Stari Grad: Cultural Landscape and Bay
Accommodation in Stari Grad
Stari Grad combines a cultural landscape shaped over thousands of years with experiences on the water and a harbour that plays an important role in travelling to the island of Hvar. The surrounding area can be explored in different ways: by taking in historic buildings and traditions, following a circular route through the landscape, or enjoying activities in the bay. Which of these aspects interests you most may also influence your choice of a holiday apartment in Stari Grad.
Cultural Landscape and Routes Around Stari Grad
The Stari Grad Plain, known in Croatian as Starogradsko polje, is a cultural landscape shaped over thousands of years. Its rectangular plots are bordered by dry-stone walls. This gives the plain a clearly structured character: the walls mark the individual plots and are themselves a defining feature of the landscape. If you would like to explore the surrounding area as well as the town, you can include the Kabal 706 circular route in your travel plans. It starts in the centre of Stari Grad, leads to the settlement of Rudina and returns to Stari Grad via Kabal and Arkada. The route described offers a specific way to combine the town and the landscape in one outing; no distance or walking time is specified.
Bicycle hire is also advertised in Stari Grad, for exploring routes, landscapes and historic sights. For days focused on the water, there are other options: in Stari Grad you can rent kayaks and SUP boards to explore secluded bays, pebble beaches and cliffs. Lanterna Beach can be reached on foot along the sea or by bicycle. Stari Grad lies at the end of a 7 km-long bay that is suitable for beginner and advanced windsurfers. Exploring the landscape, water sports and a visit to the beach are therefore distinct options.
Churches, Museum and Local Traditions
Among the prominent historic sites is the Dominican Monastery of St Peter the Martyr. It was founded in 1482 and fortified with two round towers after the Turkish attack on the island of Hvar at the end of the 16th century. The monastery museum preserves the oldest inscriptions in Greek found in Croatia. The building’s history and this remarkable collection give the site a cultural dimension that differs from the activities in the bay.
The Church of St Stephen is a Baroque building whose construction began in 1605. The Church of St Roch stands immediately beside Tvrdalj and is dedicated to the patron saint of Stari Grad. Škor Square also tells of an earlier use: it was once the site of a shipyard. These different places point to distinct chapters of local history, from religious buildings to the work once carried out by the water.
Local traditions are also reflected in feast days. For the Feast of St Nicholas on 6 December, an old boat is burned in front of the church every year; St Nicholas is regarded as the patron saint of sailors. On 13 December, the Feast of St Lucy, a large fire is traditionally lit in front of the church, and children are given gifts hidden in a sock. In September 2026, the Dani u vali festival took place in Stari Grad from 17 to 20 September. It celebrates traditional boats, the sea and sailors. Visitors could sample traditional food, drinks and other local products.
Getting Here and Nearby Places
The harbour of Stari Grad is the largest harbour on the island and an international port. Most travellers reach the island by ferry via the ports of Stari Grad and Sućuraj. If travelling by ferry is important to your holiday plans, this harbour is therefore an essential point of reference for Stari Grad.
For further information about the area, you can also find pages on Stari Grad, Rudina and Vrbanj.
For an overview of the wider destination: Hvar.
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