St. John’s Chapel & Square

St. John's Chapel and the square around it sit at the heart of Jelsa, a separate town on Hvar island, some distance from Hvar Town itself. The octagonal Baroque chapel dates from the late 17th century, though the site's history as a gathering point goes back further — local tradition holds that Jelsa grew up around an earlier chapel on this same spot.

The square, known locally as Trg Svetog Ivana, took its current shape between the 17th and 19th centuries and hasn't changed much since. It's ringed by stone houses with balconies dating back to the 16th century, some of which belonged to Jelsa's wealthy ship-owning families — a reminder that this was a working maritime town long before tourism arrived.

In summer the square still functions as it always has: concerts, plays, and book readings spill out around the chapel steps. It's a quiet counterpoint to Hvar Town's busier squares, and one more reason many visitors combine a day of sightseeing with a private gulet charter along the Croatia coast.