Are there any activities for children away from the beach?!
For most families, the number one destination on holiday on Hvar is the beach, but are there any Hvar activities for children away from the beach?
There is a surprising diversity of activities for kids on Hvar, with various special events and concerts put on during the summer season, including a sailing school for children in Stari Grad for example.
Two of the best and most popular, especially with parents, are Atelier Marinka and Agroturizam Pharos in the central part of the island.
Slovenian artist Marinka has regular art workshops at her delightful rambling stone home at the back of the artistic village of Dol, Saturday morning (and other days by appointment) is children's morning, and Marinka takes in kids of all ages, languages and abilities to offer them a creative escape in a delightful natural setting, while parents are free to escape to a coastal cafe for a few hours and enjoy a little quality time without the children.
Activities include drawing, painting, mosaics and t-shirt painting, while the friendly cats and dog and expansive gardens provide additional entertainment for kids not wanting to concentrate solely on art.
To reach Marinka, enter the village of Dol from Stari Grad side and head to the only bar in the village, an orange edifice called Trocadero. From there, follow the signs for 'Atelier' and Marinka is the last house at the end of the path. A suggestion for parents - do spend a little time wandering around the gardens and the art gallery with works by Marinka and her late husband Marin - two real treasures.
For child fun of a different kind, head to Agroturizam Pharos in the UNESCO-protected Stari Grad Plain, on the old road just outside Stari Grad (turn left at the three white sticks on the roadside).
While parents relax with an organic tasting of cheese, olives, hams, sausage and delicious homemade wine, surrounded by a natural paradise virtually unchanged since the arrival of the Ancient Greeks 2400 years ago, watch the children in the distance playing with an assortment of animals on the farm - pigs, chickens, goats, cows, horses, Vietnamese pigs, geese and goats. A great day out for all the family.
*Author - Paul Bradbury
*Marinka Atelier Photo Credit - Marinka's Private Collection
*Agroturizam Pharos Photo Credit - Rafael Janic Photography
