Jelsa – The 2024 travel guide

Jelsa is a picturesque town on Hvar’s northern coast with modern amenities and a charming social atmosphere. Jelsa makes preparing meals at home easy with two large, brand new supermarkets just outside the town’s entrance, as well as three smaller but reliable grocery stores on its high street, along with a fishmonger, butcher, and a daily farmer’s market inside the urban core.

Parking is also blissfully cheap and a gas station waits just outside of town. Jelsa has its own pharmacy and is less than five minutes from an emergency room, which is itself a twenty minute helicopter ride from Split. If the need for stitches or any other medical care should arise, you’re in good hands.

The heart of Jelsa's social life is the town square, “Pjaca”, situated below the parish church. This beautiful and central location is a popular spot for both locals and tourists to meet, enjoy coffee or ice cream, and soak in the relaxed atmosphere.

Recent years have seen significant development in Jelsa, including construction of a new stretch of road on the way to Sućuraj, a 10-metre widening of the main riva (waterfront), and other improvements. These enhancements have revitalised the town, attracting new businesses and expanding the tourism offerings beyond the main square.

Jelsa, founded in the 14th century as a port for the ancient hamlet of Pitve, is first mentioned in statutes from 1331. Jelsa's development from a small fishing and agricultural settlement to a shipbuilding and maritime centre peaked in the 19th century, a period reflected in its architecture.

A pivotal historical event for Jelsa occurred during the Cyprus War in the latter half of the 16th century, when Turkish naval forces invaded the island. Unlike other towns, Jelsa mounted significant resistance, commemorated by the fortified parish church of Saints Fabian and Sebastien, which later received a neo-Renaissance façade in honour of the 19th century wedding of Austrian emperor Franz Josef I and empress Elizabeth. The town's historical core also features a Baroque chapel of St. John from the 17th century, surrounded by a square that has remained unchanged since its construction between the 17th and 19th centuries.

If you're fortunate enough to find yourself heading to Jelsa, start by heading to the island of Hvar. Many people often mix up Hvar Town with Hvar Island. Hvar Town ("Grad Hvar" in Croatian) is renowned worldwide as a hub of upscale hedonism, located on the island’s southwestern coast. In contrast, Hvar Island is a sizable landmass in the southern Dalmatian archipelago, roughly three times the size of Manhattan.

Jelsa is a harbour town on the north coast of Hvar Island, close to the centre. It is one of the three larger towns on the island: the other two being Hvar Town and Stari Grad, known for its sailing and understated luxury (highlighted on the map below).

The nearest major city to the island of Hvar is Split, itself a major tourist attraction. Split has an airport, rail and bus stations, and a ferry port, all serving numerous regional and international destinations. Rail, bus, and ferry are within a stone’s throw of each other, near the city’s historic core.

Split Airport is thirty minutes outside of town. Those arriving at Split Airport can grab a ride on the inexpensive public bus or hail a reasonably priced Uber to the ferry port. From there, they will take a ferry or catamaran to the port of Stari Grad or another port on the island of Hvar. Read our full guide on how to get to Hvar.

For those who can’t be doing with the additional to-ing and fro-ing, private transfers are available. This usually involves a driver meeting you at Split Airport to drive you to the ferry port, followed by a speedboat directly to Jelsa Harbour. Private transfers are of course more expensive than public catamarans, but can be well worth it in certain situations. For example, we advise families coming directly to Hvar from the USA or Australia to hire a private transfer, because most will have already endured a long overnight flight to Croatia. The additional transit time spent getting to Split central, waiting for the ferry or catamaran, and then taking the boat ride over to the island can be too much, especially for children, and set a wonderful holiday off on the wrong foot.

It can also make sense to hire a private transfer if one’s flight arrives very late or early to Split and would otherwise mandate a hotel room. With a private boat, you can be in Jelsa in an hour, rather than overpaying for a hotel and meals in Split, then going through another round of transit the following day.

Of course, if you are a Hvar Away guest, making arrangements for your private transfer(s) will be taken care of by our dedicated team member assigned as your concierge.

