Bosnia and Herzegovia is a beautiful, underrated country. Discover things to see and do there in this 10-day Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
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My birthday month always means a trip away with Stu to mark the occasion.
I was very tempted to head back to Greece after really enjoying our Cyclades island hopping adventure back in 2023, however, I only had a maximum of 10 days leave available last year, and the itinerary I’d roughly mapped out for the Pelponnese would require longer than this.
So, I started looking at alternatives.
I’d really enjoyed the road trips we’d taken around Montenegro and Albania, and I’d been keen to explore more of the Balkans (specifically Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, and North Macedonia) ever since. We settled on Bosnia and Herzegovina simply because I remember seeing Una National Park (located in the far west of the country, close to the border with Croatia) on a TV programme and thinking “I must go there!”
And, wow, Bosnia and Herzegovina was even more incredible than I imagined it to be! The whole country is so lush and green, with immense forests, dramatic waterfalls and imposing fortresses.
But, not a lot of people seem to know this.
We found the roads lovely and quiet, the people incredibly welcoming and helpful, the accommodation both affordable and of great quality, and the food a lot better than I expected it to be!
If you’re considering, or are in the early stages of planning, your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary then hopefully this post will give you some helpful suggestions for places you may want to incorporate into that itinerary. And, if you’re thinking of hiring a car and spending approximately 10 days in Bosnia and Herzegovina then it should give you an idea of exactly how much you can feasibly squeeze into that amount of time, too.
But first, a little bit about this lesser-visited country in Eastern Europe….
Bosnia and Herzegovina | History and Interesting Facts
If you know anything about Bosnia and Herzegovina’s history, it’s probably that the country endured a horrific civil war between 1992 and 1995. Once part of Yugoslavia (1945-1991) under Tito’s rule, a referendum in 1992 led to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s independence, which triggered a war between Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats, resulting in massive displacement and genocide, particularly in Srebrenica. Over 100,000 people were killed, two thirds of them were Bosniaks.
Since the introduction of the Dayton Agreement in 1995, the country has remained largely trouble-free. Although, politically, things are still rather complex! What I hadn’t realised prior to visiting was that the country has been sub-divided into two autonomous entities — The Serb Republika Srpska (mostly occupied by Serbs) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly occupied by Bosniaks and Croats) — and that each entity has its own constitution, parliament, and government.
And with that incredibly short recent-history lesson out the way, here are a few interesting facts about Bosnia and Herzegovina:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina borders Croatia to the north and south west, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the south east.
- Three ethnic groups make up Bosnia and Herzegovina’s population: Muslim Bosniaks (44% ), Orthodox Serbs (31%), and Catholic Croats (17%), along with those who do not fit into any of those boxes — like our walking tour guide, Neno.
- Three major languages are also spoken — Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian, all closely related Slavic languages. Many Bosnians speak all three interchangeably.
- The country has a tripartite presidency, where a Bosniak, Serb, and Croat representative rotate, each serving eight months.
- Whilst the country is largely mountainous, it does feature a tiny 20-kilometre coastline along the Adriatic Sea — one of the shortest in the world.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 10th in the world for coffee consumption. A traditional Bosnian brew is similar to a Turkish coffee, but served and consumed in its own unique way.
- The first trams in Europe were used in Sarajevo from 1885. Eleven years later, Sarajevo was the first city in Europe to have a fully electric tram line.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina has more waterfalls than Italy, France and Germany combined.
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Practical Info
Getting there | If you live in the UK (as I do), you’ll need to make it down to London to get a direct flight to Sarajevo. Ryanair fly from Stanstead and Wizzair fly from Luton. We caught the train down to Luton, but I’ve since discovered that it’s often a lot easier (and cheaper!) to get to Birmingham by train and then get on a Flixbus from there direct to the airport. My friend and I did this recently when we landed in Heathrow following a fantastic trip to Guatemala. The bus departed on time, the seats reclined and had working seat belts, there were charging ports available under our seats, and there was WiFi and a toilet on board. This bonus? We only paid £7.99 for a one-way ticket!
Once you arrive into Sarajevo, there is a direct shuttle bus from the airport into the centre of Sarajevo (get off at either Vijećnica/City Hall or Skenderija for the old town). It’s operated by Centrotrans Eurolines and there are departures approximately every hour. The journey takes 45 minutes. If the timing of these buses doesn’t work out for you then there are local buses (103 and 107) that run the route, but you will need to walk around a kilometre to Dobrinja škola to catch them.
