A PRINTED DRESS FOR CATCHING A FERRY IN SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

What to wear when you're travelling? In summer, I often opt for print dresses because they are fun and seem to go well with anything. I packed quite a few printed dresses for my visit to island Hvar (Croatia). As long as the dresses are comfortable, they are my 'go to' travel outfit. This mixed print dress is one of my favourite travel summer dresses. You have seen me wear it a lot on this blog, especially for hiking and sightseeing (and you know I believe in shopping one's closet). It's a great day to night dress as well, quite easy to dress up and down. My outfit proposal of the day is more casual in tone so you could said that I dressed the dress down. The shoes I choose to go along with this dress are printed sandals from Art brand. I bought them when I was in Split last spring and they're super comfortable (not sponsored).  I also wore a backpack because they are more practical for travelling. I have quite a pragmatic mind when it comes to fashion, and I think it is possible to dress sensibility and stylishly at the same time. As the title of my post indicates, besides my summery styling, today I'll also be writing a bit about the smallest town on the island of Hvar- Sucuraj. I've been to Sucuraj many times, and there are many things I like about this place. Its lovely historical lighting-house is one of the symbols of island Hvar for me personally. I always loved seeing it from a ferry as a kid and I never grew tired of it.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN SUCURAJ (ISLAND HVAR)

Let's talk a bit about Sucuraj (spelled Sućuraj in Croatian). I like to share places I love with you. Sucuraj is a touristic city and port. This town is the official centre of the eastern part of Hvar island. It has more than 2700 hours of sunshine per year. Statistically, it is one of the sunniest towns.   It is actually very close to the mainland (5 km), so close that a ferry ride from Drvenik (the coastal port) typically takes less than half an hour. As I said, this town is little, and there are less than 400 inhabitants living in Sucuraj but it is has its own school, hospital and a tourist office.

The placement of this little town is fantastic, it has a view of both sides of the island. If you look at one side, you can see the Croatian coastline and on the other side you can see Pelješac and Korčula. Basically, the city is facing both the mainland and the the sea (since Croatia's coastline is rich in islands, you can always expect the 'sea view' to include islands). One of the things you can do here, besides catching a ferry, strolling around, or enjoying a nice or drink is going swimming or trying out water sports. There are quite a few beautiful beaches to choose from and you can have your pick: sand, peddle or rocky beaches. The sea is crystal clear and the views are phenomenal. You can also do a one day visit thing, catch the ferry, and go back to the mainland the same day.

HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN SUCURAJ

There are few historical attractions in this town and well and they include: 

- a Franciscan monastery from the 9th century,

- a fortress from the 17th century,

- a church of saint Anthony from the 17century century,

- a church of saint George from the 19 century (that includes remains of a much older church),

- a stone lighting house from the 19 century. 

As you can see, there is a lot to enjoy here. If you a history and nature lover, you're going to love island Hvar. I would definitely recommend the island experience (any island) to everyone and anyone visiting Croatia. This country is simply perfect for island hopping. There are plenty of catamaran and ferry rides to choose for. If you opt for a ferry ride, you can also take your care with you (or bikes if that is what you prefer). Getting around is easier with a car or a bike. Rent a car is also a good option. The ferry ticket from Drvenik to Sucuraj is a more affordable then that from Starigrad to Split (because of a short distance). Typically (and I'm sure this is the case everywhere) the price of the ferry ticket depends on the duration and the length of the ferry ride. If you're visiting Makarska riviera, keep in mind that this place is close by. You can just drive to Drvenik and hop onto a ferry.

I have already wrote about the history of this place. Believe it or not, Sucuraj is more than 2300 years old. During its history it has been destroyed and rebuild many times. As I pointed out in one of my old posts,  Sucuraj was first inhabited by Ilyrians, an ancient European tribe that has merged with the Slavic, Greek and Albanian tribes centuries ago and wasn't preserved as a separate ethnic identity and culture but there are still some remains from that era. European history being what it is, this island has often changed 'owners', that is, it belonged to different states and kingdoms, and as you know, that can be said for most of cities in Europe.  Anyway, the history of this place is pretty interesting and even without the history, it is a very pretty little place on its own. I never stay here for the night, but I hanged out here often enough, especially when waiting for a ferry. I even tried some of Sucuraj's beaches and enjoyed swimming here in the past. Not this time though. We managed to catch the ferry on time and we returned to Mostar city quite early (and that was good because it turned out we had plenty to do here as well).

What else can I say? I always liked this place, possibly because it has such stunning views. I know I'm not the only one, as this place is quite popular with tourists as well. It is probably a good tip to book accommodation ahead. The most popular accommodation in Sucuraj includes private accommodation, apartments, holiday boarding houses and so on. There are  restaurants, taverns and shops, a few lovely ones to choose from. You won't find any five stars hotels though, so if there is what you're looking for, drive on until you get to Jelsa, Starigrad or Hvar city.  These photographs were taken as we were waiting for the ferry and some of them were taken on the ferry as well. The last photograph is the lighting house I told you about. Isn't it a beauty?


 Thank you for reading. Do you like this place? Have you visited any islands in Croatia yet? Do you have your heart set on one? I visited quite a few of them, but there are still more to cross of my bucket list. If there is anything more you'd like to know about Croatian islands, let me know. Have a nice day! I'll be linking this outfit with Nancy's Fancy Friday Linkup and Mica's Weekwear Linkup.