Getting to Jelsa as a pedestrian is easy and inexpensive. Just book a ticket with the state-supported boat transit giant Jadrolinija to the port of Jelsa. However, you will see that the catamaran connecting Split to Jelsa runs only once each day in the afternoon. So it’s likely that, because of when your plane lands, you’ll need to take a catamaran to a different port on Hvar Island. Stari Grad and Hvar Town are serviced by numerous daily catamarans. Just be prepared for a pricey transfer to reach Jelsa. The journey from Hvar Town takes thirty minutes and costs around €80, and from Stari Grad is only fifteen minutes, and costs about half that.

You will see both ferries and catamarans offered to Stari Grad, although in peak season, Jadrolinija often replace the catamaran line with a car ferry. Catamarans are faster, taking only an hour, and they only transport pedestrians. Ferries take two hours, they are a lot bigger, and they carry vehicles as well as pedestrians. If you are prone to seasickness, the ferry may treat you better. In good weather, you hardly feel the movement of the boat, if at all. Both catamarans and ferries have cafes with snacks and beverages, as well as (rather stinky) bathrooms.

Catamarans sometimes sell out in July and August and ticket lines can be long, so it never hurts to buy your ticket online a day in advance. Board your catamaran a half hour before departure to grab a good seat. Catamarans always have restrooms and canteens with snacks, espresso drinks, and beverages.

The one port you should probably avoid is Sućuraj. It’s a lovely little town, but getting from there to Jelsa by car takes over an hour with the first half along a nerve-jolting road, which sometimes narrows to a single lane with unprotected drop-offs. Of course, if adrenaline driving is your thing, then you now know where to go.

If you are renting a car on the mainland of Croatia or driving from elsewhere in Europe, then you will need to take one of the several ferries which connect Split with the port of Stari Grad each day, which costs around €50 per vehicle. The only company that runs car ferries is Jadrolinija. As mentioned above, catamarans only carry passengers, not cars. Once you arrive in the port of Stari Grad, the drive to Jelsa is a 10-15 minute breeze.

Alternatively, if you are driving from Dubrovnik or other points south of Split, it can make sense to take the ferry which goes from Drvenik to Sućuraj, on the eastern tip of island Hvar. You will have an adventurous drive, but can save considerable time compared to coming up to Split, waiting for the ferry, and then taking the two-hour trip.

In general, it is wise to book car ferry tickets a few days in advance, and to park your car in the waiting queue for the boat an hour early, because these spots do routinely sell out in the summer.

Jelsa has a lovely marina protected by three breakwaters, and offers water, electricity, showers, rubbish disposal, and WC facilities. There are 54 moorings for yachts, motor yachts, and catamarans, split between the northern and southern sides of the harbour.

Like other anchorages on Hvar's northern coast, this marina is susceptible to winds from the north, particularly the infamous “bura”. If you plan to tie up here, be sure to call ahead to check for availability and suitable weather conditions.

If you aren't swimming at least once a day while on Hvar, you're missing out on the Adriatic’s remarkable health benefits and, more importantly, its profound tranquillity. Fortunately, Jelsa is surrounded by excellent beaches, so a refreshing dip is always just a few minutes away.

As a note, there are no private beaches in Croatia. Beaches are considered a shared natural treasure, belonging to everyone. While "hotel beaches" are always open to the public, their amenities might not be.

On the northern side of the harbour – to your left if you are standing facing the water at the bridge connecting the two waterfront promenades of Jelsa – there are three beaches to mention. Here they are, from closest to farthest:

Follow the waterfront promenade along the historic core of Jelsa, past the cafe bars and restaurants, and you will reach the following beaches:

Beaches farther west towards Vrboska can be reached by car, but it’s much easier and heaps more fun to get there on a boat. Here are two not to miss:

Need more beachy inspiration? Read our detailed guide to Hvar’s best beaches.

Jelsa Municipal Museum is housed in a late 19th century building, the family home of the artist Juraj Dobrović, located on St. Ivan Square in the centre of town. The museum showcases exhibits that reveal the life of a middle-class family and social life in Dalmatia at the beginning of the 20th century. The Dobrović home hosts a culturally significant collection of graphics, pictures, and reliefs donated by Juraj Dobrović, whose work subtly reflects Pythagorean principles. The museum is open daily from 10am to 12.30pm and 6.30pm to 9pm throughout the summer.

