Municipality of Jelsa: Culture, Winegrowing and Trails

• The Following the Cross Gallery is located in the bell tower of the parish church of the Assumption of Mary in Jelsa; it opened on 1 July 2026.
• The Na Vrh cycling route runs from Jelsa via Pitve and Humac and back to Jelsa.
• The Nordic walking route between Jelsa and Pitve is 8 km long, of moderate difficulty and takes about two and a half hours.
• The port of Jelsa has 54 berths for yachts, motor yachts and catamarans.

The Following the Cross Gallery is dedicated to the Following the Cross procession. Its artefacts were contributed by the communities of the six participating villages: Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirče, Vrbanj and Vrboska. The gallery also offers guided storytelling tours from 18:00 to 21:00, covering the procession’s history, symbolism and distinctive features.

Other historical sites highlight different periods: Galešnik is a late antique fortress dating from the 6th century. Tor refers to the remains of a small hillfort and a historic watchtower on a hill southeast of and above Jelsa. Kaštilac Fortress stands at the highest point of the Glavice peninsula and has been listed as a cultural asset of the Republic of Croatia since 2012.

The winegrowing museum is located in Pitve, 2 km from Jelsa. It is an independent collection of the Jelsa Municipal Museum. On display are traditional tools used in the vineyards, as well as equipment for making and storing wine. The small museum in Humac offers another glimpse into everyday life in the past, with a collection of tools and memorabilia. Vrboska is also known as Croatia’s Little Venice because of its small bridges.

For a cycling trip, the Na Vrh route runs from Jelsa via Pitve and Humac back to its starting point in Jelsa. The route description gives you a clear sequence of place names for planning; no distance is specified for this cycling route. The Nordic walking route between Jelsa and Pitve is a separate route: it is 8 km long, of moderate difficulty, and takes about two and a half hours. These details help you plan for the walking route based on its stated duration and difficulty.

Šćedro is part of the Municipality of Jelsa and was designated a significant landscape in 1972. The island has an indented coastline and vegetation typical of Mediterranean woodland and maquis communities. Signposted trails make it possible to explore Šćedro on foot. In Mostir Bay lie the ruins of a Dominican monastery, built at the end of the 15th century and abandoned in the 18th century; the Church of Our Lady of Mercy is also located there.

Jelsa’s Pjaca, officially the Square of the Croatian National Revival, has cafés, ice cream parlours, restaurants and small shops. It is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists. With its 54 berths, the port is another clear point of reference for Jelsa’s maritime character; the berths are intended for yachts, motor yachts and catamarans.

If you would also like to explore other places in the municipality, you can find the listings for Zastrazisce, Ivan Dolac, Zavala and Gdinj here.

What does the Following the Cross Gallery display?

It displays artefacts contributed by the communities of the six villages involved in the procession. Guided storytelling tours from 18:00 to 21:00 present the procession’s history, symbolism and distinctive features.

How long is the Nordic walking route between Jelsa and Pitve?

The route is 8 km long, of moderate difficulty and takes about two and a half hours.

What can you explore on foot on Šćedro?

Signposted trails make it possible to explore the island. The ruins of the Dominican monastery and the Church of Our Lady of Mercy are also located in Mostir Bay.

For the broader travel overview: Hvar.