Why Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina packs Ottoman bazaars, Austro-Hungarian boulevards, emerald rivers and dramatic mountains into a small, affordable country. Distances are short, so a week is enough to see the highlights. Here are the cities worth your time.
Sarajevo
The capital is where East meets West. Wander Bascarsija, the old Ottoman bazaar, sip Bosnian coffee, and feel the layers of history from 1914 to the 1990s siege.
- Highlight: Stand on the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, by the Latin Bridge.
Mostar
Herzegovina's most beautiful town, built around the turquoise Neretva river. The cobbled old town is full of coppersmiths and cafes.
- Highlight: Stari Most, the rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge, where divers leap 24 metres into the river each summer.
Trebinje
A sunny, laid-back town in the south near the Croatian coast, surrounded by vineyards and plane trees.
- Highlight: Climb to the Hercegovacka Gracanica monastery for sweeping views over the old town and Trebisnjica river.
Banja Luka
The relaxed second city, green and full of riverside cafes along the Vrbas.
- Highlight: The Kastel fortress on the Vrbas, plus white-water rafting on the river just upstream.
Jajce
A medieval town where the Pliva river drops dramatically right in the centre.
- Highlight: The 22-metre Pliva waterfall tumbling beneath the old town walls, one of few in the world inside a city.
Pocitelj
A tiny stone Ottoman village clinging to a hillside above the Neretva, between Mostar and the coast.
- Highlight: Climb the Sahat Kula tower for a view over the medieval fortress and river valley.
Practical tips
- The currency is the convertible mark (BAM), pegged to the euro.
- Buses connect all the cities; trains are limited.
- Spring and early autumn are ideal for warm days and few crowds.
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