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This year I wanted to look at life on the islands. We chose the island of Hvar, the city of Stari Grad (Faros). There is no or very little information on the Internet specifically on the hotels and infrastructure of this city, so I hope that my review will be useful.
We rested in July 2014, we bought the tour without meals, so as not to be tied to the dining room schedule and get to know the local cuisine more, which was quite successful. Plus, the reviews about the food at the Arkada and Helios hotels were unimportant, even negative.
Transfer Split airport - Split port - about 30 minutes (we were 3 people in an air-conditioned minibus). Before the ferry there was time for coffee and money change. Money was immediately changed (a lot - for the entire vacation) to kunas - a street with exchange offices and cafes stretches near the seaport - do not be lazy and find a normal course - I’ll make a reservation right away - the exchange rate is worse on the islands! ! !
Ask if there is a bank commission for exchange transactions and be sure to take checks of exchange offices!
Before boarding the ferry, it is wise to buy a snack and water or juice, especially if you are traveling with children. Plus there is a bar on the ferry. The ferry goes to the island of Hvar for 2 hours, the ticket price is 47 kunas (the driver handed us the tickets from the meeting party). In the port of Stari Grad, we were also met by a driver with a sign, who took us to the reception of our hotel. Checked in around 8-9pm.
The hotel (Helios apartments 2 *) is more like a recreation center, located on the first line in a pine forest, at some elevation above the sea, away from the city center - only "Lavender" and "Arcade" are farther. On the territory grow fig and olive trees, various handicrafts, cool fresh air. Birds and cicadas sing. We didn’t see a single squirrel - which was constantly surprised (there were a lot of them in Makarska and Primosten).
It is a house for 2 families with separate entrances.
Each cottage has a terrace, a bathroom with a shower-tray and a toilet, a built-in wardrobe with spare blankets, 3 beds (2 behind a partition with a sliding door and one type for teens in the common room), a kitchenette-studio with a built-in sink and heater water, a stove for 2 burners (1 small and 1 wide), a small refrigerator, the necessary minimum of dishes (1 frying pan, 2 pans, cups, spoons, forks, plates, 1 knife-blade for bread, ladle for coffee (? ) and so on. ), dishwashing liquid. The bathroom also has a water heater. From cosmetics only 3 bars of soap. There is no phone or TV. The floor is tile. On the terrace there is a table and three chairs. Cleaning once a day or less, change of towels - in general, according to a system that is mysterious to us - they could change visually clean, but not change obviously dirty ones ...
According to the rules of residence in the hotel, washing and ironing clothes in the rooms is prohibited - but everyone wanted to sneeze at the bans - many families with children - how can it be without washing?
The condition of the room/renovation leaves much to be desired… Water does not drain in the shower tray because it is installed incorrectly, the tray itself is painted with oil paint, and it peels off nicely under the influence of water; of the 2 burners on the electric stove, only one worked normally - thank God that it was wide. The dust is wiped, apparently, only at the beginning and at the end of the season, and even then it is unlikely. The reception is common for the Trim and Helios apartments, there is a TV, a pay phone, a small library of books from all over the world (vacationers leave). At the same time, the general impression of the territory is not bad - the paths are swept, generally clean, the plants are well-groomed. ALLOWED settlement with pets (an additional fee of 35 kunas per day is charged). There were people with dogs (from the European Union).
Of the minuses of the location, nearby, about 50 meters, there is a beach bar, in which young people walk in the evenings and until late at night, loudly yelling music. Even with the doors closed, it was difficult to fall asleep. And with closed doors and windows - it's hot to sleep. The conclusion is - if you want silence, you need to settle either in the Arcade or in the center in private apartments (but there are some drawbacks - such as proximity to the yacht pier and the lack of a beach nearby)
Shops: the most popular and well-known, but with an unimportant assortment and constant queues at the checkouts, is the Tommy supermarket in the center near the embankment. There is also a Studenac mini market on the waterfront and another large Studenac with a good assortment - on the outskirts of the city, next to a bus stop. These shops were quite enough for us to prepare meals every day, and they also bought cheeses to take home. There is also a big "Tommy" near the ferry port - we did not go there.
