Hvar town on Hvar has something special. In the night, it’s full of life – pumping music from the bars around the harbour’s edge, megayachts parked up right outside. Carpe Diem and BB (Bad Boys? Big Boobs? you get the idea of the sort of place) are where most of the action is for drinking and dancing. If you follow the path around past what looks like the end of the harbour you’ll find some great restaurants where you can get fantastic lobster and fish.

But for me, Hvar is at its most beautiful in the daytime. The Suncani Hvar Amfora hotel, 5 minutes walk around the corner from the harbour, is a great place to stay – away from the nightlife and the view is superb. From here, take a walk around the bay past little stalls selling lavender and jewellery and local art, to the main square and then up up up the street called Kroz Grodu, past some lovely little boutiquey shops (Tanja Curin etc) and onto the path leading up to the Spanjola fortress. It’s a beautiful walk with agaves, olive trees, cacti, and an incredible view from the top.

During the daytime, pick up one of the boats (from outside BB) that shuttle back and for to Palmizana (60HRK per person return). Palmizana is one of those places which somehow has a hippy, laid back vibe whilst (at Meneghello at least) still serving top class food and wine. Hang out on the rocks tanning or in Laganini beach bar, and swim in the clear blue water, taking care to avoid the sea urchins.

If you don’t want to go far from your hotel, head to Bonj les bains, where you can get loungers on the seafront and order fantastic steak tartare and club sandwiches and mohitos to be delivered to your side, and have a snooze or waddle to the edge and down the ladder for a swim.

The Ultra music festival just had it’s inaugural event at the Amfora (the first 2 nights of the festival were held in Split) and is due to feature every summer. Worth going to if you like house music and a chilled, friendly, extremely international beach party vibe. See the pictures here.