VISIT BAYS TVRDNI DOLAC AND RAPAK (GDINJ BAYS, ISLAND HVAR)

Today I'll share two beautiful bays on island Hvar. As you might know, I'm currently based on this gorgeous Adriatic island. While I'm here, I figured it would be a nice idea to show you the most beautiful bays and beaches on island Hvar. I'm not a travel blogger, but I'm somewhat of a local. I have lived in many different places (even countries) in my life and island Hvar is also one of those places where I've lived and spent a considerable amounts of time. Even before I temporary moved here at the end of 2019, I was a frequent visitor to this island. I have family living on the island, so my visits weren't limited to touristic ones.  Naturally, this opportunity to live and work on island Hvar allowed me to familiarize myself with the island  and learn even more about it. I greatly enjoy getting to visit new places here on the island, but I'm also happy to visit some of my childhood favourites such as Southern Gdinj bays. Today I'll show you two of them: Tvrdni Dolac and Rapak. 
TVRDNI DOLAC
I actually blogged about Tvrdni dolac a few years ago (here), but I figured it won't hurt to give you another view of this beautiful bay. Both Tvrdni dolac and Rapak belong to Gdinj village. Gdinj, like most villages here, encompasses many bays. It is placed in the middle you could say, meaning that you can see both sides of the island from the village itself. Some of the bays are located a bit farther away, some closer but the average distance from the village itself is about 4 km. Both bays I'm showing you today are located on the southern side of the island. They are about 5 kilometres from the village itself. 
Both Tvrdni dolac and Rapac have two beaches. These two bays are a bit similar in appearance, with most of the houses being placed in the middle of the bay itself. As I explained in many posts in the past, most of these houses date back way back. In Gdinj and other  island Hvar's villages, people would typical have a few houses, one in the village itself, typically placed at the middle of the island (it was safer to live a bit further away from the sea, because of pirates) and one where they would stay when they would work the land near the sea level and go fishing. Some of them are hundreds of years old but most of them have been renovated and modernized. From what I've seen, Tvrdni dolac is not that different from back when I was a kid. Houses have been renovated but they still kept that historical appearance. For sentimental reasons, my favourite houses in these days are those that look exactly the same they did when I was a kid. However, most of the houses are really lovely. 
RAPAK BAY 
There have been some changes in Rapak bay from the last time I visited, but they have been positive ones. In particular, one local man is building something like cascading garden with olive trees, it looks quite lovely. Rapak is a lovely bay that has two pebble beaches. As most bays on the island, it is surrounded by a thick pine forest. They are perfect for a quiet vacation, a break from everything.
I'm not a traveller in the typical sense of the world. If anything I'm more of a local travel blogger, if that makes sense. I've noticed that most travel bloggers focus on bays near Hvar town as that is typically the only place they visit. As gorgeous as Hvar town and its neighbouring beaches such as
Milna are, there is much more to island Hvar. My aim is to show you bays that you probably haven't heard of and that you probably wouldn't know of otherwise. If you want, you can read about other beautiful Gdinj's bays on island Hvar: 
1. JEDRA, SRHOV DOLAC AND VEPRINOVA
2. SKOZANJE BAY
3. SOCA BAY
4. BAY TORAC
OTHER BEAUTIFUL BAYS ON ISLAND HVAR I HAVE VISITED AND SHARED WITH YOU (Click the links if you want to know more about them):
VISITING BASINA BAY ON ISLAND HVAR
VISITING MILNA NEAR HVAR
VISITING MINA NEAR JELSA
VISITING STARI GRAD BAYS
VISITING BAY MASLINICA NEAR STARI GRAD 
VISITING BAY MALA STINIVA
VISITING PRAPATNA BAY 
VISITING VELA STINIVA
VISITING BEACH SOLINE 
VISITING BEACH KAMENJARA
That would be all for today. As always, thank you for reading and commenting. Take care!


Comments

  1. Mica31 May 2020 at 04:08

    Your vest looks lovely and so does the island - it's great you get to live somewhere you enjoyed as a kid!

