There are plenty of questions when it comes to Jelsa’s specific geographic origins, but isn’t that what we want? Old Jelsa — or the more dramatic and regal sounding Civitas Vetus Ielsae — was first mentioned in 1331, but all that remains in the 21st century are the proud stones of a defensive wall. What was once an 800-metre rampart is now a memory in an area called Gradina, and its haunting aura is accentuated by a cemetery on the grounds of a former Augustinian monastery. The memories are best accessed on foot, and the area is a 15-minute walk from the centre of Jelsa.