Sućuraj

Sućuraj (known as "San Giorgio" in Italian) is a picturesque small town on the east cape of the island Hvar in Croatia, 3 NM (5 km) from the Dalmatian coast and 77 km from the town of Hvar.

Sućuraj has about 400 residents, with tourism and fishing being the primary economic activities. The town is the official centre of the eastern part of the island of Hvar.

The island of Hvar is famous for its pleasant Mediterranean climate, including a high percentage of sunny days. Sućuraj is one of the sunniest and hottest places on the island, with more than 2700 hours of sunshine per year. Around the centre of the town, there are two beaches, Cesminica and Bilina.

In the town, tourists can stay in private apartments, pensions, houses, rooms, hotel or car-camp.

Sućuraj can be reached by ferryboat from Drvenik on the Makarska Riviera, a trip of about 25 minutes. In the winter, there are 3-4 departures a day, and in summer there are 10-15 per day. The Ferry dock is near the centre of the town. While the ferry does allow foot passengers, there is almost no public transportation connection from Sućuraj to the west end of Hvar. This leaves those without a car on the ferry to walk the 77km, take a taxi that will cost around $120 USD, or hitchhike. Drvenik is situated on the Adriatic road 96 km southeast of Split and 128 km northwest of Dubrovnik.

History of Sućuraj

Sućuraj has existed for more than 2300 years, although it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The first known inhabitants of Sućuraj were the Illyrians; their Queen Teuta had a home here in 3rd century BC. In the 7th and 8th century the Croats who lived here till today colonized Sućuraj. Sućuraj has fallen under a myriad of flags in its history, including the Illyrians, Romans, Croats, Venetians, French, Austrians, and Italians. In the 20th century alone, Sućuraj was a part of six different countries.

The oldest building in Sućuraj is the Augustan (today Franciscan) monastery. Its original construction date is not known, but it was first rebuilt in 1309 and most recently in 1994. Sućuraj got its name from the Church of St. George, which is mentioned in the Statue of Hvar from 1331. That church was destroyed at the end of the 19th century, and a new one was built. Most of the inhabitants of Sućuraj came from the coast in the 15th century, fleeing from the Turks. From that time till today the church of St. Anthony (built in 1663) has also survived. An old Venetian fortress (fortica) built in 1613 also still stands, although not in its original condition.