Paved lanes and stone architecture make Pitve a place you can explore on foot. Pitve’s rural cultural heritage complex is protected. As you walk through the lanes, you can take in its historic buildings up close.

Churches, a Chapel, and Cultural Heritage

The Church of St James is listed as an individual cultural asset and is a historicist building in the late Gothic style. Pitve’s first parish church is first mentioned in historical documents in 1452, at the site of today’s church. This date marks the early mention, not the construction year of the present church building.

In the lower part of Pitve, the Chapel of St Roch was extensively renovated inside and out in 2011. Prayer gatherings and special celebrations in honour of St Roch and Our Lady of the Snows are occasionally held there.

Winegrowing and Everyday Culture

The Vinogradarska Collection in Pitve is a permanent exhibition belonging to the Museum of the Municipality of Jelsa. It was established in connection with the restoration of the building and the collection. On display are traditional tools used for rural work, in the vineyard and in the konoba, as well as equipment for making and storing wine and traditional kitchen utensils. Together, these objects illustrate aspects of rural life on Hvar and the importance of winegrowing and winemaking to the island’s culture and identity. For specific opening days, please check the museum’s current visitor information.

The fields around Pitve also reflect the village’s agricultural character: they include olive groves and vineyards. After the harvests, residents make wine and olive oil. This complements the collection’s winegrowing tools with a view of cultivation in the landscape. Dishes mentioned at Konoba Dvor Duboković in Pitve include those cooked under a baking bell, grilled and stewed fish, risotto, and pašticada with homemade gnocchi. Wines from the family cellar and homemade liqueurs are also available. The menu and opening arrangements may change.

The Za Križen Procession and Routes Around Pitve

Pitve is one of the six central Hvar settlements that take part in the Za Križen tradition, which has been observed for more than 500 years. On the evening of Maundy Thursday, the procession sets out from Pitve and five other settlements, visits the parish churches of all six places, and returns to its home church at daybreak on Good Friday. The route covers around 25 kilometres and takes about eight hours. As the event is tied to Easter, the exact date varies from year to year. For planning purposes, the considerable time commitment is particularly important.

The OVER THE TOP cycling route offers another way to experience the surrounding area. It passes through Pitve towards the Pitve-Zavala Tunnel and forms part of a 23.09-kilometre route with asphalt and macadam sections. Check route conditions before setting out. The wider travel destination of Općina Jelsa also has a moderately difficult Nordic walking route between Jelsa and Pitve: it is 8 kilometres long and takes about two and a half hours. Conditions may vary by season. The two routes therefore differ both in their mode of travel and in the stated time required.

Discover more destinations: Gdinj, Zavala, Jelsa, Ivan Dolac, Vrboska, Zastrazisce, Humac, Vrisnik

Back to the main travel overview: Općina Jelsa.