Money | Despite being in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not adopted the euro; they use the convertible mark (written as KM or BAM). You can check xe.com for the current exchange rate. However, we found that we could often pay for our accommodation in euros (🤷🏼♀️), so I’d recommend bringing some of those with you too.
Adaptors | You’ll need a type F adaptor (2 round pins, works in most European countries) to charge your electronics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I always travel with a universal adaptor so I don’t need to worry about packing a different adaptor for every trip I take. The one I use has two USB and three USB-C ports, so I can charge multiple items simultaneously.
Car hire | We hired our car through Rentalcars.com. The local agent was Payless Car Rental. Although I didn’t rate the length of time we had to wait to collect our car at the airport (we were there over an hour!), we were very pleased with the car itself, and had no problems at all returning it at the end of our trip.
Top Tip ⇒ ensure that when you’re searching for accommodation, you filter by ‘parking’, because its not always easy to find on-street parking (or understand the rules and regulations concerning where you can park for free and for how long).
Bosnia and Herzegovina Itinerary | Accommodation
As I mentioned at the start of this post, we were really surprised by the high standard and affordability of accommodation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We stayed in some beautiful places on our 10-day road trip around the country, all of which I would 100% recommend adding to your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary. For this reason, I’m listing and linking to them down below.
Sarajevo | Hostel Kucha. Lovely, friendly, relaxed little hostel located uphill (but only a short walk – around a kilometre) from the old town/bazaar area. Staff are super helpful with making recommendations for what to see and do and where to eat and drink. We followed two of their recommendations and were super pleased with both. Dorm rooms and private rooms available.
Gradačac | Old Town Heritage. We stayed in a spacious two-bedroom apartment with balcony and terrace that actually turned out to be a lot nicer than it looked in the photos online! We didn’t need anywhere this big but it did have on-site parking and there wasn’t a great deal of choice in town. We loved the location too, just steps from Gradačac’s main attraction — its fortress.
Old Town Heritage, Gradačac
Bosanska Krupa | Lala. Overlooking the main square in Bosanska Krupa, so was within easy walking distance of everything. Room was luxurious and clean, and our room rate included free coffees from the coffee machine downstairs in the kitchen/dining area.
Jajce | ZenDen. Cosy, bohemian/arty little studio apartment that’s located close to all of Jajce’s attractions. We received clear instructions from the host about collecting the keys and she was there for us to hand them to when we left. She also gave us a great recommendation, which we followed up on.
ZenDen apartment, Jajce
Jablanica | Park Hotel. Accommodation offerings in Jablanica were not very inspiring, so we upped our budget a little to secure a room at the city’s best rated hotel. Our room was quiet, modern and clean. And, considering the lack of quality dining options in Jablanica, we were very pleased the hotel had its own restaurant — there’s loads of choice on the menu and the food is really nice.
Stolac | TLux. This was one of the best value for money places we stayed out throughout our whole trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s super central (just steps from Stolac’s main square, next door to a supermarket and within easy walking distance of cafe bars and restaurants) and the host could not have been more helpful and accommodating. He even moved his own car for us so that we could have a more secure parking spot.
Mostar | City Apartment One. This place definitely has the wow factor – there’s even a swimming pool that has shared access with the other rooms in this small complex. Collecting the keys was easy, the whole place is lovely and spacious, bright and airy and like a little oasis of peace and relaxation that’s just steps from cafe bars and restaurants and only half a mile from Old Mostar Bridge.
A little bit of Luxury at City Apartment One, Mostar
Lukomir | Bobića Konak. Considering how remote Lukomir is, I was very impressed that we had reliable hot water in the shower, strong WiFi connection and a multitude of electrical sockets in the room. Our room was also beautifully decorated with local handicrafts. The hosts don’t speak English but they communicate with a voice translation app and they reply in good English via the messaging section of the Booking app, so it doesn’t present any problems. And, they are both really welcoming. The included breakfast is also lovely.
Bobića Konak – our accommodation in Lukomir
Now that I’ve covered a little of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s history, along with some practical information about visiting the country, and accommodation options while you’re there, without further ado, let’s dive into our 10-day Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
I’ve marked all of the places we stopped at on our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary on the map below.
10 Day Bosnia and Herzegovina Itinerary
Day 1 | Explore Sarajevo
We booked our return flights from London Luton to Sarajevo with Wizzair, and touched down in Sarajevo on the evening of the 7th of June.
I’d reserved us a room in a hostel around half a mile from where the airport bus dropped us. What I hadn’t realised was that this half a mile was ALL UPHILL — in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees! The hostel itself was lovely though, and the girl on reception gave us some invaluable recommendations that really helped us to make the most of our (short) stay in the city (more on that later!).
