In the middle of the island of Hvar, is the beautiful town of Jelsa, bordered with the two highest island peaks, St. Niclaus to the west and Hum to the east. Life in Jelsa began very early on, evidence of which are the numerous cultural-historical monuments such as the little churches, squares and parks. The natural beauties of Jelsa are its forested beaches and bays, the limpid sea and the restless sunshine that have created the ideal prerequisites for tourism development and for this reason Jelsa has been a preferred holiday destination since the 19th century. The Jadran Hotel opened in 1911 and is the oldest hotel in Jelsa, but there are also the numerous rustic villas dating back to the Antique and Medieval period are evidence of the early beginnings of local tourism.