Few images capture Hvar’s identity as well as its purple-hued lavender fields, stretching across terraced hillsides and filling the summer air with a scent so distinctive it has become inseparable from the island’s brand. Though lavender cultivation has declined from its mid-20th-century peak, the plant remains woven into local culture, cuisine, and the small-scale economy of several villages. Velo Grablje: the heart of lavender countryThis small, partly abandoned village in the island’s interior was once the center of Hvar’s lavender industry, and it remains the best place to learn about the plant’s history. Practical notesVisiting the lavender fields is best done by rental car or scooter, as public transport to the interior villages is limited. Late afternoon light tends to make for the most striking photographs, with the low sun catching the purple fields at their most vivid.