Just steps from the museum is the lovely art gallery and souvenir shop, TerraMare. This is a family-owned store, focused on the Adriatic-inspired paintings of Hungarian artist and owner, Tünde Ódor, but also featuring handicrafts produced by Tünde and her daughter.

Tucked into the maze of streets behind St. John’s Chapel (see below), cult gallery Dalmacijaland has an interesting array of paintings, graphics, and subversive souvenirs for sale, and holds exhibitions by Croatian designers and comic-strip artists. Dalmacijaland’s owner is co-creator of the (sadly, Croatian-only) comic books featuring the adventures of Jelsa’s very own purple-cloaked superhero, Lavanderman.

The Church of the Assumption of St. Mary is a picturesque 13th century castle church located near the Pjaca (main square) in the centre of Jelsa. First mentioned in the Hvar Statute of 1331, it was expanded and fortified in the 16th century for defence against the Turks. Originally a Romanesque or early Gothic church, it served as the meeting place for the brotherhood of St. Fabijan and Sebastijan. Renamed the Church of the Assumption of Mary in 2000, it features the notable painting "The Virgin Mary and the Martyrdom of Fabian and Sebastian" by P. de Costera.

The church endured a major fire in the late 18th century, leading to the loss of a polyptych by Paolo Veronese. Subsequently, a beautifully decorated marble altar was erected, with further enhancements over the years, including a statue of Our Lady. The presbytery was later painted by Bellotti. In addition to its main altar, the church houses six other beautiful altars, including a valuable wooden triptych and a marble altar with a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Arguably Jelsa’s prettiest chapel is that of St. John, tucked away inside the cobbled streets of Jelsa’s historic core. This beautiful 17th century octagonal church features Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements, making it a cultural landmark not to be missed. Surrounded by typical Croatian stone houses, the entire square exudes a romantic charm.

Hvar's fascinating wine history dates back over 2,000 years to the arrival of the Ancient Greeks in 384 BC, and places Jelsa at the centre of this rich tradition. Jelsa’s harbour once served as a transport hub for its quality wines across Europe. Historically, around 5,700 hectares of vineyard were cultivated until the phylloxera outbreak devastated the industry, compounded by unfavourable taxes from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which led to mass emigration. Today, only 280 hectares remain, a mere 5% of the vineyard area from the 19th century's peak. Despite this reduction, Jelsa still boasts some outstanding quality wines.

Be sure to stop for a private tasting in Ivo Duboković’s candlelit cellar. Ivo is a mad genius and restless experimenter. Building on centuries of family wine-making tradition, he makes natural wine – that is wine grown organically and fermented without additives – and he engages with the process as a scientist and artist, using wine as a medium to explore flavours and possibilities, while sampling the results of hundreds of past experiments. A tasting in his cellar, atmospherically lit by candles, will take you through half a dozen or more micro-batches that this multi-generational vinarija makes by hand.

One of Croatia's most charismatic and renowned winemakers, Andro Tomić, became a prominent figure during Croatia's accession into the EU. He gained international media attention – including from BBC, AFP, and The Daily Telegraph – for his efforts to protect the Dalmatian dessert wine, Prošek, from being banned by EU bureaucrats appeasing the Italian Prosecco lobby. Tomić even addressed the European Parliament in French, a language he learned while studying the wine trade in France. The Tomić wine cellars, with their Romanesque theme, charming ambiance, and excellent wines (featuring both indigenous Hvar grapes and international varieties), offer one of the premier wine tasting experiences on Hvar.

The Jelsa Wine Festival is a three-day event held at the end of August each year. The festival is known for its lively atmosphere, often marking the end of summer in Jelsa, as the town seems to quieten down after the final day of the festival. Visitors can then savour the peaceful and serene atmosphere of September, one of the best months to experience the area.

Alongside the great wines from producers across the island and beyond, the festival offers a rich array of activities and entertainment. Highlights include sports competitions such as a lively water polo match in the harbour, rowing contests, and international regattas. A special attraction is the pole-climbing competition, where participants vie to retrieve a whole smoked ham perched atop a 10-metre pole. The festival concludes with the announcement of the year's finest wines.

Those fortunate enough to attend often leave Hvar with cherished memories that extend beyond just the beaches and cuisine – they also include the delightful surprise of discovering the island's exceptional and varied wines.

Read our detailed guide to wine on Hvar.

