Hvar is the most "fashionable" of the islands to the south of Split and a favourite watering hole for yachties and celebrities. It is undeniable that Hvar, whose steep narrow lanes are lined in old palaces and stone houses and well stocked in elegantly furbished bars and restaurants, is something of a holidaymaker's paradise. The rest of the island is entirely different and much quieter: quaint fishing ports, sleepy villages, fields of lavender and exceptional vineyards.