    Hope you are having a great weekend :) We celebrated our wedding anniversary yesterday, just at home with takeaway but it was nice :)

    Away From Blue

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marisa Cavaleiro31 May 2020 at 08:21

    Hello Ivana
    Yes, I think you can call yourself a local travel blogger ahah !!
    And you do this job very well done !! The bays are beautiful and I love these houses so close to the sea !!
    I loved your vest and the way you style it !!
    xoxo

    marisasclosetblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ivana Split31 May 2020 at 12:22

    hvala Alek

    ReplyDelete
  4. Antonella31 May 2020 at 12:40

    very beautiful pic <3

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kezzie31 May 2020 at 16:46

    Ah, what beautiful bays!!! They look so serene and I am glad to hear of positive improvements with the olive trees! I think we can be travel bloggers without going anywhere - being experts, like you are, at places we know well!
    Your outfit is beautiful- it reminds me of Sarah's outfit from Labyrinth with that amazing shirt and waistcoat!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jodie's Touch of Style31 May 2020 at 17:55

    These are so wonderful Ivana. Just think of having one of those houses right near the water like that. Yet you can go enjoy it just as easily since you are on the island.
    XOOX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sabine Gimm1 June 2020 at 01:46

    So lovely pics from you and a wonderful place.

    xoxo Sabine

    ReplyDelete
  8. Evi Erlinda1 June 2020 at 02:37

    What a wonderful island, Rapak Bay must be more beautiful, even it looks different than before.

    I like your style with a nice vest.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Silvia Negretti1 June 2020 at 08:21

    wow, in che post incantevoli vivi, Ivana!!!! beata teeee!!!!
    Questa sembra un'isola stupenda, guarda che mare azzurro!!!
    Sono sicura che quest'estate questi posti meravigliosi te li godrai ancora di più!
    Delizioso il tuo look, qualla blusa mi piace moltissimo, sei carisnissima!
    Baci!
    S
    https://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rowena @ rolala loves1 June 2020 at 09:19

    What a lovely place to based. I feel it's almost more interesting to get your view of these places as a local because you have insight that a tourist might not necessarily have. Thanks for showing us around these gorgeous vistas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split6 June 2020 at 13:15

      Thank you Rowena. I'm glad you liked them. These bays are really all unique and special in their own way.

      Delete
  11. Polyester Princess1 June 2020 at 10:50

    Your local travel posts are a breath of fresh air in these times when we cannot travel. These Southern Gdinj bays are once again utterly, captivatingly beautiful. I'm loving your quirky travel outfit too, especially that magnificent vest! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Epsita1 June 2020 at 11:30

    Wow! The place looks absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful view. Thank you for sharing, Ivana! And I love the vest with flowers; it goes so well with the landscape.

    You have a lovely week ahead!
    Hugs,
    Epsita | https://www.thepositivewindow.com/

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sheila1 June 2020 at 11:54

    I love the name "Local Travel Blogger" - it's so appropriate! This is such a gorgeous part of the world, that before I met you, Ivana, I had no idea even existed. I love the red roofs on the houses. So beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split6 June 2020 at 13:17

      thank you. I love the red roofs to, they're such an signature Croatian coastline thing.

      Delete
  14. Vix1 June 2020 at 22:59

    I love the pirate-y vibe going on with your outfit, Ivana! Such a beautiful part of the world. x

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ananka2 June 2020 at 06:39

    Wow it sure does look wonderful and amazing scenes and views :-D

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jointy&Croissanty2 June 2020 at 11:54

    Stunningly beautiful places and views! Also love your vest, you look really lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Pablo Parra (Fungi)7 June 2020 at 04:13

    Hey dear Ivana, thank you for showing us a little bit more of Hvar Zone, I googled this area and it looks fantastic, wouldn't mind to spend a summer there and enjoy these views!

    It seems that the possibilities to discover in this island are endless!

    PS: I loved that vest, and how you styled with the lilac socks, I have the same pair!

    Pablo
    www.heyfungi.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Miss Val's Creations7 June 2020 at 08:32

    These bays look like wonderful places to visit for a time out from stressful life. The homes are full of charm. Cute prop with the wildflowers!

    ReplyDelete
  19. The Exclusive Beauty Diary10 June 2020 at 05:21

    Predivno mjesto, izgleda kao raj na zemlji, posebno tvoje fotografije mora. Svaki put me oduševi ljepota Jadranskog mora. Hvala ti što je dijeliš s nama.

    New Post - https://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2020/06/dior-backstage-custom-eye-palette-001.html

    ReplyDelete
  20. akiko hiramatsu10 June 2020 at 21:43

    Both bays are the most beautiful in travel guid I have ever seen!
    The big tree in front of the beach of Tvrdni dolac is amazing, and you are so beautiful with the lovely bouquet at great Rapac beach :)
    I love those lavender socks and the vest with flower prints (or applique?) !!

    akiko

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

Popular posts from this blog

THE ISLAND OF THE MISSING TREES BY ELIF SHAFAK (BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION)

