10 Hvar Facts That Blew My Mind When I Bought a House in Croatia 

You are welcome. Hvar has given me so much, and it is a pleasure to write about it.

Time to persuade the rest of the family to come back.

I am in Melbourne but have a little family shack in Selca kod Bogomolja. Ive missed the past few years due to Covid etc. Cant wait to get back and ensure it is an annual event.

Yes, agree, but for that to happen, it takes Croats to stay or diaspora to return. Complaining that all Croats are leaving with complaining that foreigners should not be allowed to move to Croatia is a little strange to me, especially in this era of remote work. Even more so when the opportunity to bring change (elections) perpetuates the status quo.

@@PaulBradbury I think it’s fine for people to come here just saying that I hope Croatia stays looking and feeling like Croatia 🇭🇷 I like Great Britain, amazing country and British people 🇬🇧 I just wish I could’ve visit it way before world changed..

He's kinda replacing Croatians, in a way, too?

Come on! People migration is happening all the time...since 1. century to present! Ppl always looking places for better life. If we dont do that way, we will never improve the life standard. Everyone has ambitions to do something in your life. My great-grandfather worked between 1905-1912 in coal mine near Pittsburgh. 1912, he decided to go back to Croatia, and he was on Karpatia ship when Titanic ship sank. Barely survive that, but he maked to survive. Austro-Hungarians push Croatians to go in war and he ended up in Russia very shortly as POW. HE makes survive again, and he go again to US. Money he earning he send to my great-grandmother and she buy lots of land. I moved to Canada since 2013,and I can't complain 🇨🇦. I meet people here with all caind of reasons to move somewhere.

@@ghkk9941 It’s great! All the Christians and Catholics are welcome to come! God bless 🌟🙌🏻

Very true

True story

Thank you! But is is easy to communicate well when the topic is so amazing. Cheers Paul

Thanks - we will have some videos from Brac as well if you want to subscribe to the channel

Haha you are very kind. Many would not agree

Easy to present such a beautiful place

You are welcome. It has been my happy home for 20 years. A wonderful country despite its many flaws.

Thank you. I thought eating puh was a bit strange, but they are tasty and you can find them in some restaurants, but you need to order 2 days in advance. Me and Mrs Jones in Jelsa is one place.

@@PaulBradbury Ne bi ih probala,hvala.Meni su preslatke životinjice,neka žive.Imamo još hvala Bogu dosta za jesti.Iako znam da se puhovi love za mast praviti .To je jako dobro za opekotine i rane .Sretan Božić dobri ljudi .

Glad you enjoyed - lots more videos coming if you want to subscribe to the channel

haha, thanks but there are many who would disagree, including the Croatian National Tourist Board who are suing me twice. Cro is a great country with so much to discover.

@@PaulBradbury that only means you're doing the right thing ;)

Thanks and totally agree with you. There is something so special about this part of the world.

@@PaulBradbury You are welcome

Thank you very much!

Tx! Lots more coming if you want to subscribe

haha, thanks - good choice in Komiza, lovely place

Thank you. Beautiful descriptions are easy when you have a beautiful topic.

Haha tx. Lots more coming if u want to subscribe

I have been many times and agree with you - Istria is beautiful

Most welcome

@@PaulBradbury jos ako budeš igra na balote i ako te nauče briškulu i trešetu , onda si domaći a i psovat moras naučit to je najbitnije :-)

Haha that is the first time I have been told I look like a Croat (or that I am an emotional character).

​@PaulBradbury I don't like this mali pakovic He is annoying 🙄 look like zaba😂

The night skies of Hvar truly are magnificent.

I can't imagine a better place to start life

Haha thanks - it is an amazing island beyond the beach

Now visit the village of Veli Grablje, especially during the lavender festival

@@PaulBradbury oooh I just Google that.. July I will be there 🙏🏻I love lavender 💜

Interesting - where exactly?

Glad you enjoyed it - lots more to come if you want to subscribe. Next up, 10 things which will amaze about Sibenik.

Paradise on Earth

It is an amazing island.

It really is

Haha brilliant - that tunnel has so much potential for out of the box thinking - I love it.

@@PaulBradbury yeah so true! But did you know that on Pelješac there is another similar tunnel (Tunnel Dingač) that connects north and south, built the same time and way, a bit shorter (2/3 of the length and only 1 widening)? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dAEx7OrGk44.html

@@z000ey cool thanks. No, I didn't know about it - will check it out next time I am on Peljesac in Spring.

Be careful. I came for a weekend and stayed for 13 years...

@@PaulBradbury I know ☺️ we are living in England and planning to move to a place with better weather. Any advice is welcome 😉☀️🌙🌟

They are both incredible places. As I get older, Korcula grabs my attention more and more, especially the town of Korcula - they are doing everything right in terms of attracting quality tourism.

