Island Hopping: Hvar, Korčula & Brač

Croatia’s islands are Adriatic jewels, each one distinct yet connected by sea and spirit. From Split and Dubrovnik, ferries scatter to hundreds of islands, but three in particular shine with unique character: Hvar, Korčula, and Brač. Hvar is the glamorous sibling, where Venetian palaces frame bustling squares and lavender fields roll across hillsides in fragrant purple. The harbor gleams with yachts, yet beyond the town, stone villages and quiet coves offer timeless escape. Evenings come alive with music, wine, and laughter spilling across piazzas, while sunsets bathe the waterfront in gold. Korčula feels gentler, a medieval walled town said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. Its narrow streets are designed in a herringbone pattern to catch breezes and deflect winds, a clever legacy of its builders. Vineyards and olive groves blanket the countryside, producing wines and oils that have nourished generations. The pace here is slower: long lunches overlooking the sea, quiet walks through pine forests, evenings listening to klapa singers in stone courtyards. Brač is defined by Zlatni Rat, a golden spit of sand stretching into turquoise waters, its shape shifting with currents and winds. Above the coast, stone villages cling to hillsides, and quarries of luminous white stone — the same stone used in Diocletian’s Palace and even the White House in Washington — gleam in the sun. Island days unfold easily. Mornings begin with swims in hidden coves, afternoons with vineyard visits or hikes through olive groves, evenings with grilled fish served under vines, accompanied by local wine and laughter. Each island has its own identity, but together they form a mosaic of Adriatic life — fragrant, sunlit, and timeless.