Once we were checked in, we really didn’t fancy heading into the centre of town to get food, only to have to walk that uphill stretch all over again. So, we opted for pizza from a local takeaway joint and a beer from the mini-market next door. Because, that’s how we roll 😁
The next morning, we set about making a dent in our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary by spending a whole day exploring the country’s capital city — Sarajevo.
Firstly, Sarajevo really surprised me — in a good way. It’s situated in a valley along the Miljacka River in the central Dinaric Alps, and is surrounded by five major mountains — Trebević (1,627 m) to the south, Igman (1,502 m), Bjelašnica (2,067 m), Jahorina (1,913 m), and Treskavica (2,088 m). As a result of this, Sarajevo doesn’t feel like a city, because you don’t have to walk very far at all before you’re up in the hills, and all around you are beautiful tree-covered landscapes dotted with minarets.
Sarajevo is a city that’s surrounded by beautiful tree-covered landscapes dotted with minarets.
Views across Kovači Cemetery, Sarajevo
It also reminded me of cities like Istanbul (Turkey), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Baku (Azerbaijan), in the sense that it offers a wonderful mix of eastern and western culture, architecture, and food.
If I lived closer to London, I would absolutely consider returning here for a city break.
While you’re in Sarajevo, I would recommend adding the following activities to your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary:
1 | Take a wander around the cobbled streets of Sarajevo’s old town ( Baščaršija), popping into the odd tea or coffee shop for a traditional brew. We visited Dzirlo and loved it. But, if you’d rather have a more western-style coffee, the stuff they serve at Fabrika is very good.
A Bosnian coffee served the traditional way at Dzirlo, Sarajevo
2 | Drink from Sebilj Fountain. You’ll find this Ottoman-era wooden fountain in an area locally known as ‘pigeon square’ (for obvious reasons). It’s a popular hang-out for locals and tourists alike, and legend says that if you drink from the fountain, you’ll return to Sarajevo one day — let’s hope the legend is right!
Sebilj Fountain, Pigeon Square, Sarajevo
3 | Visit Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque. Gazi Husrev-beg was a prominent 16th century Ottoman governor who was responsible for the urban development of Sarajevo. Before his death in 1541, he he established a charitable endowment that funded the construction (and long-term support) of many significant buildings throughout the city. One of these was the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque — the largest Ottoman-era mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque – the largest Ottoman-era mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina
4 | Photograph the clock tower. This is another of the structures that was built with Gazi Husrev-beg’s endowment. What’s unique and fascinating about Sarajevo’s clock tower is that it’s believed to be the only public clock in the world that keeps lunar time. It’s also the tallest of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 21 clock towers, reaching a height of 30 metres.
Clock Tower, Sarajevo
5 | Explore the White Fortress and Yellow (also known as ‘Jekovac’) Fortress. These fortresses are two of the five fortifications that were built as part of the defensive wall around Sarajevo’s old town, Vratnik. If you’re visiting Sarajevo during Ramadan, you can head to the Yellow Fortress at sunset, where a cannon will be fired to mark the end of the daily fast.
The White Fortress, Sarajevo
White Fortress, Sarajevo
6 | Prepare to be moved by the exhibits at the War Childhood Museum. Recognised as the world’s only museum that focuses exclusively on children affected by the war, this was one of the places that was recommended to us by the receptionist at Hostel Kucha, and it’s definitely worthy of a visit for its unique perspectives and moving stories.
War Childhood Museum, Sarajevo
Exhibits at the War Childhood Museum, Sarajevo
7 | Give your calves a workout by climbing up to THE best viewpoint in the city. I found this viewpoint completely by accident when I decided to go for a coffee-fueled wander in search of the Red Fortress. I didn’t find the Red Fortress but if you head to the location marked as the Red Fortress on Google Maps, you’ll find the viewpoint. If you continue uphill along Bakije sokak afterwards, you’ll come to a war cemetery on your left, but if you turn right, you’ll arrive at a restaurant called Vidikovac (you’ll see the red umbrellas and cars parked outside). I didn’t go in as all the tables were taken, but if you fancy lunch with a view then this is your spot!
(Potentially) THE best viewpoint in Sarajevo
8 | Book yourself a spot on the War Scars and New Times free walking tour. Along with the Red Cap Tours walking tour we took in La Paz, Bolivia, this was one of the most informative and interesting walking tours I’ve ever taken. Our guide, Neno, who was just eight years old when the war hit, was fantastic. He delivered the information clearly, honestly, and with a perfect level of humour, where appropriate.