Image
Today I shall review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. I was actually gifted this book. What a wonderful present it proved to be! Published in 2021, this postmodern  novel  follows two  story lines and uses framed narration.  The Island of Missing Trees  tells the life story of a Greek Turkish couple and their adolescent daughter.  This novel examines and explores a number of topics such as identity, migration, immigrant life, war trauma, memory, love and family. It's an ambitious novel that examines serious topics with due respect and sensitivity . I read it months ago, but I remember it vividly. Honestly, I cried a lot while reading this novel. It really moved me greatly. In fact, that is probably why it took me this long to finish this book review. I needed to emotionally process the story.   The Island of Missing Trees is   set in London and Cyprus. The narration isn't chronological .  The story jumps back and forth, following two main timelines, one set in moder
Read more

SUPPORTING LOCAL DESIGNERS IN MOSTAR: TRANSITIONAL AUTUMN STYLING WITH OZZ BRAND

Image
Hello readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll share two transitional outfits featuring a lilac skirt from fashion designer Stanka Zovko. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably seen this skirt before. Afterall, I'm really good at shopping my closet. I've been wearing this lilac skirt a lot in the past few months. It's also a great piece for transitional weather because it can be easily layered, or dressed up and down.  Supporting local designers and artisans is certainly something that pays off in the long run. If you want to own unique pieces and at the same time, support your local community, you should really explore shopping local, or commissioning local artisans and designers.  Sustainability in fashion is a big topic nowadays! However, sometimes I feel like people make it more complicated than it really is. We should go back to our origins. Explore vintage, second hand and local shopping. Learn how to stay away from the big shoppin
Read more

FORGIVENESS DAY BY URSULA K. LE GUIN (BOOK REVIEW AND AN AUTUMN STYLING)

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you today? I'm back with another Ursula K. Le Guin book review. In this post, I'll review " Forgiveness Day" , a science fiction novella that is a part of the Hainish Circle. Published in 1995, "Forgiveness Day " won multiple awards. This novella is often published together with her other novellas from the Hainish Circle, and it can be find in various editions of Four Ways to Forgiveness and Five Ways to Forgiveness.   Thematically, this novella is a part of five stories featuring two Hainish planets, but it can definitely be read on its own. I think it functions well as a stand alone novella. I listened to it in audio form, and I didn't have any problems following the story.  The world building is simple and effective. The author fills us in about the history of the two planets as the story enfolds. For such a short work of prose, this novella is really impressive in that it manages to explore the theme o
Read more

MALTA HIKING TALES (PART FIVE) GHAJN TUFFIEFA AND QUARABBA BAY

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I'm back with another Malta themed post. Recently I posted a painting inspired by Malta. As some of you might remember, I visited Malta a few years ago, but I only blogged about it last April, when I published a series of post on Malta. My series about Malta isn't finished, though. In fact, today we're going to continue it. Considering my stay on Malta was two weeks long, it deserves more than a couple of posts. There is a lot to see and do on Malta. It's a small island, but one that's filled with so much life and beauty. Although Malta faces some problems caused by fast tourism, it remains an unique and magical island.  In this post, I'll take you to the bays I visited while hiking on Malta. One of them (Ghajn Tuffieha Bay) is the one I painted. You can visit that post by clicking on the link below: TRAVEL WITH MY ART #43, GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY, MALTA LET'S START WITH THE GOLDEN BAY We actually didn't go all the way
Read more

FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY WATERCOLOUR: LONG DRESSES AND DE PROFUNDIS QUOTES!

Image
 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! It's almost ten. I've had a long week and I'm quite tired and sleepy. However, I'll try to wrap this post up for you tonight. What kind of post? Well, a post about art. Fashion art to be more precise.  I've been on a roll lately with my art posts. After a period of not posting my art at all, due to a variety of reasons, I started posting my art in every post. I got back to my destination art series, and now it's time for another post in my fashion art series. Friday Fashion Illustration  is somewhat of a regular feature on my blog. Today I'll share two watercolour pencil fashion illustrations of mine. I sketched both of them this Summer in my A3 mixed media sketchbook. I sketched the long yellow dress first, and then the blue and read one. The medium for both of them is watercolour pencils on paper, the same brand I always use. I find watercolour pencils to be quite practical, especially for sketching. I often use the
Read more

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER, A SHORT STORY BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! Welcome November! We'll welcome this new month with a blog review. In this post, I'll share my review for Maugham's short story titled T he Ant and the Grasshopper . This post will also be  a reading recommendation because I enjoyed this story a great deal. I've been reading Maugham's The Complete Short Stories for some time now. I've been taking my time with this collection, but I enjoyed it a lot. When I finish this book in its entirely, I'll share a review for all of his stories. Until then, I'll keep posting individual reviews of stories I liked the most. If you want to read Maugham yourself, you can find his collected works online (among other places  on project Gutenberg ) and read them for free.  W. Somerset Maugham is a writer whose subtle use of humour is delightful, but sometimes it's easy to miss it just because it's so subtle. He's wonderful at mixing the harsh realities of life with clever
Read more