New affordable solution for your Hvar summer vacation

In the upcoming season of 2011 Sunčani Hvar Hotels will have additional accommodation capacity available for rent. Dalmacija annex is a cute B&B perfectly located as an extension of hotel Dalmacija, the annex is an ideal solution for younger travellers looking for charming, comfortable yet simple and affordable accommodation while on their Croatian summer adventure.
Hotel Dalmacija annex is located on the waterfront promenade in a small bay just around the corner from the main harbour, opposite from Hvar’s famous landmark – The Franciscan monastery. The hotel annex has 37 rooms, all of which feature sea views of Paklinski islands archipelago. All rooms have open air loggias, external phone lines and simple furnishing.
The centre of the town is only a 2-minutes walk by the sea, where you can find all necessities for a perfect Hvar vacation: taxi boats to Paklinski islands beaches, sights, restaurants, bars and shops. If you are looking for an affordable place, perfectly located at the beach and 5-10 minutes away from all Hvar's premiere bars and restaurants, Dalmacija annex is just the right choice.

Find out more information on our web site www.suncanihvar.com
Book your perfect Hvar vacation now!
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Hvar's culture and heritage under UNESCO's protection

Need more reasons to visit Hvar? Want more that cristal clear sea, picturesque nature and busy night life? You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that UNESCO has protected 3 wonders of Hvar's rich culture and tradition.


Benedictine nuns aloe lace

Lacemaking in Hvar
Aloe lace is made in Croatia only by Benedictine nuns in the town of Hvar. Thin, white threads are obtained from the core of fresh aloe leaves and woven into a net or other pattern on a cardboard background. The resulting pieces are a symbol of Hvar. View video


Procession in Hvar

Procession Za križen
After mass on Maundy Thursday before the Christian holiday of Easter, each of six villages on the island of Hvar sends out a group that will proceed through the other villages in a circle, covering twenty-five kilometers in eight hours before returning home. Each party in this community-organized Za Krizen (‘following the cross’) procession is led by a cross-bearer. A long-established and inalienable part of Hvar religious and cultural identity, the procession connects the communities of the island to each other and to the world Catholic community.

Lacemaking in Hvar and Procession Za križen have been inscribed on UNESCO Representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. For more information, please visit: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011&RL=00245 and http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011&RL=00242.


Stari Grad plain

Stari Grad Plain
One of the remains of Hvar history is Stari Grad Plain, one of UNESCO World Heritage sites. This is a cultural landscape that has remained practically intact since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks from Paros in the 4th century BC. The original agricultural activity of this fertile plain, mainly centering on grapes and olives, has been maintained since Greek times to the present. The site is also a natural reserve. The landscape features ancient stone walls and trims, or small stone shelters, and bears testimony to the ancient geometrical system of land division used by the ancient Greeks, the chora which has remained virtually intact over 24 centuries. For more information on this site, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1240.

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It's never too early to book an amazing Mediterranean vacation!

It's never too early to book an amazing Mediterranean vacation on one of the most beautiful islands in the world! Book your stay at any of Sunčani Hvar hotels until April 30th and save 15%!
Apart from saving 15%, the great thing is that you can choose from a variety of hotels, from budget to the upscale properties within the group. The choice is all yours.

Here are some brief guidelines that might help you in choosing the right hotel:
You are hip, trendy, energetic, open-minded! You are looking for an excitement, party, night-life… The hotel you are looking for is in the very centre of the town, has an original design,and is a bit provocative! Want to stay at Kevin Spacey’s suite? Riva hvar yacht harbour hotel is the answer. Interested? Find out more and book now!

Travelling with your family? Have kids who would love to enjoy a great pool? Or you simply enjoy resorts where you can have it all in one place and still be within 10 minutes walking distance from the town centre. Think no more. Amfora hvar grand beach resort – nothing compares! Find out more and book your stay.

Looking for a hot spot to spend an amazing vacation with a partner or a friend and simply want to be thoroughly pampered. A general fantasy is a massage to start the day and a martini at the Top to finish it. The details can be worked out. Grand holiday it is. Welcome to the scented spa oasis. Adriana, hvar spa hotel. Simply irresistible.

Grand dame Palace with its premiere location, amazing terrace and charm of old times. From the Adriatic ambiance to the ancient architecture on down to the live bands everything at The Palace is classic . Sounds romantic? Check it out here.

