Tour guide in Hvar Stjepan M.

I’m always excited when I take people around on my tours. And when someone asks me, “How come you’re always smiling?” Well… how wouldn’t I be? Every day, I get to see it all again through someone else’s eyes. The stories, the curiosity, the smiles — they make every day different. From medieval architecture to the bluest sea you’ve ever seen. From butterflies and eagles to vineyards and fishermen. Wine, olive oil, hiking trails, hidden bays, villages lost in time, people from all over the world, windsurfing, and nightlife… The island of Hvar is a never-ending road of surprises. Simply put: it’s joyful. I’ve been a licensed tour guide for the past seven years. Before that, I lived quite a few professional lives — bilingual professor, journalist, librarian, skipper (captain), waiter, construction worker, actor, chauffeur… I’ve honestly lost track. I’ve also lived abroad and traveled quite a bit. But my connection with this island started long before that. When I was fourteen, I began harvesting lavender. That meant waking up around 4 a.m. — not exactly my dream schedule. But there was no negotiating with my father. He’s a big guy, and I was just a kid. Because I loved the sea (and later the nightlife), I found my own solution. I would swim to the fields carrying my clothes and tools in a plastic bucket. The bucket floated in front of me — like a water polo ball — while I swam toward the shore. Meanwhile, my father drove along the coast on a tractor, probably thinking: "What a crazy kid I have." And that, in many ways, is Hvar. An island that invites you to discover it, admire it, and eventually fall in love with it. An island that makes you do strange things — with a smile. Over the years, my hobbies naturally became hiking, windsurfing, snorkeling, swimming, salsa dancing… and wine growing. Today, besides guiding, I’m also a winegrower, olive oil producer, and a copywriter focused on travel and wine in Dalmatia. And when it comes to wine, my curiosity keeps growing every day — exactly as it should. Licensed tour guide for Split-Dalmatia County Master’s degree in Sociology