There is also a market in the center - it is positioned as a farmer's market, next to the park, it works until late, which is convenient if you want vegetables and fruits for breakfast. The prices are higher than in stores, but the quality is better. As well as a large number of private bakeries in the center - they work until late. There is also a fish market-pavilion - the exact schedule of its work was not found out, they only saw that it was open in the morning. They weren't interested in prices either.
Transport. The bus service within the island is quite good, mainly adapted to the ferry service with other ports in Croatia. It is worth rewriting the schedules at the bus stop, however, the schedule is not always followed exactly, the bus may be late for 5-15 minutes. Tickets are sold by the driver in the cabin upon boarding; be sure to specify where the bus is going at the entrance, before buying a ticket, keep the ticket until the end of the trip.
We arranged entertainment and excursions on our own: daily walks of various lengths (visited Vlashka and Zhukova bays), photo shoots in picturesque places, climbed Mount Glavitsa 111 m above sea level, went for the whole day to the city of Jelsa, swam there (22 kunas bus per 1 end), to the city of Hvar for a photo session (27 kunas bus to 1 end), we took a motor boat for the whole day 250 kunas + gasoline, in Stari Grad we visited the fortress of Hektorovich, the ruins of the ancient Greek settlement Faros.
In the city for children, the most popular entertainment is a trampoline, on which several toddlers of different ages frolic at the same time to the groovy music from 16-00 to 23-00 - always under the supervision of their parents. Adults and young people gather in the evenings in the bars on the promenade for a couple of cocktails, on large ships until late at night, revelry with music - this is how youth companies from Australia, the States and New Zealand frolic.
Meals: since we had a tour without meals, we had breakfast at home, mostly yogurt or cottage cheese with jam, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, tomatoes, tea, coffee. On the beach they took a couple of sandwiches, water or juice, a few fruits. Bought melons and watermelons - very tasty. It also helped that we took a few packs of mashed potatoes and instant porridge with us - a couple of minutes - and the side dish is ready.
In the evening we went to dinner at local places, of which there are many, you can at least choose a new one every day. Portions are large, cooked delicious, but not very dietary ...Mostly dishes on the coals, grilled or deep-fried. I especially want to single out Faria's konoba from the one I liked - a home-like cozy atmosphere, delicious food, they bring a stack of rakia from the establishment to the path. The staff speaks English and / or German, so with the knowledge of everyday phrases - you will not be lost.
I also liked the konoba Stari Mlyn (Old Mill) - a nice family institution, tasty, sincere hostess with a good level of English, told a lot of interesting things about life on the island, about the history of the city. A couple of times we cooked dinner at home (turkey chops, chevapchichi - a semi-finished product, squid rings in a creamy sauce).
Weather: this year it rains more than ever, during our stay there were 4 rains and strong winds. With a strong wind in the shade, and even after swimming, it is very uncomfortable, and in the sun you can quickly get burned. But the locals say that this is normal for the islands - it is windy, frowns, rain for half an hour or an hour, then again the sun. But nature is raging with colors and greenery.
Souvenirs: bags of lavender, honey, Croatian liqueurs and rakias (especially Rogač ka liqueur from the fruits of the Rogač tree, which grows only in some places in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean), handmade soap with oils of olive, rosemary, lavender, rose ...Cheeses Ovidur and Trapista, olive oil, proshek (semi-sweet wine). Of the absolutely free souvenirs - shells caught while diving with a mask and snorkel, fragrant herbs (narwhal in the mountains).
List of things that you may need (and that were very useful to us)
good knife (folding swiss for example)
rope and clothespins for drying clothes
small frying pan with removable handle (up to 20 cm)
soap shampoo washing powder
swimming slippers, mask fins snorkel
camping beach mat and beach towel
sun protection
black tea, ground coffee - if you like (Croatian coffee for the most part - terrible horror)
first aid kit (plasters and antiseptics are a must, as well as ear drops)
sewing/mending kit
sneakers or comfortable sandals (if you are planning an active holiday)
long sleeves (evenings are cool and windy)
We rested in July 2014, we bought the tour without meals, so as not to be tied to the dining room schedule and get to know the local cuisine more, which was quite successful. Plus, the reviews about the food at the Arkada and Helios hotels were unimportant, even negative.
