The Mediterranean as it Once Was: The Island of Hvar in Croatia in 1939

Croatian tourism is once more booming after the troubled years of war in former Yugoslavia, with destinations such as Dubrovnik, Hvar and Korcula once more attracting tourists en masse, who enjoy the pristine water, excellent climate, stone towns and warm hospitality. The Croatian Tourist Board's very successful marketing campaign, under the slogan, The Mediterranean as it Once Was, showed the world the stunning beauty of the Adriatic coast, a coastline relatively undeveloped compared to Spain and Portugal. But how was the Mediterranean 'as it once was'? Some rare footage of life in the pretty resort town of Jelsa on the island of Hvar provides some insight into daily life between 1939 and 1941.