Hvar Republic – handmade jewellery, delicate accessories, thoughtful souvenirs, hand-knitted clutch bags. Many stores now claim to sell handmade or local products. Hvar Republic really does so – don’t miss this one to take a piece of Hvar home with you.

Papelu – one of the best-curated kids’ shops in all of Dalmatia, with adorably designed and exceptional quality kids’ clothing and toys. The owner makes everything herself, by hand, and you can feel the love and skill in every item on the shelves.

Little ones will love the adorable Mini Disco, a dance party just for them, held on Sunday and Wednesday evenings all summer long in the park. There is also the “Little Town of Jolha” (dialect for Jelsa) Children’s Creativity Festival with weekly performances from local children and a Dance of the Sails in June, where festively lit historic sailboats take over the harbour.

Kino Mediteran runs kid-friendly, English-language films on its outdoor screen throughout the summer months.

Head over one afternoon to Jelsa’s own Adventure Park for some great family fun between sunbathing and swimming. Against the backdrop of Jelsa’s pine forest on the north side of the harbour, the park provides a range of activities suitable for all ages and skill levels, such as ziplining through the treetops, navigating rope courses, and testing their agility on suspended bridges and swings. The list goes on with paintball, climbing walls, battle archery, trampolines, and bubble football. A guaranteed unforgettable day of fun for little (and larger!) ones.

Jelsa feels a world away from the raucousness of Hvar Town, yet it’s far from dull or quiet in the evenings. For visitors whose days of late night revelry are mostly in the past – or who just want a mellower change of pace – Jelsa strikes a great balance.

Here are our top two picks for a laidback evening:

Savour Croatia’s legendary cafe culture. If the sun is shining, the terraces at every cafe in Jelsa’s main square and along the Riva is full of people – men and women, from babies to salty old fishermen – sipping a “kava” and having a chat. What could possibly be more important than taking time out of your day to catch up with friends, family, and acquaintances – according to Croatians, “baš ništa” (absolutely nothing)!

Children and parents will love Jelsa Gelateria, which has a mouthwatering selection of cakes and pastries inside, and Gamulin Chocolate, a specialty chocolatier that incorporates local ingredients into bars and truffles and also hosts boutique tastings.

Some claim that Jelsa boasts the finest ice cream in Dalmatia, and it certainly stands out with its creative presentations that line its waterfront. The tradition of Jelsa's ice cream dates back over 60 years to the arrival of three Macedonian Albanian brothers in 1962. They initially rented a space on the first floor near the main parking square and have since expanded, now owning three out of the seven cafes located on the main square. For ice cream enthusiasts, Jelsa is undoubtedly a paradise of flavours and delights.

We recommend not only sticking to the parlours on the entrance to Jelsa’s square, but also making your way a bit further down to aRoma. They serve large scoops of premium artisanal gelato with a huge selection of unique flavours. You won’t regret it!

No visit to Hvar is complete without a first-rate seafood dinner, so make sure you don’t leave Jelsa before trying local fish. If you enjoy cooking while on vacation, you can procure it through local fishermen on the harbour each morning and make yourself the healthiest possible meal at your island home. Dalmatian cuisine prepares fish simply – with just olive oil and a garnish of garlic, lemon, and parsley – to let the incredible flavour and texture shine through.

If you prefer to eat out, Konoba Nono is a yes-yes if you’re looking for affordable and traditional Dalmatian fare. The seafood and steaks are grilled to perfection.

Konoba Turan is another solid choice and a wonderfully authentic experience that exemplifies family-run hospitality. Marina leads the team with her husband on the grill, her mother preparing tables, and her son serving food – bringing a heartfelt touch to every aspect of the restaurant. The courtyard adds to the charm with mandarin, banyan, and lemon trees, creating a distinctly Mediterranean ambiance.

Finally, Step Up stands out with its unique food offering and fantastic positioned on its upper floor terrace overlooking beautiful Jelsa harbour. It's unlike any of the traditional konobas on the island, with a menu created with foreign tastebuds in mind, particularly those maybe missing the taste of home. The burgers are huge and delicious. The pizzas are delectable and juicy. Josip, the head honcho, is eccentric and wonderful. Simply put, Step Up is a vibe and you'll catch us there probably more often than we'd like to admit.

Where to stay in Jelsa