Transfer Split airport - Split port - about 30 minutes (we were 3 people in an air-conditioned minibus). Before the ferry there was time for coffee and money change. Money was immediately changed (a lot - for the entire vacation) to kunas - a street with exchange offices and cafes stretches near the seaport - do not be lazy and find a normal course - I’ll make a reservation right away - the exchange rate is worse on the islands! ! !
Ask if there is a bank commission for exchange transactions and be sure to take checks of exchange offices!
Before boarding the ferry, it is wise to buy a snack and water or juice, especially if you are traveling with children. Plus there is a bar on the ferry. The ferry goes to the island of Hvar for 2 hours, the ticket price is 47 kunas (the driver handed us the tickets from the meeting party). In the port of Stari Grad, we were also met by a driver with a sign, who took us to the reception of our hotel. Checked in around 8-9pm.
The hotel (Helios apartments 2 *) is more like a recreation center, located on the first line in a pine forest, at some elevation above the sea, away from the city center - only "Lavender" and "Arcade" are farther. On the territory grow fig and olive trees, various handicrafts, cool fresh air. Birds and cicadas sing. We didn’t see a single squirrel - which was constantly surprised (there were a lot of them in Makarska and Primosten).
It is a house for 2 families with separate entrances.
Each cottage has a terrace, a bathroom with a shower-tray and a toilet, a built-in wardrobe with spare blankets, 3 beds (2 behind a partition with a sliding door and one type for teens in the common room), a kitchenette-studio with a built-in sink and heater water, a stove for 2 burners (1 small and 1 wide), a small refrigerator, the necessary minimum of dishes (1 frying pan, 2 pans, cups, spoons, forks, plates, 1 knife-blade for bread, ladle for coffee (? ) and so on. ), dishwashing liquid. The bathroom also has a water heater. From cosmetics only 3 bars of soap. There is no phone or TV. The floor is tile. On the terrace there is a table and three chairs. Cleaning once a day or less, change of towels - in general, according to a system that is mysterious to us - they could change visually clean, but not change obviously dirty ones ...
According to the rules of residence in the hotel, washing and ironing clothes in the rooms is prohibited - but everyone wanted to sneeze at the bans - many families with children - how can it be without washing?
The condition of the room/renovation leaves much to be desired… Water does not drain in the shower tray because it is installed incorrectly, the tray itself is painted with oil paint, and it peels off nicely under the influence of water; of the 2 burners on the electric stove, only one worked normally - thank God that it was wide. The dust is wiped, apparently, only at the beginning and at the end of the season, and even then it is unlikely. The reception is common for the Trim and Helios apartments, there is a TV, a pay phone, a small library of books from all over the world (vacationers leave). At the same time, the general impression of the territory is not bad - the paths are swept, generally clean, the plants are well-groomed. ALLOWED settlement with pets (an additional fee of 35 kunas per day is charged). There were people with dogs (from the European Union).
Of the minuses of the location, nearby, about 50 meters, there is a beach bar, in which young people walk in the evenings and until late at night, loudly yelling music. Even with the doors closed, it was difficult to fall asleep. And with closed doors and windows - it's hot to sleep. The conclusion is - if you want silence, you need to settle either in the Arcade or in the center in private apartments (but there are some drawbacks - such as proximity to the yacht pier and the lack of a beach nearby)
Shops: the most popular and well-known, but with an unimportant assortment and constant queues at the checkouts, is the Tommy supermarket in the center near the embankment. There is also a Studenac mini market on the waterfront and another large Studenac with a good assortment - on the outskirts of the city, next to a bus stop. These shops were quite enough for us to prepare meals every day, and they also bought cheeses to take home. There is also a big "Tommy" near the ferry port - we did not go there.