Budget options are numerous. Pharos, Delfin, or perhaps Sirena? Well, let’s cut it short.
Sunčani Hvar has it all. To help you make the right choice contact us at +385 750 750 and visit our web site www.suncanihvar.com.

The islander of today

What is your idea of a typical islander? Are people who live on an island in any way different?
There is a stereotype of an islander that is most often connected to images of a fisherman, or a peculiar peasant with a beard and singing folk songs somewhere in the field surrounded by goats or seagulls, tired of hard life and solitude… Perhaps you will be disappointed to learn that this is hardly the description of a typical inhabitant of the island of Hvar.
Of course you will still be able to find a lot of fishermen on the island and most people living here are still very much connected to the sea in one way or another. But the image of an islander is not the one of a contemporary Robinson Crusoe, isolated from modern technology, and 'normal' social activities.
However, islands in Croatia are still in a way exotic oasis of untouched nature, peaceful and safe, magnificent and charming pieces of paradise, with hospitable locals welcoming guest from all over the world. This is in summer time, of course, when Croatian islands become hideaways for so many tourists from all parts of the globe.
However, many people wonder is there any life on the island when summer is over? How does the winter look like on the island and is there any life there after all?
A true island spirit awakes in winter time. Without much influence of the outside world, the island becomes a world for itself, distant and mysterious, quite yet romantic. Locals who live there all year round have mastered an art of living in harmony with nature and in peace with themselves and each other.
Winter on the island is a challenge for anyone not being used to it. Without stress, traffic, crowds and noise, there is a whole new dimension of life opening up in front of us and it is not always easy to confront it. Islanders have their winter rituals. Blessed with lots of sunny days, locals spend o a lot of time outside: working in the fields, fishing, or simply drinking coffee which is almost a sacred social ritual. The expression ‘pomalo’ which could be interpreted as ‘take it easy’, reflects the whole philosophy of living on the island.
Islanders cherish the benefits of the island life. They speak local dialect (slightly different in every single village and small town) and have great respect towards the rich cultural heritage and tradition. The way of living on the island today is a perfect mixture of traditional values and benefits of modern civilization.
Face to face human interaction, family, friendship and intimacy are values which may become old-fashioned these days, but not on this island. This is why so many people from all over the world in their quest for inner peace and happiness fell in love with Hvar, and some of them even decided to build a whole new life here.
Although ‘no man is an island’, there is an island in every one of us….the sole peace of ‘paradise’, reminding us of where home is and where we really belong to.

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Christmas time on Hvar

Traditional cake - Pašurate [image source]

It is not likely that you will have a 'white' Christmas on our sunny island, but if you are looking for an authentic experience of Hvar's glorious tradition, it's a perfect time of the year to visit us. What is special about Christmas on Hvar? Home made cakes, family gatherings, singing Charismas songs, visiting old churches and decorating the Christmas tree do not make us so much different from any other part of Croatia or elsewhere in the Christian world, but what local people still cherish with great pride and grace is a spirit of old times and tradition which come alive year after year at Christmas time. The time seems to stop for a while just to remind us of the real values of life. By coming home for Christmas, we come back for what we left behind – for the spirit of family, spirituality, tradition, friends, all the tastes and sounds that remind us of our childhood and make us feel peaceful and happy.
The day before Christmas is called “Badnjak” or “Bodnji don”, if you are a Hvar native. By tradition this is the day when we decorate a Christmas tree. Most attention is paid to the Nativity scene which exhibit, below the Christmas tree, figures representing the infant Jesus, his mother Mary, and Mary's husband, Joseph. Usually nativity scenes include other characters from the Biblical story such as shepherds and angels. The figures are usually displayed in a stable, or cave and around it.
Hvar women are traditionally engaged in making traditional cakes called pašurate (look and taste like mini donuts). Bakalar (codfish) or any other fish is served for lunch, and the whole family starts to get ready for “Ponoćka”, the midnight Mass, celebrating the birth of Jesus. Singing traditional Christmas songs a capela, by amateur church choirs composed of men, women and children of all generations, greatly enrich the distinctively festive mood of “Ponoćka”.
Christmas itself is a family day. Gifts are exchanges together with the best wishes on Christmas (Sretan Božić = Merry Christmas). After the morning Mass, everyone gathers round the table to enjoy the rich Christmas menu. Meat dishes are served at this occasion after which a whole spectrum of home made cakes follows. It is common to spend the Christmas day at home with family in festive yet intimate atmosphere.
Since it is time of giving, let us share with you a recipe of a traditional Hvar cake called Pašurate. It is very simple but delicious. Hope you will enjoy it.
¼ boiling water
salt
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 tea cup of rough flour
yeast
1 egg
Lemon peel
Orange peel
A little bit of fresh orange juice
Vanilla sugar
raisins
Cinnamon
2 teaspoons of rum
2 teaspoons of grappa
A bit of fine flour
Leave it to raise
Use a teaspoon to shape it and they fry in boiling oil

