Town of Sućuraj

Sućuraj sits at the very eastern tip of Hvar, 77 kilometres by road from Hvar Town and just five kilometres from the mainland. Most people arrive by ferry from Drvenik on the Makarska riviera, which is just a 25-minute crossing. Then most of them keep driving west. We've always thought that was the wrong call.

Sućuraj has been here for around 2300 years. The Illyrians were the first known inhabitants, and Queen Teuta, ruler of the Illyrian kingdom in the 3rd century BC, even had a residence on this very cape.

The name itself tells its story. Sućuraj is a contraction of Sveti Juraj, or Saint George, and the church dedicated to him was already old enough to be mentioned in the Hvar statute of 1331. The oldest structure still standing is the Augustinian monastery, with foundations dating to the 9th century. 

In 1613, during the Venetian-Ottoman wars, Venice built the Fortica fortress to guard what was then a frontier where three territories met: the Venetian Republic, the Ottoman Empire and the Dubrovnik Republic. The baroque Church of St. Anthony followed in 1663, and the lighthouse, which is still operating, was built in 1889.

The eastern end of Hvar is quieter than the rest of the island. And Sućuraj is probably the quietest part of that. The town's population numbers under 500. There are restaurants, a post office, a grocery shop, an ATM and everything needed for a comfortable stay, without the crowds that define the western end of Hvar in summer.

Sućuraj's coastline runs along both the north and south sides of the island, which gives it a practical advantage: when the south wind brings waves to the southern beaches, the northern coves are calm — and vice versa. You’ll find over 25 kilometres of coastline in total, with sandy, pebble and rocky beaches in almost equal measure. 

The main beaches are Česminica on the south side and Bilina to the north, along with the sandy bay of Mlaska, 3.5 kilometres from the town centre. It is one of the few genuinely sandy beaches on the island and is ideal for families. The bay of Mrtinovik, a protected cove just outside town, has no neighbouring houses and no promenade. Our Villa Gambo Bay can be found here, too. You also don’t want to miss the spectacular bays of Perna, Prapatna and Židigovo.

Sućuraj is not meant to pass through. The fishing is good, the bays are largely uncrowded and the views from the eastern cape towards Biokovo, Pelješac and the islands of Brač and Korčula are some of the longest on the Adriatic.

The Vujnović winery, producing wines including Prč and Ivan Dolac Barrique, and operating from a 15th-century house near Fortica, is among the most respected on this part of the island. For those who prefer to explore by land, there are more than 40 kilometres of cycling, running and hiking trails across the cape. The water here is just as well used: diving and fishing are both serious pursuits in Sućuraj, with a large stretch of Adriatic to work with.

Evenings tend to centre around the waterfront cafes. Several times each summer, the town organises fishermen's nights and the Tam Tam Music Festival brings alternative rock and electronic music for those who find their way here for it. Occasional exhibitions and concerts also fill out the warmer months.

The fastest approach to Sućuraj from Dubrovnik or the southern Dalmatian coast is the Drvenik–Sućuraj ferry, which runs up to 17 times daily in the high season. From Split, the ferry from Stari Grad is the more common route, though Sućuraj is the better entry point for anyone coming from the south. Day trips from Sućuraj to Korčula, the Pelješac wine region, Makarska and Split are all straightforward.

For guests who know what they want from Hvar and don't need to be reminded of it constantly, Sućuraj is exactly the right place to be.