Pokonji Dol Beach, Hvar

Pokonji Dol is the answer to a common Hvar question: where is the nearest proper beach to town that is actually worth the walk. A short way east of Hvar town along the shore path, it is a sheltered pebble bay that looks out to a tiny islet capped by a small lighthouse, a view that gives the beach its postcard and its name. The water is clear and usually calm, the pines behind throw real shade, and a beach restaurant on the shore means you can make a full, easy day of it without trekking across the island.

It works because it is close and complete. You can walk in from town in around half an hour, hop over by water taxi in minutes, or arrive by boat, and once there you have clear swimming towards the islet, good snorkelling over the rocks, shade under the pines and a kitchen on hand. That combination of easy access and a real beach with facilities is rarer than it sounds on Hvar, where the best coves often demand a boat or a long, hot path.

The honest note is that the same convenience makes it popular. Because it is the closest good beach to a busy town, Pokonji Dol fills through the middle of the day in high summer, and the pebble near the restaurant is the first to go. It is still calmer than the town beaches and the bay holds its clear water well, but if you want it at its quietest, come earlier in the day or later in the afternoon, or carry on to one of the further coves for more solitude.