Hotels near St. Stephen's Square (Pjaca)

St. Stephen's Square, known locally as Pjaca, is one of the largest old town squares in Dalmatia at 4,500 square metres, and the social heart of Hvar Town. Paved in the same pale Brac marble that lines most of Hvar's lanes, it slopes gently down toward the harbour, framed by the 16th-century Arsenal at one end and the cathedral bell tower at the other.

The square hosts everything from morning espresso at the historic cafes to summer concerts at the Hvar Theatre, one of the oldest public theatres in Europe, opened in 1612 above the Arsenal building. Stop for a coffee on the marble steps, watch yachts come and go, and use the square as the natural starting point for exploring the surrounding lanes.

Pro Tip: Visit at 7am to see the square scrubbed clean and entirely empty; locals call it Pjaca at first light and it's a photographer's dream. Return after 11pm in summer for the buzz of post-dinner strolling.