War Scars and New Times free walking tour, Sarajevo
Day 2 | Pick up the hire car and drive to Gradačac via Srebrenik Fortress
After a full day of exploring Sarajevo, we picked up the car and headed up towards Srebrenik Fortress and our overnight stop of Gradačac.
However, thanks to Google Maps’ recommended route (and the alternative it suggested), we almost didn’t make it to Srebrenik Fortress. The ‘roads’ it instructed us to follow both turned into little more than dirt tracks peppered with large rocks. If we wanted our hire car to survive the journey, we had no choice but to turn back — twice.
To save you from making the same mistake, ensure that you don’t turn off the M18 until you reach the town of Srebrenik. You’ll find the fortress signposted from here, too.
When we finally arrived at Srebrenik Fortress, I was very glad we hadn’t given up all hope of finding it — this place is absolutely stunning!
Srebrenik Fortress, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Located on the northeastern slopes of Majevica mountain in the village of Gornji Srebrenik, Srebrenik Fortress is recognised as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s best preserved medieval castle, dating back to 1333. It’s believed to be the birthplace of the first Bosnian king, and was declared a National Monument in November 2004.
The fortress is built on a steep, almost inaccessible rock, with the only entrance being via a small bridge. There is a nominal admission fee (it was only 2 KM (around €1) when we visited in June 2025), which I was more than happy to pay considering that we had the entire place to ourselves. And, just look at these views!
Me admiring the incredible views from Srebrenik Fortress, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Once Stu managed to drag me away from Srebrenik Fortress, we jumped back in the car and made the final 40-minute journey to Gradačac. Gradačac is a small city (population 38,358) that’s known for two things:
- It’s the birthplace of Husein Gradaščević (also known as ‘Zmaj od Bosne’ (Dragon of Bosnia)), the leader of the fight for Bosnian autonomy in the 19th century.
- Its castle, built between 1765 and 1821, was the seat of his captaincy and one of the centres from which this movement was organised.
Gradačac’s castle and fortified complex forms part of the ensemble ‘Old fort of Gradačac with Gradaščević tower’, which is designated a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Gradačac Fortress, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Not many tourists make it up to the far north of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so we loved how authentic it felt up here in Gradačac. Whilst there’s not a lot ‘to do’ in the city other than visiting the castle, Gradačac made a lovely overnight stop on our 10-day Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip.
Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
And, if you need a recommendation for somewhere to eat in Gradačac, my advice would be to head to La Tavernetta by Friends. We loved dinner here so much that we also returned for breakfast the next morning.
Day 3 | Drive to Bosanska Krupa via the impressive Monument to the Revolution
From Gradačac, we drove along quiet winding roads through immense forests to one of the country’s most impressive spomeniks (abstract war memorials).
Bosnia and Hervegovina’s Monument to the Revolution is located in Kozara National Park, 186 kilometres (or a two and a half hour drive) west of Gradačac. It was designed by Dušan Džamonja to honour the 9,921 Yugoslav partisans who lost their lives during the Battle of Kozara in WWII, and was completed in 1972.
Monument to the Revolution, Kozara National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 33-metre-tall structure is seriously impressive up close and I loved the stark visual contrast between the monument itself and its surroundings.
Next to the tower you’ll find a bronze memorial wall, with the names of all 9,921 fallen soldiers inscribed upon it.
Memorial Wall, Monument to the Revolution
There is also a museum on-site, but, weirdly, it was closed when we visited, with no advertised opening times outside. If you manage to gain entry, drop a few words in the comments box at the bottom of this post to let me know whether it was worthwhile.
The grounds of the Monument to the Revolution, Kozara National Park
Upon leaving the Monument to the Revolution, we drove past empty ski resorts and a long-abandoned hotel complex before following the curves of the Sana River all the way to Novi Grad. In Novi Grad, the Sana River turns into the picturesque Una River, which we travelled alongside all the way to our final destination of the day — Bosanska Krupa.
It was a ridiculously pretty drive, and arriving into Bosanska Krupa was the icing on the cake.
Bosanska Krupa is unique in the fact that it’s the only place in Bosnia and Herzegovina where you’ll find an Orthodox church, a Catholic church and a mosque, all within 100 metres of each other and all visible from the city’s main square.
A Catholic church, a mosque, and an Orthodox church are located in close proximity of each other in Bosanska Krupa, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The proximity of these buildings to one another illustrates the diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, both culturally and religiously, whilst at the same time creating an atmosphere of tolerance and coexistence.
Unfortunately, the demographic reality nowadays is that there are too few Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats for this kind of unity to work in practice (in the 2013 census, less than 1% of Bosanska Krupa’s population identified as Serb or Croat), but both churches are still very well looked after, and it’s a heartwarming nod to the way things once used to be.
