Cruising the Coast of Croatia (Hvar & Day 1 in Komiža, Vis)

The three hour ferry to Hvar felt more like a roller coaster ride as we swayed with the waves, but gave us some time to catch up on some much needed zzz’s. We docked at the port just as the sun was beginning to set and made our way to meet Tanja, our next AirBnb hostess. She walked us into the quaint apartment, opened the balcony doors, and our jaws dropped. A full view of the ocean was directly in front of us, with the setting sun to the right and the rising moon to the left. It was gorgeous!

We had a quick change of clothes over a glass of wine, prosciutto and cheese, and admired our view of the dipping sun. As night set in, we made our way out for the evening.

Opting for pizza and pasta, we choose a local restaurant, Alviz, with an expansive garden terrace. Croatia, sitting across the Adriatic from Italy, takes many queues from their culinary culture.

After wiping our mouths and adjusting our belt buckles, Maggie and I took a stroll down the cobblestone side streets where vendors were pitching their products to eager tourists. Maggie took a few looks at some colorful necklaces and bracelets before deciding to pass.

With all of the success we had in tasting the local wines in Dubrovnik, we decided to stop at a wine bar that received high marks on Foursquare. The charming hole in the wall, Pršuta Wine Bar, had two seats outside on the narrow pathways that wound through the renaissance-age buildings, perfect for people watching. Our waiter recommended a local pošip that yielded a white wine that was crisp, refreshing and poured to perfection. From there we continued on to a terrace bar, with a view of the city center.

Hvar is known for its nightlife, of which we can attest to. As Maggie and I made our way to the second wine bar, we dodged through several party animals carting beers, cigarettes, and half eaten slices of pizza – all while dancing the night away. We enjoyed our nightcap with the city bustling below us and toasted to yet another great day.

The next morning we were up with the roosters to catch our transfer boat over to the island of Vis. The ride was scenic and we couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The sun guided us into Vis’ port and we hopped on the local bus for a quick 20 minute ride to the opposite side of the island, Komiža. In deciding where to stay on Vis, this seemed like the more beautiful part of town with a slower vibe that encouraged relaxation. Maggie and I arrived in town, grabbed brunch and checked into our AirBnb that we would call home for the next three days.

Once again, the view from the balcony was stunning! Nothing but sail boats, the Adriatic, the mountains and in the evening, a clear view of the setting sun. With the rest of the day ahead of us, we made a game plan to rent a scooter, explore the island and check out some beaches before landing back on our balcony for sunset and wine.

If you’ve followed our blog previously, you know that Maggie had a massive spill in Thailand on her first scooter rental. While we still laugh about it, she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of trying to drive her own so we settled for one. First stop: Stiniva Beach. We peppered along the coastline, clinging to the guardrail and admiring the jaw dropping views. Maggie asked me to stop for pictures at least 15 times, but each detour was worth it! We parked the scooter and started the tumultuous trek down to Stiniva. The hike down took at least 30 minutes, and it wasn’t easy. But once we were there, the views and the dip in the water paid off! One piece of advice for future visitors of Croatia: bring strong sandals that can weather wear and tear. The beaches in Croatia are typically composed of small rocks and pebbles instead of sand.

Back on the bike, we dried with the wind and made a pit-stop at a local vineyard, Aerodrom. It stands on an old airfield, hence the name, and serves wine and simple eats at picnic tables overlooking the land. We sampled their homemade olive oil and bread. The wine wasn’t shabby either; we liked the red (varietal plavac mali, similar to a Zinfandel) so much we took a bottle to go!

Our final stop on the tour of the island was an abandoned submarine base. The base is built inside of a cave – literally carved into the side of a massive rock) – and has a gorgeous view of the sea. We roamed inside the eerie base, and were impressed by what was once an important landmark for the Yugoslavian militia. On our way out there was a group of guys playing various instruments and singing songs on a sailboat. It proved to be a great show and we jammed along before heading back to Komiža for the evening.

Sunset was killer. Maggie and I couldn’t get enough so we drank wine and played cards until the last sliver of light disappeared around 8:15 pm. Without reservations, we decided to give a local spot a chance based on some reviews we’d seen. Freshly grilled seafood is the base for various menus in Croatia, the John Dory fish in particular. So that’s what we tried and it did not disappoint. With a full moon to guide us home and gelato in hand, we retired for the night.

Next up: days two and three in Vis/Komiža, before heading to Split.