Festival season on the Dalmatian coast
Hvar
From Split to Hvar in July: open-air raves, island bars and the ferries in between.
Croatia’s coast turns into one long party every summer. Ultra Europe fills Split’s football stadium in July, and the smaller festivals on the islands keep going until September. Between them, Hvar town’s harbour bars run until dawn.
We based ourselves in Split, which has hostels, cheap burek and Diocletian’s Palace, a Roman emperor’s retirement home that is now the old town. Catamarans run to Hvar in about an hour. Stay on Hvar for a couple of nights at least, and take a water taxi to the Pakleni islands to recover on the beach.
Money and bookings
Everything costs double in July and August. Festival tickets sell in tiers, so buy early. Book ferries on the Jadrolinija or Krilo websites in high season, as the catamarans sell out. Split to Hvar costs €10 to €20.