Also accessible from Bosanska Krupa’s main square is its 13th century fortress. Sadly, the interior of the fortress now lies in ruin, being reclaimed by vegetation, but it’s definitely worth the short walk up here to admire the stunning views across the Una River and Zeleni Otoci (Green Islands), if nothing else.
Bosanska Krupa’s castle, Bosnia and Herzegovina
After our brief visit to the fortress, we headed across Drveni Most (‘most’ means ‘bridge’) to explore Bosanska Krupa’s Green Islands. The golden hour before sunset is absolutely the best time of day to appreciate this part of Bosanska Krupa. The lighting is beautiful, and we didn’t see too many people here either.
I’m very pleased we decided to factor a stop in Bosanska Krupa into our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
Zeleni Otoci (Green Islands), Una River, Bosanska Krupa
We finished our evening by grabbing a table at Hotel Restoran EKI (overlooking the Una River), and sneakily feeding some of our tasty fish to the rather expectant (and ridiculously pretty) little cat who took up residence at the foot of our table.
Lovely fresh fish and feline company at Hotel Restoran EKI, Bosanska Krupa
Day 4 | Drive to Jajce via the waterfalls of Štrbački Buk and Martin Brod
We decided to forego breakfast this morning on the assumption that we’d be able to find something en route. We knew we’d be following the Una River all the way to the waterfalls of Štrbački Buk and Martin Brod, so we figured we’d find a lovely little riverside cafe prior to our arrival there. We figured wrong!
You’ll find zero services along this stretch of road — just miles upon miles of dramatic mountain scenery, an abundance of tunnels, and long stretches of rivers interspersed with impressive waterfalls. So, make sure you get food before leaving Bosanska Krupa. We ended up eating ‘breakfast’ (fortunately, you’ll find omelettes on the menu at any time of day over here) at around 3:30 p.m., at the first cafe we passed after leaving Martin Brod. If you need a pit stop before you reach Jajce, you’ll find Kod Kove in a village called Oštrelj along the M14.2. The location is nothing to write home about, but the food is good. Although, I must admit that anything probably would’ve tasted amazing, considering how hungry I was by this stage!
However, I digress. Back to the two stars of today’s show on our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary: Štrbački Buk and Martin Brod.
Štrbački Buk, Una National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina
If you’re planning your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary and only have time for one waterfall, I would 100% recommend that you make that Štrbački Buk. Controversial perhaps, considering how popular Kravica seems to be with other tourists. But, if you want a more authentic experience away from the crowds in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you need to head up to the northwest corner of the country, to Una National Park.
The Štrbački Buk entrance fee is also a fraction of the price of Kravica (3 KM compared to 20 KM for Kravica), and there’s also a lot more to see.
Štrbački Buk, Una National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I think it’s important to point out that Štrbački Buk and Martin Brod are in no way ‘undiscovered’, and there are wooden walkways in place to enable tourists to safely explore these waterfalls, but they do feel a lot more wild and untamed than Kravica. We even witnessed a few brave white water rafters navigating their way precariously down the falls!
Martin Brod, Una National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina
We found Štrbački Buk more spectacular than Martin Brod, but there were fewer people to contend with at Martin Brod, so visiting both definitely has its merits. You’ll also find hiking trails at both, if you have more time to explore the area.
However, as Stu is not a big fan of hiking, and we both wanted to get to Jajce in time to explore its fortress before sundown, we continued on our way.
And, wow, we timed our visit to Jajce’s fortress so well!
Jajce’s Fortress during the golden hour before sunset, Bosnia and Herzegovina
“Where are all the people?”, I hear you ask.
Exactly!
Just us, one of the largest and most historically significant fortresses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and some incredible views to boot! The golden hour light was really magical, too.
There were no queues at the entrance gates or crowds within the grounds at this time of day, Jajce Fortress
Once the light began to fade, we headed back down into town via St. Mary’s Church and St. Luke’s Bell Tower, followed by a quick peek inside the Catacombes and Bear Tower. Jajce’s Bear Tower (Medvjed Kula) is one of the town’s oldest structures, dating from around 1400. Along with the fortress itself, it formed part of Jajce’s defense system, with massive six-metre-thick walls!
And, although I can’t find much information online about how exactly the tower got its name, there are two theories:
- The tower is characterised by its stocky, round, and robust build, resembling a large bear.
- A bear was once locked inside the tower, and convicts and captives were fed to said bear.