@@PaulBradbury I adore Korčula and the town of Korčula 🤩🥰

And if I am not mistaken, the first place on Dalmatian islands to have 2 whorehouses back in the 1900s

@@PaulBradbury i didn't know that one!

I am aware of Villa Angelina and have visited. Can you explain what was the organised tourism aspect, as opposed to having a property for tourism rental? Am curious.

You're welcome!

Thanks. Yes, I see looking into it that there seem to be quite a few clubs with a claim to be the oldest. Which one in your opinion? Yugoslav Football Fed was founded long afte Hajduk though, no? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_in_Croatia#Earliest_clubs_in_Croatia

@@PaulBradbury well, all of those founded earlier are older. OK, most of them were disbanded in 1945., which is a problem since it was done forcefully by a totalitarian regime, but regardless of that, Hajduk is not the oldest club in a sense that other cities like Zagreb have an older footballing tradition. You used Hajduk as a benchmark for being an old club in the video, which is relevant for Dalmatia, but not for the rest of Croatia.

Hajduk had been founded in 1911 by Croatian students in Prague. You are correct. If there is an older football club in Croatia, which one would that be and from what year? I'd really like to know because I always asumed Hajduk Split was the oldest one.

Sorry guys, but: Najdugovječniji hrvatski klub je Segesta (Sisak) koja je osnovana 1896. i danas ima 112 godina.

@@r1pcurl24 U tom slučaju sve čestitke Sisku! 🏆👍🙂

Thank you! Cheers!

Haha. The story of the regeneration of Velo Grablje is REALLY cool

I was living in Somaliland in 2002 and had just sold my house in the UK and was looking for a home in Europe close to the water. There was an advert on CNN, Croatia, the Mediterranean as It Once Was, and I immediately decided to buy in Croatia. I met a friend in Sarajevo who made a list of 10 top places and asked me to choose which one was nicest and she would help me buy a house there. I chose number 6, Hvar, the first time I had heard of it. Best decision ever.

@@PaulBradbury that's an impressive portfolio of countries. Plenkovic, the tunnel vinary you mentioned, is related to our family. And I'd agree you've made a good choice, assuming you are accustomed by now to rougher sounding Hvar natives ; )

​@@PaulBradburyHi,is Somali land dangerous? Where did you get a visa for that country?

@@enalo6261 Somaliland is very safe, you should check Indigo Traveller's trip there.

It really is. One of the most beautiful parts of the planet.

Jelsa is the best. I bought a house there in 2002 and had 13 very happy years there. Subscribe to the channel. Lots more Hvar content to come.

@@PaulBradbury Agree. Jelsa's countryside is great. But, for my sailboats, I find Vrbovska more protected..✌️🍀

@@josebazocosta9341 Yes, Vrboska is great for sailors. But that is the great thing about Hvar - something for everyone.

Hektorovic is another incredible story which we will cover in a feature on Stari Grad

@@PaulBradbury Looking forward to it! Cheers from Australia 🦘

Agree with you on the former, I bow to your superior knowledge on the latter...

Yes of course - contact me with your needs at paul@total-croatia-news.com Subject Property and I can put you in touch with some people who can help

@@PaulBradbury Hello Paul. Thank you! After the new year, we'll be lining up our dates to return to EU. I look forward to contacting you when we have something more firm to work with. From my perspective, Expats are driving up real estate in so many other places, beyond what locals can afford and the inevitable resentment ensues. That's what happens when foreigners with more money than common sense inflate property values and for wanting to operate a small family farm, that's a challenge I'm confronted with. Anyway, thanks for your thoughtful response and I look forward to connecting. Ciao.

Yes, it is amazing how rich the island is without the things it is famous for.

And while we're on the topic: how to open a business there?

Haha, i definitely chose Hvar if you know the story - one of the best choices of my life.

@@PaulBradbury Yes I understand.I have pretty similar story.In 2001. I sold my apartment in Zagreb and bought house in small village in Istria (less than 30 inhabitants) and I always think:"Istria chooses me" 'cause my original plan was just to go somewhere to the sea side, and Istria was just one of the options.In nother words, circumstances made me come here, and I never regret it.

Door mice are so adorable... I could never eat a door mouse! Must at be a Beatrix Potter thing...

It can take time for sure, and I know people who waited years. Where are you from and where did you buy?

Interesting, thanks so much for posting.

wait a second, there is 1911 on hajduks coat of arms, right?

As far as I know, the one in Kastela is 1600 years. Would love to get more info on older ones in Kastela and Omis - can you post some links? Thanks a lot.

The Brijuni Islands claim to have the oldest tree, estimated to be over 1600 years old. However, there are also reports of other 1600-year-old olive trees in Croatia, making it difficult to determine which is the oldest.

