HVAR-1
Distance: 30 miles, Climbing: 2820 feet
FACTOID: The island of Hvar gets written up in more International travel magazines than any of the Croatian islands.
We were now switching hotels. The routine was to get up in the morning and have our bags downstairs where the three guides would load them on a van to take them to the next hotel. We had breakfast and then walked to the ferry terminal to ride to the next island - Hvar - about two hours away. The day started off with a fairly steady rain.
Hvar is a much `fancier' island than Brac. Here you might run into a famous person aboard their yacht. The climate is perfect and it is considered one of the sunniest places in Europe. The island has lots of olive groves and vineyards but is known for its fields of lavender.
We arrived on the island at Stari Grad, the port city, in the pouring rain. We walked across a large parking lot and the guides were unpacking the bikes from the two vans and we all sheltered under a restaurant canopy until they were finished. It took about 20 minutes and just as we started the rain tapered off. The temperature was fine and there was no wind so the initial part of the ride was fine.
The trip to our lunch spot had one very long uphill and then down to another port city of Jelsa. We were supposed to eat outside but with the rain they moved us inside. I have no photos of the start of the ride since it rained the entire time and I did not want to take the camera out. The restaurant was called Me and Mrs. Jones. This is the King in front of the restaurant with the harbor of Jelsa behind me.
After lunch we headed back towards the port where we arrived doing a lollipop ride. The first part passed through a nice village with lots of canals and it almost looked a little like Venice…. And then we continued on the the city of Hvar where we were to spend the night.
The road was fairly flat for a large part of the ride back and with very little traffic.
The Queen and one of the guides stop to pick and eat figs from a tree.
The ride was mostly flat but at the end there was one big hill and the guides gave us the option of taking a van. Several of us including the King and Queen decided to take the van. Here we are waiting for the van.
In Hvar we checked into the Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort. It was a very nice hotel - at least 4 if not 5 stars. This is a view of the pool.
Some bikers from the group relax before dinner.
It was a very short ten minute walk into the center of Hvar. The Queen is on the walkway to the city.
This is the main square of the city of Hvar.
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