The latter theory could just be a dark legend carried through time, but this was the Middle Ages — it wouldn’t surprise me if there was some truth in it! *shudder*
Walking back down from Jajce’s fortress, past the Clock Tower, Catacombes, and Bear Tower
We ate dinner at Agron — a restaurant we stumbled upon during our early evening wander through Jajce’s old town. Considering its location, on a busy street populated with numerous other cafes and restaurants, the food was really reasonably priced, as well as being super tasty too.
Day 5 | Drive to Jablanica via the old watermills on Pliva Lake
There was one of Jajce’s major attractions that we didn’t visit on the day that we arrived due to wanting to capture it in the sunshine, which meant arriving at around 10 a.m. this morning. So, we had a rather more leisurely start today. We returned to Agron for breakfast and then made the short walk across to Pliva Waterfall.
Tumbling over 22 metres into the Pliva River, this spectacular waterfall is unique in the fact that it’s located smack bang in the middle of town. You can either pay 10 KM (currently equivalent to €5.11) to gain access to the viewing platform, or you can view the waterfalls from the road above, for free. I’m sure you can guess which one we chose 😉.
Pliva Waterfall can be found right in the middle of the town of Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I was a little sad to be leaving beautiful Jajce, but at the same time I felt excited to discover what lay ahead on our 10-day Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
From Jajce, we followed the Pliva River to Pliva Lake (Bosnian: Plivsko Jezero), making stops at a couple of scenic viewpoints along the way.
Scenes from our drive along Pliva river towards Plivsko Lake, Jajce
The old watermills (marked on Google Maps as ‘Mlinčići’) can be found around six kilometres out of Jajce. Built in 1562, the mills (enclosed within individual windowless wooden huts built on stilts) are located on the natural cascade where the water flows between the two Pliva Lakes (‘Malo Plivsko’ and ‘Veliko Plivsko’), and were used by local farmers to grind wheat into flour right up until WWII.
In 2009, the Pliva Lake watermills were declared a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and whilst the existing set of 24 are currently just decorative, there are plans to get a small number of them working again in the future.
A series of attractive wooden walkways have been set up to help visitors explore the watermills. However, it’s important to note that you can only view them from the outside. The doors to each of the huts are locked, and due to there being no windows, it’s very difficult to catch sight of what remains inside each of them. That said, they are a unique and culturally significant feature of the landscape, and are, for that reason alone, well worth adding to your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
Pliva Lake Watermills, near the town of Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Upon leaving the lake, we continued on to Jablanica — our overnight stop.
We factored a two-night stay here into our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary due to its proximity to other attractions. Primarily, to the trailhead of the hike to Hajdučka Vrata (Outlaw’s Door), which I’d planned to do solo the following day, whilst Stu enjoyed a bit of kayaking on Grabovica Lake.
However, over a couple of beers that evening, I began to re-think the safety and feasibility of my plan.
The information online about this nine-mile out-and-back hike varied wildly regarding how safe it was to do alone, what the terrain was like, how much ascent and descent there was, how long it would take, how well marked the trail was and the sort of footwear I needed to do it (I only had closed-toe walking sandals with me). Add into that the fact that the temperatures were meant to top out at 33 degrees (24 is the average for the month of June), so I didn’t know whether I’d be able to carry enough water to see me through what could have been anything up to nine hours on the trail.
To cut a long story short: I decided not to do it. But, I was gutted.
Of course, what this then meant was that we had to find some alternative options for tomorrow’s itinerary.
We were also not very impressed with the lack of quality dining options available in Jablanica (especially for vegetarians), so we were very grateful to have booked a room in the city’s best-rated hotel — complete with its own restaurant. Amusingly, the waiting staff there spoke and understood very little English, so every time we wanted to order food, they brought out two menus — one English and one Bosnian — so that we could point out our choices on one and they could note down said choices from the other. But, it worked, and the food was actually really good when it arrived.
Day 6 | Explore Konjic, Šćit, and the Old Neretva Train Bridge, just outside Jablanica
Konjic was an obvious choice for today’s revised Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary — it’s not far from Jablanica, but we originally thought we were going to have to miss out on a visit there due to having too tight a schedule on the day we left Jablanica.
It’s a fairly small town so you don’t need very long to explore it. However, it boasts a beautiful location, straddling both sides of the Neretva River, and is one of the oldest permanent settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina, dating back almost 4000 years.
However, what it’s most famous for is its Ottoman-style stone bridge. Initially built in 1682, destroyed by the Germans in 1945, and then reconstructed in 2009, Konjic’s iconic bridge is the main focal point of this pretty little riverside town.
