Jelsa is a welcoming place, pleasing to the eye and ready to receive any guest or traveler. Jelsa borders with the two highest peaks on the Island - St. Nikola on the west and Hum on the east. On the southern side there are three mountains - Vrh, Samotorac and Gozd, while Burkovo hill shields the northern side from the cold, northern winds.

Approaching the place, one will feel the freshness of the woods covering the surrounding slopes. Facing towards Mt. Biokovo on the mainland, Jelsa seems to rise on the shore of one of the large Swiss lakes. At first sight Jelsa seems a new place. The houses on the water front do not present facades of stone covered by century-old patina nor are they typical in design but rather point to the 19th c., the period of the greatest prosperity of the local shipping industry. The municipal park gives the village a modern touch.

Gradually, however, one discovers Jelsa's more distant past. Monuments from the classical period remain hidden.