Stari Grad, on Hvar’s north coast, is a quieter, more cultured and altogether more sober affair than Hvar Town, its stylish and sybaritic sister. If you’re not after pulsating nightlife and thousands of people crushing each other along the streets in the high season, head here and enjoy Hvar at a more leisurely pace. That said, you can easily see all of the little town's sights in half a day.

The name Stari Grad means 'Old Town', a reference to the fact that it was founded in 384 BC by the ancient Greeks, who called it Pharos. The surrounding fields are still divided into parcels of land demarcated in antiquity.

The town sits at the end of a deep inlet, with the narrow lanes of the old quarter spreading out on its southern side. The waterfront promenade continues along the northern bank to a small beach.