Konjic, one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s oldest permanent settlements
Other than wandering around Konjic’s quaint cobblestone streets and drinking in its riverside cafes, there’s not a lot else ‘to do’ per sé. The exception being a short hike up to the Vrtaljica Viewpoint.
The viewpoint is located approximately one kilometre uphill from the main bridge, with the majority of the trail being along shaded woodland paths. It’s an easy walk and shouldn’t take any longer than 45 minutes to one hour out and back, including time taken to snap photographs at the top.
Konjic viewed from Vrtaljica viewpoint, around one kilometre uphill from the town’s iconic Ottoman-style stone bridge.
From Konjic, we continued on to Šćit. I won’t deny that I may have chosen to add this particular place to our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary for it’s name (it’s pronounced “shit” 
), but it actually turned out to be a rather lovely island on a lake, connected to the mainland via a causeway.
Scenes from Šćit, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The main attraction on Šćit (apart from soaking up the rather wonderful views of Ramsko Lake) is its Franciscan Monastery, founded in the 15th century.
Franciscan Monastery complex, Šćit
Within the monastery complex, you’ll also find the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Šćit (cue childish giggles), House of Peace and Ethnographic Museum.
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Šćit
We arrived back in Jablanica late afternoon, had a bit of a fruitless search for an appropriate Grabovica Lake viewpoint, and then went to find the only real ‘attraction’ in town: the Old Neretva Train Bridge.
After driving around Grabovica Lake for far too long, we finally stumbled upon this rather nice viewpoint, Jablanica
This famous railway bridge that straddles the Neretva Canyon was originally constructed in 1888 under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was first destroyed during WWII by Tito’s partisans to counter the Nazi invasion; temporarily replaced by a wooden bridge which subsequently burnt down; rebuilt by the Germans in 1943; and then subsequently destroyed for the third time for the purpose of a film — The Battle of the Neretva, directed by Veljko Bulajic.
Finally, in 1991, a flood in the Neretva River swept away the remains of the bridge.
The reconstruction you see here now was funded by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Electricity Company. The train on display is a real (i.e. not a replica) 73 series locomotive, designed and built by the Krauss factory in Linz, Austria, in 1913.
the Old Neretva Train Bridge, Jablanica
Day 7 | Drive to Stolac via Kravica Waterfall and the beautiful walled town of Počitelj
We set off early this morning, because the second stop on our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary today was one that I envisaged I would really enjoy (spoiler alert: I really did!) and I wanted to spend the whole afternoon there.
But first, we continued south to Kravica Waterfall.
Located on the Trebižat River near Ljubuški, Kravica is the most visited set of falls in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are 20 waterfalls altogether that flow from a height of 25 metres over the rocks into the lake below.
Kravica Waterfall, Bosnia and Herzegovina
And, don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful. But, unfortunately, the sheer number of tourists there (along with cafes to cater for them all) when we visited kind of ruined the experience for me.
I managed to (with a lot of waiting and careful cropping) capture the falls without all the people and sun umbrellas in the foreground, but take my word for it, this is not an accurate representation of the whole scene at Kravica Waterfall.
Kravica Waterfall. Literally seconds before I took this, there were lots of people swimming in the foreground of this shot. Timing is everything!
I’m not saying don’t visit the falls (they are the most visited falls in the country for good reason), but it may be a good idea to plan your arrival for either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, in order to avoid the worst of the crowds.
After leaving Kravica (a little earlier than planned due to how busy we found it), we then spent the entire afternoon at stunning Počitelj — a historic walled village that reminded me of Berat in Albania, and somewhere that turned out to be my favourite place of the entire trip. Ensure that you make Počitelj one of the first places you add to your Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary!
Počitelj is located on the left bank of the river Neretva and is dominated by a fortress that fell to the Ottoman advance in 1471. Although there are a few sights definitely worth seeking out (listed below), my advice would be to simply let your curiosity guide you through its inviting maze of narrow cobblestone streets.
1 | Počitelj Fortress
You can see Počitelj’s fortress from pretty much everywhere in this tiny little village, but make sure you take the time to climb to the top for some incredible 360-degree views.
Počitelj Fortress and views from said fortress
2 | Sahat Kula (Clock Tower). Počitelj’s clock tower was built by Šišman Ibrahim in the 17th century, and remained in working order until 1917, when the army of old Yugoslavia took down the bell and melted it down to make weapons. Later on, the clock itself was removed, too.
