, which has dancing. It’s next to a hang-out bar where you get a beer inside and drink at tables under huge Coca Cola umbrellas (I never got the name of the place so simply call it the Coca Cola bar).
Around the corner is nightlife nirvina. There’s Kiva Bar, or really Kiva Bars because it’s three small bars tuked into walls in an alley. Most people hang out and party in the alley, then pop into the bars to get a drink, carry on conversations started outside or go to dance.
Up the steps and to the right is the place where I got my nightlife fix in Hvar, Lola Bar. I like the music there better – it’s more party music than pure dance – and really enjoy the scene and bartenders. I generally tossed out my anchor there, but it’s easy to roll down to Kiva Bars and Severn because they are within a minute or two of each other.
For the more discriminating PubClubber, along the harbor are two of the largest bars in Hvar Town, Carp Diem and Don Quijote. Each has a balcony overlooking the harbor and the sence of the boats in it.
Of course, if you’re a nice-looking girl, just walking along the harbor could land you on one of the boats having its own party.
Important Things About Hvar Before You Go There
Hvar is an island an hour ferry ride from the city of Split. There are some important things to know about Hvar before you go there.
I also go deeper into the Hvar nightlife in this article on the best Hvar bars.