Hvar island has made wine for about 2,400 years. The Stari Grad Plain, a flat farm area with an old Greek field system (a UNESCO World Heritage site), still grows grapes today. The vineyards on the south slopes of the island face the sun and are very steep. They give plavac mali, a strong red wine. Hvar is a wine trip first, and it also has beaches.
The grapes to know
Table of Contents
| Grape | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Plavac mali | A dark, full red wine, close to Zinfandel. It grows on the south slopes, near the villages of Sveta Nedjelja and Ivan Dolac |
| Pošip | The best-known white wine of the coast. It has a full taste with a hint of citrus. It goes well with grilled fish |
| Bogdanuša | A white wine that grows only on Hvar. The name means “gift of God”. It is light and herbal, and people drink it young on the Stari Grad Plain |
| Prč, drnekuša | Two rare local grapes. Order them when a konoba (a traditional Croatian tavern) has them on the menu |
Cellars & experiences worth booking
Zlatan Otok (in Sveta Nedjelja, a small village on the south coast) is the best-known winery. It has a stone cellar and a tasting room by the marina, under the steepest vineyards. Tomić (in Jelsa, a town on the north coast) has an old vaulted tasting hall. It makes very good plavac mali and prošek (a sweet dessert wine). Duboković (also in Jelsa) makes natural-style wines in a cellar lit by candles. Book well ahead. Around Stari Grad, small family cellars serve bogdanuša among the UNESCO fields. Most tastings cost €15–40 and include a small snack. Tastings of older, rare vintages cost more.
Skipper’s tip: Sveta Nedjelja is behind the main hills of the island. By road from Hvar Town it takes 40 minutes on a winding road. By boat it takes 20 minutes on calm water. Many wine fans come by sea, taste wine at the marina cellar and swim off the pier between tastings.
Building the day
Morning: ride a bike on the Stari Grad Plain and taste bogdanuša at a field cellar. Lunch: eat at a konoba in Jelsa. Afternoon: taste wine at Tomić or Duboković. Then go over the hill, or around the coast by water, to Zlatan Otok. The red wines there are best in the soft light of late afternoon. You do not need a designated driver, because the skipper drives. Our Hvar boats run wine-day charters, and you can bring wine cases home in the boat cabin, not in the airline hold. Ask for the wine-day itinerary.
Skipper’s tip #2: September is harvest month (the time when grapes are picked). The cellars are busy, but the mood is great. Several family producers will let you watch the grape crushing if you ask politely. Buy a case to say thank you. June is a quiet time for wine fans: menus are full, there are no queues, and winemakers have time to talk.
Getting there and pairing the trip
For a base, read our where-to-stay guide. Jelsa puts two of the three big cellars within walking or cycling distance. From Split, you can find all boat options in the complete Split–Hvar ferry guide. Wine bottles travel better on a private boat than on a crowded catamaran rack.
Getting there without a car (2026)
On a Hvar wine day, nobody has to drive. This matters when the tastings of plavac mali and pošip add up.
| Option | Time | Schedule | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private taxi boat (Dalmatia Express) | ~55 minutes, door-to-door to Hvar | 24/7, on your schedule; sails when catamarans cancel; Split Airport pickup available | €370–900 per boat (fair for groups of 4–10, wine cases travel in the cabin) |
| Catamaran | 55–65 minutes to Hvar Town | Fixed timetable, seasonal | €10–30 per person |
| Car ferry | 1 h 50–2 h to Stari Grad | Fixed timetable, year-round | ~€56 for one adult + car (peak) |
Skip the driving entirely and let a skipper handle the crossing. Book your Split to Hvar wine-day water taxi.
Arrive on Hvar by private boat from Split (about 55 minutes, from around €370 per boat), base yourself in Hvar Town or Stari Grad, and reach the Zavala and Sveta Nedjelja cellars by pre-booked local transfer. If you’re combining islands, our Split-to-Hvar guide lays out every crossing, and a door-to-door private Hvar transfer means the whole group can enjoy the last pour.
Skipper’s tip: Visit the south-side cellars late in the afternoon. The light on the Sveta Nedjelja vineyards under the cliff is very beautiful then. With a boat home, you never need to watch the clock or drive.
Reaching Sveta Nedjelja cellars from Hvar Town
FAQ
What wine is Hvar known for?
Hvar is known for plavac mali, a red wine from the south slopes, and bogdanuša, a white wine that grows only on Hvar. Pošip, another white wine, is on almost every menu. It goes well with grilled food.
Do Hvar wineries need reservations?
The named cellars, yes — especially Duboković. Same-week booking usually works outside August.
How much is a tasting?
€15–40 typically, credited toward purchases at most family cellars.
Can I do a wine tour without driving?
Yes — boat-based tasting days, or Jelsa/Stari Grad cellars reachable on foot and by bike.
When is harvest on Hvar?
Roughly late August through September depending on the year — lively cellars, book ahead.
Two practical notes. First, you can rent a scooter from Luka Rent in Hvar Town if you want to visit several cellars in one afternoon. Second, have lunch at Konoba Dionis on Palmižana, a bay on Sveti Klement, the biggest of the Pakleni Islands near Hvar Town. The konoba sits in its own vineyard.
Related guides
- Where to stay on Hvar — how to pick a base on Hvar island, from Hvar Town to quieter villages.
- Pakleni Islands guide — a small group of islands just off Hvar Town, good for a beach day.
- Vrboska guide — a quiet canal village on Hvar, sometimes called “Little Venice”.
- Stari Grad or Hvar Town? — helps you choose which Hvar port town suits your trip.
Sources
Cellar details and hours change seasonally — book direct with the wineries. Stari Grad Plain UNESCO listing: whc.unesco.org. Tasting price ranges checked July 2026.
English 
Croatian 
Spanish 
French 
Russian 
German 
Italian 
Portuguese 
Arabic 
Norwegian 
Finnish 
Swedish 
Chinese 
Polish 
Dutch