@@nikolagregic7709 yes but this one is 2500 - ever come across anything that old in Croatia?

Apparently not which is why i said Europe

Lavandin je sudoper ili u kupatilu gdje se peru ruke...?!..nisam dalmatinac ali eto toliko znam..pozzz

Mislih reći Lavabo🎅

@@SuperGeronimo1975 Lavandin je umivaonik u Dalmaciji, na dijalektu. Sluzbeno na hrvatskom jeziku, lavadin je srodna biljka lavandi. Upisite u Google lavanda i lavandin. U Dlamaciji, biljku lavandin smatraju lavadom. Prava lavanda ne raste na hvarskim visinama (nizinama).

@@SuperGeronimo1975 E da, lavendula je ime na latinski doticne biljke.

Agree that there are many more things about the island that I could have added. The first ever craft beer on a Croatian island, produced by a Polish resident, for example.

I just mentioned Sir R.F.Burton , because you beeing British........

@@PaulBradbury jest po co wracać! where can one taste it?

@@5mxg vunetovocraftbeer.com/

haha

jovane...stvarno te jako boli sve što netko lijepo kaže o Hrvatskoj?! Tako nećeš izliječiti to što te muči, pomiri se s time da vam je laž i zloba u genima, hehe.

@@dusanbesenic6957 i ja tebi želim zdravlja sreće I mira 🙏❤️

Je si siguran🤔????

KOME SMETA NEKA PATI HRVATSKA JE NAJLIPSA❤❤❤❤❤🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷

I didn't know that - what was the story and who was the oil producer?

@@PaulBradbury I will find it, but I have to check because I think there was one family from Brac, but I didn't think about it until you were in the video since I knew the name of the place and the family, and that was when the pope was still alive, so I will ask if I think that family is from Hvar but lives on Brac or vice versa. My family also received oil through our Franciscan friends from that family, but I have to ask my mom if she remembers, because the dad who was there is no longer with us, he was born for Heaven! Basically, if and when I find out, I'll write to you. You must come and make a report on Rijeka, Trsat, the house of Nazareth that appeared one morning in Trsat more than 800 years ago and where the then Croatian ruler sent a delegation to the Holy Land to check, even though it was the Crusader Wars, after the houses arrived where Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, it was not there, as if it was torn from the foundations and was created in Trsat. Since then, mostly sailors, but also various sick people, have come to intercede with Our Lady of Trsat, there is a whole large chapel of "votive gifts" where there are various pictures, staves and other things that people gave as thanks to the Mother of God after answered prayers. When the house was moved to Lorreto, the pope at that time saw the suffering of the people of Rijeka and donated a miraculous icon, which is believed to have been drawn by Saint Luke himself, and today it is in Trsat, where pilgrimages are made to it and also where great healings take place. And Rijeka has everything to show, it was also a state, it has a church that dates back to the 4th century, many historical sights. On Grobnik, the battle of the proto-Tatars that saved Europe and Christianity, Opatija, the bay, Krk, Cres where one of the greatest philosophers, Frane Petric, teacher of Giordano Bruno, was born, then the White-tailed Vultures that exist on Cres and a handful more... a few books....

hrvatski je svjetski jezik kojim govore samo najpametniji ljudi. Nisam toliko pametan, trudim se

@@PaulBradbury možda nije "svjetski " ,ali je jezik države o kojoj govorite ,jezik Hrvata .

Cudno u Kanadi vise Hrvatski I drugi tecaj od svih Drzava. Uzmi autobus cujes samo kineski nase itd.Engleski malo izvan posla.

Haha, vrh. Indeed. hrvatski je svjetski jezik kojim govore samo najpametniji ljudi. Nisam toliko pametan, trudim se.

Prijatelju...ti imaš nekih problema?! Čemu i zašto takav komentar...tim načinom nećeš izliječiti komplekse koji te guše.

@@dusanbesenic6957 U pravu si....pretjerao sam. Krivo sam procijenio "ton" Paulovog odgovora. Zvučao mi je na 1.pogled više nekako cinično ("hrvatski govore samo najpametniji ljudi...."), no kad se malo bolje obrati pažnja - jasno je da je namjera bila da bude duhovito intoniran. Kriva percepcija. Ispričavam mu se.

