Seaplanes and Dubrovnik Catamaran
With the introduction of seaplanes and the Dubrovnik catamaran, getting to Croatia's premier island has never been easier, and the additional services also bring some intriguing possibilities for both transfers and day trips to and from Hvar.
The Jadrolinija summer schedule finally starts on May 29, which will bring a welcome increase in the daily connections to the ports of Stari Grad and Sucuraj from Split and Drvenik respectively, but it is the introduction of the seaplanes and Krilo catamaran from Split to Milna on Brac, Korčula, Mljet and Dubrovnik which are the most exciting developments.
The catamaran, which will go daily from June 1 until October 31, is currently running from Monday to Friday, and apart from the convenience of the Dubrovnik connection, an affordable day trip to either the island of Mljet or the town of Korčula has never been more convenient.
Simply board the Krilo Star at 08:55 on the waterfront in Hvar Town, then sit back and enjoy a spectacular ride past the south side of Hvar and Šćedro. Arrive at 10:00 and enjoy a relaxing day in the home of Marco Polo, one of the best preserved walled towns in Europe. After a day of exploring, take the 18:35 return ferry home, arriving just in time for thoughts of a delicious Hvar dinner at 19:40. Total travel price - 160 kuna. Mljet is the next stop after Korčula, so there will obviously be a little less time for a day trip there, but still plenty to enjoy the magic of one of Dalmatia's island treasures.
The possibilities of the seaplanes are even more enticing. The current two flights a day will soon increase to five, connecting Jelsa to the seaport by Split Airport in just 13 minutes. While that makes a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trogir an easy excursion, it is the connections further up the coast which provide the greatest flexibility for tourists to and from Hvar.
The daily connection from Split to Pula takes just 62 minutes, and with the current timetable, one can go from Jelsa to Istria in less than two hours, which beats the 11 hours on the bus from Split to Pula! The timings also work each way for a day trip between Hvar and Istria. Leave Jelsa at 08:10, arriving in Pula at 10:00, then return at 17:00 and in place for a waterside cocktail in Jelsa at 19:00. And let's not mention the view on the flight, flying low over Trogir, Šibenik, Zadar, the Kornati islands and much, much more.
The seaplanes are currently also connected to Rab, Zagreb and Rijeka, with Zadar, Novalja and Mali Lošinj soon to be added. There is no better time to be travelling to and from Hvar - the options truly are endless.
To book your seaplane flight, click here http://www.ec-air.eu/en/ - and remember - for 5% discount when buying a ticket enter villashvar.com under Voucher!
*Author - Paul Bradbury
*Photo Credit - Romulić & Stojčić multimedia studio