Merry Christmas! Sretan Božić!

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The Total Package – New Year's Eve in Hvar

Excited for New Year's? We are! Look at the pretty stars...

New Year's Eve is just around the corner - how will you be ringing in 2011?

It’s traditionally a time to spend with family and loved ones. Why not break from the ordinary and take the celebrations elsewhere this year? Travel to sunny Hvar and considering staying at Suncani Hvar’s Adriana Hotel this year for New Year’s Eve – we’ll have everything prepared for you.

Be Pampered and Relax

Suncani Hvar Hotels invites you for a New Year's celebration at Adriana, hvar spa hotel! For only 198 euros per room, this special New Year's offer includes:

 2 Nights / 3 days deluxe accommodation
 Welcome Drink
 Daily breakfast buffet
 Sensori glow steam treatment at the luxurious Sensori Spa

In addition to these amazing extras, you can enjoy our year-round rooftop seawater swimming pool and multi-level garden terraces with stunning views over the sea and marina. It's definitely time to spoil yourself with this package and ring in the new year in luxurious style!

Get ready to dress up for the New Year's Eve Gala Dinner

Don't fret on not knowing what to do in a foreign city waiting for the clock to strike 12. It's time to party at Hvar's hot spot, The Top Bar, which overlooks the yacht harbour. It features the latest domestic and foreign hits and you can enjoy a New Year's Eve meal specially prepared by the chef and his team at the Val Marina restaurant. It’s only 70 euros per person to enjoy the delicious New Year's Eve buffet dinner.

Some of the menu items include (we are already drooling): Dalmatian smoked ham with marinated goat cheese on a bed of rocket salad, Seppia risotto, Turkey medallions with mushroom sauce, Black Forest Cake, and much, much more.

Suncani Hvar Hotels New Year's Gift to You

We invite you to be our guests and experience a complimentary, yes complimentary sailing tour! Sail around the Hvar aquatorium in old wooden sailing boats with authentic lateen sails. Ring in the New Year by the seas.

Now this is definitely something to tweet about. Need more information? Don't hesitate to write on our Facebook wall and find us on Twitter!

For more information and reservations please contact us at reservations@suncanihvar.com or call +385 (0)21 750750.

Have a very Merry Hvar Christmas!

Lit Up for Christmas

Christmas isn't Christmas without some holiday shopping. It can be stressful with the packed shopping centres, endless choices, and overly eager sales people. So why not make it easier for yourself and embrace the gift challenge with some smart choices this year?

Discover Suncani Hvar gift certificates. They are the perfect present because anyone – your sister or your mother who likes to be pampered, your brother-in-law who is all about food – can use it towards pretty much anything Suncani Hvar Hotels offer. Gift certificates can be used in the following ways:

 Guest room reservations
 Sensori spa treatments at hotel Adriana
 Dining at one of Suncani Hvar Hotels restaurants
 Additional services provided by Suncani Hvar Hotels

To purchase a gift certificate, email reservations@suncanihvar.com or visit our website for more information

Been good this year and want to get something special for yourself? Leave behind the snow and come into Hvar for restful and relaxing holiday. Consider putting the 2 night spa package at our hotel Adriana in your own stocking this year. The package includes 2 nights with breakfast in the superior room, welcome drink, 2 dinners in the Val Marina Restaurant, usage of Adriana's swimming pool and fitness room, and a relaxing spa treatment of your choice. You can also get a FREE upgrade subject to availability.

To find out more about the 2 night spa package, visit our website!

What is the perfect holiday vacation for you? We'd love to find out – write on our Facebook wall or tweet us with your answer!