Villas in Hvar/Jelsa
Jelsa is a small harbour town on Hvar's north coast, for couples and small families who want a swimming bay a short walk from the square. Getting here takes some effort, since it means a sea crossing from Split, and few homes have a private pool.
- Villas
- 11
- From, per week
- £456
About Hvar/Jelsa
Jelsa sits in a bay midway along Hvar's north coast, a town of about 1,750 people that began in the 14th century as the port for the inland village of Pitve. Work on the harbour and breakwaters began around 1830, the Perivoj garden was laid out on drained marshland in 1870, and the fountain in the Pjaca square dates from 1934. The main swimming spot is Mina bay, about 500 metres from the centre, where an ancient wall on the Gradina peninsula runs from Mina beach to Bocić. The homes are in and around the town; most sleep about four, and nearly all have air-conditioning.
Is Hvar/Jelsa right for you?
- Best for
- Couples and small families wanting a walkable island harbour
- Not for you if
- You want a quick transfer, since every route to Jelsa from the mainland involves a sea crossing.
Near Hvar/Jelsa
Stari Grad Plain
A UNESCO-listed plain west of Jelsa, and the catamaran from Split also calls at nearby Stari Grad.
Pitve
The village Jelsa was founded to serve as a port in the 14th century, and one of six settlements on the Easter night procession.
Vrboska
The largest village in Jelsa's municipality, another stop on the Za Križen procession that links six parishes overnight.
Getting to Hvar/Jelsa
Split is the gateway. From Split port, catamaran line 9603 calls at Bol on Brač and Stari Grad before reaching Jelsa, and runs to a year-round timetable. In town you can manage on foot, with Mina bay a short walk away, but a car helps for the island's villages and other bays.
When to go to Hvar/Jelsa
Summer has the most going on: the Antun Dobronić Evenings run from 15 July to 15 August, the wine festival falls on the last weekend of August and St Mary's Day is 25 August. At Easter the Za Križen procession runs through the night from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday.
Villas in Hvar/Jelsa
3-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
7
3
0
Air ConBBQGarden+10 more
3-star property
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
4
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+2 more
from£65
per night
1-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
2
1
0
Air ConBBQParking+6 more
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
3
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+6 more
5-star property
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
2
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+4 more
from£73
per night
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
3
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+6 more
from£83
per night
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
4
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+10 more
from£172
per night
4-star property
2-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
4
2
0
Air ConBBQParking+5 more
3-star property
1-Bedroom Home, Hvar/Jelsa
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
3
1
0
BBQParkingTerrace+3 more
Natura with private pool
Hvar/Jelsa, Central Dalmatia, Croatia
12
4
0
Air ConBBQDishwasher+9 more
3-star property
Hvar/Jelsa villa holidays: questions answered
What is the Za Križen procession in Jelsa?
It is a night-long Easter procession, held without a break for five centuries and under UNESCO protection. From Maundy Thursday into Good Friday it links Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirče, Vrbanj and Vrboska, each group led by a cross bearer carrying a cross of up to 18 kilograms.
Is there a beach in Jelsa town?
Mina bay is the town's most popular bathing area, about 500 metres from the centre. An ancient wall on the Gradina peninsula runs from Mina beach to Bocić.
How do you get to Jelsa on Hvar from Split?
By catamaran. Line 9603 sails from Split and calls at Bol on Brač and Stari Grad on Hvar before arriving in Jelsa, so you land right in the harbour without needing a car.
When is the Jelsa wine festival?
It falls on the last weekend of August. Close by in the calendar is St Mary's Day on 25 August, when the town honours a wooden Madonna statue brought from the Sinj region by refugees in 1539.
Nearby towns to Hvar/Jelsa
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed October 2026.
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