Žukova Beach (Uvala Žukova) is a small, pine-shaded bay on Hvar's north coast, just north-west of the village of Rudina and about 3km north of Stari Grad. Most of the shore is rock, with a single strip of pebbles at the head of the bay. Nothing is for sale there, so a good visit depends on what you carry down.
What Žukova Beach is like: rock shelves and one pebble strip
The bay cuts into the coast where the Kabal peninsula joins the rest of Hvar, and it faces north across the Hvar channel towards Brač. Pine forest backs most of the bay and shades a shore that the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board's Žukova bay page describes as mostly rocky, with only a small pebbled part.
Families with children settle on the pebble strip at the bottom of the bay, according to Direct-Croatia, while couples and groups spread out on the gently sloping rocks either side. The pebbles are the easiest way into the water.
The county tourist board recommends Žukova to people looking for peace and seclusion, but that is not the same as empty. The pebble strip is small, and the bay is also a yacht anchorage, so you may share it with boats. If you are bringing children, arrive early enough to claim a spot on the pebbles.
How to get to Žukova Beach
By ferry and car from Split
From the mainland, take Jadrolinija's line 635 car ferry from Split to Stari Grad, a crossing of about two hours. From the ferry port, drive into Stari Grad and take the road north to Rudina, 2.5km from town. Kroati.de advises parking at the start of the Kabal peninsula and walking the last 300m to the beach.
Past Rudina, the road onto the Kabal peninsula is unpaved, according to the Hvar Tourist Board, so expect a macadam surface for at least part of the drive (checked November 2026). In October 2019, Total Croatia News described the peninsula road as fine for a regular car.
Split to Stari Grad ferry times and fares
These figures come from Jadrolinija's 2026 timetable and price list for line 635, both still on the route page in November 2026. Check for the 2027 versions before booking.
- 19 June to 23 August: seven sailings a day in each direction.
- 7 May to 18 June and 24 August to 27 September: five a day, rising to six from 6 to 18 June and from 24 August to 6 September.
- 7 April to 6 May and 28 September to 31 December: three a day, plus a fourth each way on weekdays only from 13 April to 6 May and from 28 September to 23 October.
- Adult passenger: €8.40 from 29 May to 27 September, €5.90 the rest of the year.
- Child aged 3 to 12: €4.20 from 29 May to 27 September, €3.00 the rest of the year.
- Car: €47.60 from 29 May to 27 September, €35.60 the rest of the year, for a car up to 5m long and 2m high.
Walking from Stari Grad without a car
Without a car, you can walk. The Hvar Tourist Board's Kabal 706 route is listed as a cycling route, two-thirds of it on macadam, but it works on foot as far as the bay. It starts at the corner of Stari Grad's town park and heads north through Rudina onto the peninsula.
In Your Pocket says the bays around Rudina are a 10-minute walk from the village. OpenStreetMap's walking route from the head of Stari Grad's harbour to the bay is just under 4km, which takes about 50 minutes at a steady pace.
Swimming at Žukova and the north wind
Direct-Croatia describes the sea at Žukova as clear. The rocky sides of the bay are the place for a mask and snorkel, and the pebble strip is the gentlest way in.
Žukova is not one of Croatia's official bathing-water monitoring sites. The nearest on the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries' 2026 map were in Stari Grad, at Hotel Arkada, Banj and Lanterna. Checked November 2026.
The bay is open to the north and north-east, and Sea-seek's cruising notes list it as an anchorage with boats in 6 to 12m of water. North-east is the direction of the bura, a dry, cold wind that usually lasts one or two days in summer, according to Yacht magazine. On a bura day the chop rolls straight into the bay, so choose another beach.
The jugo, from the south and south-east, blows from behind the island, and the bay is sheltered from it. There is no lifeguard.
No café or sunbeds: what to bring
There are no restaurants nearby, and the county tourist board advises bringing refreshments for a full day. The centre of Rudina has nowhere to eat or drink either, so do your shopping in Stari Grad. Pack before you leave town:
- Water and food: enough for the whole stay, plus a bag to take rubbish back out.
- Water shoes: for the rock shelves and the pebble entry.
- Something to lie on: a mat or thick towel, since most of the shore is rock.
- Mask and snorkel: for swimming along the rocky sides of the bay.
The pines behind the shore give some shade, but the rocks and pebbles at the water's edge are open to the sun, so bring a parasol if you want to sit by the water.
When to visit Žukova Beach
For 2027, aim for June or September. The sea averages 22°C in June and 23°C in September, against 25.5°C in August, according to Climates to Travel. May (about 18°C) and October (about 20°C) suit hardy swimmers and walkers on the Kabal route.
On the 2026 timetable, the Split ferry ran five to seven times a day each way in June. In September it ran five or six times a day until 27 September, then three, with a fourth on weekdays. That is plenty for a day trip from Split.
In July and August, go in the morning to get a spot on the pebbles. In any month, check the wind forecast first and pick a calm or southerly day.
Other beaches near Stari Grad
If you want a café within reach, stay closer to town: Stari Grad's Banj and Lanterna are pebbly beaches with restaurants nearby, according to Jet2holidays.
For more solitude, carry on along the unsealed road onto the Kabal peninsula. Total Croatia News calls Žukova one of many bays there, some much wilder.
Across the channel on Brač, Zlatni Rat is the full-service opposite, with sunbeds, showers and snack bars. Our guide to the best beaches in Croatia sets both against the rest of the Dalmatian coast, and our ranking of Croatian islands for beaches explains where Hvar falls short on sand.
Is Žukova Beach worth it?
Yes, if you are staying near Stari Grad or landing there on the Split ferry and want a swim under pines, away from beach bars. It suits swimmers, snorkellers and families happy to share a small pebble strip, as long as everyone brings their own lunch.
Skip it if you need sunbeds, a lifeguard or a cold drink on tap. For those, use Stari Grad's town beaches, which have restaurants nearby. Best plan: buy supplies in Stari Grad, drive or walk to Rudina, and be in the water by mid-morning on a day without the bura.
