Is Hvar Town or Stari Grad better for a first visit?

Hvar Town, for most people — it puts the harbor, restaurants, boat departures and nightlife within walking distance, which matters most on a first trip when you don't yet know the island. Stari Grad suits travellers who already know they want quiet over convenience.

Is Stari Grad quieter than Hvar Town?

Considerably. Stari Grad is a working harbor town with a slower pace and far less nightlife than Hvar Town, which is the island's social and yachting hub, especially from June to September.

Which town is closer to the ferry?

Stari Grad receives the car ferry from Split (2 hours) and is the arrival point if you're bringing a rental car. Hvar Town receives the fast passenger catamaran (55–65 minutes) but no vehicles.

Can I stay in one town and visit the other easily?

Yes — they're about a 20-minute drive or bus ride apart, and many visitors base in one and spend a half-day in the other. If you're without a car, Hvar Town is the easier base since more buses and boats run from there.

Hvar Town vs Stari Grad: Where Should You Stay?

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The short answer: stay in Hvar Town if you want nightlife, restaurants and boat departures on your doorstep; stay in Stari Grad if you want a quieter, more historic base near the UNESCO-listed plain. Both are on the same island, twenty minutes apart by road, so neither choice is wrong — it’s a question of which trip you’re actually planning.

Hvar Town: the harbor and the scene

Hvar Town is the island’s centre of gravity — a Venetian-era harbor town backed by the Fortica Fortress, ringed by boutique hotels, cocktail bars and the marina where the Blue Cave and Pakleni Islands boats depart. It’s the easiest base if you’re travelling without a car: everything from the Franciscan Monastery to the ferry terminal is within a 15–20 minute walk.

The trade-off is exactly what makes it appealing to some and wrong for others — from June to September it’s genuinely lively into the small hours, especially near the harbor. If you want quiet evenings, ask specifically about a hotel’s distance from the main promenade.

Best for: first-timers, travellers without a car, anyone who wants restaurants and boats on foot.
From: roughly €280/night for a boutique hotel room in shoulder season.

Stari Grad: the quiet, historic option

Stari Grad is one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited towns, sitting at the head of a long, sheltered bay and backed directly by the Stari Grad Plain — the UNESCO World Heritage Greek field system that gives the island its deepest layer of history. Staying here means waking up somewhere genuinely quiet, with stone-walled villas rather than hotel blocks, and easy access to the Plain for walking or cycling before the day heats up.

It’s also where the car ferry from Split lands, so it’s the natural base if you’re bringing a rental car for the week.

Best for: travellers with a car, longer stays, anyone prioritising quiet and history over nightlife.
From: roughly €390–€520/night for a private villa.

Our actual recommendation

If you have four nights or fewer, base in Hvar Town — the convenience pays for itself on a short trip. If you have a week or more, split it: three or four nights in Stari Grad for the quiet and the Plain, the rest in Hvar Town for the harbor and the boats. Full property picks for both are on our Luxury Stays page, including Heritage Villa Apolon on the Stari Grad waterfront and the boutique hotels of Hvar Town harbor.

Getting between them

Buses run regularly between the two towns (about 20 minutes), and taxis are easy to arrange through any hotel. If you’re deciding which ferry to book in the first place, our Split to Hvar ferry guide breaks down all four crossing options by which port you actually need.

Hvar Town: the harbor and the scene

Stari Grad: the quiet, historic option

Our actual recommendation

Getting between them

Frequently Asked Questions