There is also a market in the center - it is positioned as a farmer's market, next to the park, it works until late, which is convenient if you want vegetables and fruits for breakfast. The prices are higher than in stores, but the quality is better. As well as a large number of private bakeries in the center - they work until late. There is also a fish market-pavilion - the exact schedule of its work was not found out, they only saw that it was open in the morning. They weren't interested in prices either.
Transport. The bus service within the island is quite good, mainly adapted to the ferry service with other ports in Croatia. It is worth rewriting the schedules at the bus stop, however, the schedule is not always followed exactly, the bus may be late for 5-15 minutes. Tickets are sold by the driver in the cabin upon boarding; be sure to specify where the bus is going at the entrance, before buying a ticket, keep the ticket until the end of the trip.
We arranged entertainment and excursions on our own: daily walks of various lengths (visited Vlashka and Zhukova bays), photo shoots in picturesque places, climbed Mount Glavitsa 111 m above sea level, went for the whole day to the city of Jelsa, swam there (22 kunas bus per 1 end), to the city of Hvar for a photo session (27 kunas bus to 1 end), we took a motor boat for the whole day 250 kunas + gasoline, in Stari Grad we visited the fortress of Hektorovich, the ruins of the ancient Greek settlement Faros.
In the city for children, the most popular entertainment is a trampoline, on which several toddlers of different ages frolic at the same time to the groovy music from 16-00 to 23-00 - always under the supervision of their parents. Adults and young people gather in the evenings in the bars on the promenade for a couple of cocktails, on large ships until late at night, revelry with music - this is how youth companies from Australia, the States and New Zealand frolic.
Meals: since we had a tour without meals, we had breakfast at home, mostly yogurt or cottage cheese with jam, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, tomatoes, tea, coffee. On the beach they took a couple of sandwiches, water or juice, a few fruits. Bought melons and watermelons - very tasty. It also helped that we took a few packs of mashed potatoes and instant porridge with us - a couple of minutes - and the side dish is ready.
In the evening we went to dinner at local places, of which there are many, you can at least choose a new one every day. Portions are large, cooked delicious, but not very dietary ...Mostly dishes on the coals, grilled or deep-fried. I especially want to single out Faria's konoba from the one I liked - a home-like cozy atmosphere, delicious food, they bring a stack of rakia from the establishment to the path. The staff speaks English and / or German, so with the knowledge of everyday phrases - you will not be lost.
I also liked the konoba Stari Mlyn (Old Mill) - a nice family institution, tasty, sincere hostess with a good level of English, told a lot of interesting things about life on the island, about the history of the city. A couple of times we cooked dinner at home (turkey chops, chevapchichi - a semi-finished product, squid rings in a creamy sauce).
Weather: this year it rains more than ever, during our stay there were 4 rains and strong winds. With a strong wind in the shade, and even after swimming, it is very uncomfortable, and in the sun you can quickly get burned. But the locals say that this is normal for the islands - it is windy, frowns, rain for half an hour or an hour, then again the sun. But nature is raging with colors and greenery.
Souvenirs: bags of lavender, honey, Croatian liqueurs and rakias (especially Rogač ka liqueur from the fruits of the Rogač tree, which grows only in some places in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean), handmade soap with oils of olive, rosemary, lavender, rose ...Cheeses Ovidur and Trapista, olive oil, proshek (semi-sweet wine). Of the absolutely free souvenirs - shells caught while diving with a mask and snorkel, fragrant herbs (narwhal in the mountains).
List of things that you may need (and that were very useful to us)
good knife (folding swiss for example)
rope and clothespins for drying clothes
small frying pan with removable handle (up to 20 cm)
soap shampoo washing powder
swimming slippers, mask fins snorkel
camping beach mat and beach towel
sun protection
black tea, ground coffee - if you like (Croatian coffee for the most part - terrible horror)
first aid kit (plasters and antiseptics are a must, as well as ear drops)
sewing/mending kit
sneakers or comfortable sandals (if you are planning an active holiday)
long sleeves (evenings are cool and windy)
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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