pa onda mu se ispričaj, lave

​@@vordag Na čemu? Čovjek navodno živi ovdje već 20 godina i proglašava se expertom!? Ok. DA LI NAKON 20 GODINA ŽIVOTA U RH, TEČNO GOVORI HRVATSKI...ILI SAMO NATUCA / UGLAVNOM SE I DALJE SPORAZUMJEVA NA ENGLESKOM!? U intervjuju s Bolkovićem ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qAliQv_PJl8.html , komunicira isključivo na engleskom!? Za koji krasan klinac? Pa gdje smo? U Engleskoj ili Hrvatskoj, na Hrvatskoj TV...pred hrvatskom publikom? Ne bi riječ rekao da je došao kao gost koji ne živi ovdje (ili kratko živi), pa - ETO - kao stranac priča engleski/svoj materinji jezik. No nakon (navodnih) 20 godina kontinuiranog življenja ovdje, on i dalje u konverzaciji s nama talabaza isključivo ENGLESKI, a ne hrvatski!? Pa što je radio 20 godina mađu nama, kad beknut ne zna!!? Jeo ribu i srkao vino? Što ti to govori? 1.radi se o "expertu" koji se očito nije integrirao, 2.taj te "expert" suštinski ne cijeni (već gleda s visoka) 3. čim nije s "rajom", već se drži sa strane (a isključiva komunikacija na stranom jeziku u RH, to očito dokazuje) - nije nikakav "expert". Nije li tako? Što na koncu kazati? Ti bi mu se ispričavao, jer ne govori hrvatski? Ja ne bi! Poslao bi ga u školu da nauči jezik....ili ga - dok ga ne nauči - ne bi zvao da na javnoj TV pozira kao seoski mudrac, soleći nam pamet na jeziku zemlje u kojoj ne živimo (s obzirom da on živi OVDJE 20¨!!!! godina, a ne mi TAMO)...ćasteći nas pritom svojim prisustvom u RH!? Što ti tu nije jasno? Btw; to se inače zove komplex više vrijednosti. Zamisli da tebe nakon 20 godina življenja u Engleskoj, netko pozove da na lokalnoj TV kažeš nešto o svom životu u toj zemlji, a ti počneš drvit na hrvatskom...kao da si tek prvi put sletio tamo, očekujući od voditelja da ti se također obraća na hrvatskom...pred isključivo domaćom/engleskom publikom!??? Pa koji bi to engleski voditelj učinio? Shvaćaš...!? Strvarno moraš bili - ili doslovno tulav da tako nešto napraviš...ili umišljen do boli da se tako odnosiš prema ljudima/okruženju u kojem živiš 1/5 stoljeća!! Trećeg nema.... Mislim da previše podilazimo takvim likovima koji očekuju od nas da govorimo isključivo engleski, u vl.zemlji. Ako se nije udostojio naučiti jezik zemlje u kojoj živi već 20 godina, koji će nam klinac ovdje!? Iskreno!? Idi više nauči jezik, Paul. Šta se čeka? Da na vrbi rodi grožđe....pa već si 20 godina ovdje. Šta glumiš? KAD NAUČIŠ I TEČNO PROGOVORIŠ HRVATSKI - ISPRIČAT ĆU TI SE! Do tad nam se nemoj javljat, već marljivo uči! Kreni, sad....! Puno je pozitivnih primjera "out there", ljudi koji su se iz Kanade, SAD-ea, itd....doselili ovdje (prije 3-4 godine) i već pričaju hrvatski/žive s nama kao da su odavno naši...ili se bar iskreno trude!! E, to su experti! Guglaj malo, nađi te primjere i uči iz njih. Pun ih je Utube. Ako su mogli oni nakon 2 godine progovorit, možeš, vala i ti - nakon 20! Da se na glavu postaviš. PS. glavu na panj stavljam da bi "lorem ipsum" za 2 godine tečno naučio engleski, da kojim slučajme tamo živi! Čak i prije! Jesam li u pravu?

I have been several times

@@PaulBradbury And how can you advertise a country that killed millions of its inhabitants, expelled 600,000, stole the property of the expelled and its football players salute with the Nazi sign ????

@@PaulBradbury ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tMOtIq_8ph4.html

Srpske logore ??????

Haha it does sound a little strange, but it is better than it sounds

I am flattered that you think a small RU-vid channel could make such an impact. So we should all stop promoting Croatia and let people find their own way here?

@@PaulBradbury Let's keep it for ourselves ;) I'm joking of course. It is so nice you speak so highly of our country (your country).

Teško je tebi s tobom.

@@dusanbesenic6957 Brini se za sebe i svoje. Ne trosi lovu i vrijeme na prostitutke

Boze mi gledamo ljepotu Zivota Nebrini oni su na drugom horizontu 😂

It is very beautiful

Without wanting to get into the politics, the situation is both regrettable and understandable. Oluja in a tourist resort with Serbian tourists always makes me uncomfortable. But there are some very cool initiatives such as Days of Hvar Cuisine in Belgrade which started in 2002 which tell the other side of the story.

@Ljubinka .. dalmacija je koljevka srednjovjekovne hrvatske kneževine .. moraš da ideš da se vaspituješ malo bre :)