For decades Ibiza has been a magnet for tourists. Whether it’s party-goers looking for the hottest nightclub or sun worshippers seeking out hidden beaches, this Spanish island is often at the top of people’s travel bucket lists. But its popularity means large crowds of visitors and in recent months this has caused tension among locals.
Anti-tourism protests were held on the island earlier this summer, along with linked demonstrations on the neighbouring Balearic islands of Majorca and Menorca. Those seeking an alternative to Ibiza have turned elsewhere and one island in Croatia has garnered a reputation for being the ‘new Ibiza’. Hvar, a stretch of land in the Adriatic sea off the coast of Split, has fast become the go-to destination for travellers seeking a party holiday.
READ MORE: The ‘overlooked’ beach near Greater Manchester to escape the crowds this summer Hvar is a short ferry ride from Split, which you can fly to directly from Manchester Airport with one way tickets starting from just over £100, and returns available for a similar price. Naturally summer is the height of the tourist season, but with temperatures reaching pleasant highs of 26C in September, it's the perfect location for a late summer getaway. Hvar can be reached by ferry from Split in mainland Croatia (Image: Getty Images) One of Hvar’s most famous beach clubs is Carpe Diem, which is actually located on its own island a short boat ride away.
A beachfront bar and restaurant during the day, it transforms into a nightclub in the evening. A visitor on TripAdvisor wrote: “We’ve been to Ibiza, Mykonos and now Carpe Diem Beach Club..
.my expectations were met and then some! Vibe, check. Beach, check.
” TikTok travel account Simply Katie included Carpe Diem in her video about Hvar, which has amassed 59.8k views on the social media site. She called Hvar “the most underrated picture perfect island in Europe” and the club Carpe Diem as “literally insane” with “the whole island turning into a party”.
Another top party spot is Hula Hula Hvar, a beach bar which is an excellent spot to watch the sunset from. As well as its lively nightlife, the island is also known for its incredible beaches (Image: Getty Images) But, just like Ibiza isn’t all about the nightlife, there’s more to Hvar than bars and clubs. Hvar is known for being Croatia’s sunniest island, with over 2700 hours of sunshine a year.
Going hand in hand with all this sunshine are the islands incredible beaches, which include Mlini, Pokonji Dol and Mekicevica, all boasting stunning scenery. Away from the main ports on the island, Stiniva Beach is a tiny undeveloped cove that’s tricky to get to, but worth it for the scenery. One visitor described it as a ‘beautiful hidden beach’ on TripAdvisor, while another said: “It was probably the best cove/beach we will ever visit.
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