Jelsa – Port of a centrum ostrova

Jelsa sits on the northern coast of Hvar island with a municipal population of 3,501 as of 2021. The town was established in the 14th century as the coastal port for the inland village of Pitve. It is the only settlement on Hvar island with a reliable natural supply of fresh water, a distinction that shaped its growth as the island's central port. Jelsa is mentioned in the Statute of Hvar of 1331, placing it among the earliest documented settlements on the island. The harbour remains the main ferry and excursion hub for the central part of Hvar.