Sahat Kula (Clock Tower), Počitelj
3 | Šišman Ibrahim Pasha Mosque. Built in the mid 16th century, and repaired in the 17th century by Šišman Ibrahim Pasha (hence its current name), Počitelj’s mosque is a beautiful example of classical Ottoman architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Šišman Ibrahim Pasha Mosque, Počitelj
4 | Gavrankapetan House. A prominent example of traditional 17th-century Ottoman residential architecture. The space is regularly used to house art exhibitions, and it was exactly this that drew us in. Along with the incredibly welcoming hosts, who insisted we share a large glass of local cherry liqueur with them — at one o’ clock in the afternoon!
Gavrankapetan House, Počitelj
Temperatures reached 35-degrees during our afternoon in Počitelj, but even that did not deter me from thoroughly exploring every single corner of this beautiful little place.
Počitelj’s inviting maze of narrow cobblestone streets.
Although I was really wishing we’d factored in an overnight stop in Počitelj, I was more than happy when we arrived into pretty little Stolac at the end of the day.
Located part-way between Dubrovnik and Mostar, in the valley of the Bregava River (a tributary of Neretva River), Stolac is actually the oldest town in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
We didn’t have time for a lot more than a brief wander around town when we arrived, but we absolutely adored Stolac’s picturesque riverside location surrounded by lush vegetation and tree-covered hills. The whole place felt calm and tranquil and green.
The pretty little town of Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
We followed our host’s recommendation for dinner by heading down to The Old Mill. It’s located around a kilometre from the centre of town, but the walk there is lovely, along the banks of the Bregava River.
Aim to arrive before it gets dark — firstly, because this is a very popular place and tables fill up quickly, and secondly, because the location and the grounds of this restaurant are stunning! You’ll definitely want to snap a few photographs before settling down to eat.
The Old Mill restaurant, Stolac
Day 8 | Drive to Mostar via Blagaj Tekke
We couldn’t possibly leave Stolac without visiting the town’s crowning glory — its fortress. So, we made the short climb up there before breakfast, and had the whole place to ourselves!
Stolac Citadel (Vidoški Grad) is considered one of the largest and best-fortified cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second only to Tešanj Castle (Gradina). It once boasted 13 towers and remains a massive structure, offering impressive views down on to the town of Stolac and across to the surrounding tree-covered hills.
Impressive views from Stolac Fortress, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Whilst it’s not been restored as well as some of the country’s other castles, enough of the structure remains for you to form a good impression of what it may have looked like in its heyday.
Scenes from Stolac Fortress
Stolac Fortress
We had just enough time to grab a delicious breakfast in the sunshine at Restoran Han before jumping in the car to continue on to the next destination on our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary.
Delicious breakfast omelette at Restoran Han, Stolac
Blagaj Tekke is a Dervish House built above the largest underground spring in Europe. It was constructed in 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style, and is regarded as one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most holy and ancient sites.
Blagaj Tekke – one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most photographed sites
Now, we knew this site was going to be touristy because, aside from Mostar Bridge, Blagaj Tekke is probably the most photographed attraction in the country. So, I was prepared for the crowds. But, actually, it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated it to be. Although there was a steady stream of people milling around this small site (and, yes, there are restaurants on either side of the Buna River, as you approach), it didn’t feel overwhelming.
And, in actual fact, when I went inside the Dervish House, I managed to snap photos with zero other people in them.
It’s possible to peek inside Blagaj Tekke – a head covering is necessary
For 10 KM (approximately €5), you can also take a short boat trip inside the Buna River cave. We weren’t sure it was going to be worth the money, but in hindsight, we’re very glad we took the gamble. Our guide was a incredibly knowledgeable about the site (and about the area in general), and being on the boat gives you a unique perspective of the spring.
We arrived into Mostar (the next destination on our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary) just after lunch.
Spanning a deep valley of the Neretva River, Mostar was developed in the 15th and 16th centuries as an Ottoman frontier town, and has long been known for its old Turkish houses and its Old Bridge, Stari Most. Most of the historic town and the Old Bridge, designed by the renowned architect Sinan, was destroyed in the 1990s conflict, but has been rebuilt and restored with the financial backing of UNESCO.
Kajtaz House, one of the Turkish houses you can visit in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
We’d actually visited Mostar previously on a trip to Dubrovnik many years ago (before I started this blog!), but we got to have a much better look around on this occasion.
And, in spite of the place being ridiculously touristy (it’s so close to Dubrovnik that a lot of day-trippers from Croatia head here), I do really like Mostar. Especially those late afternoon/early evening wanders, once all the day-trippers have hopped back on their buses and headed home.
Minarets dot the landscape in Mostar…there are over 30 mosques in the city
Don’t miss:
- A visit to one of the city’s Turkish houses. Our favourite was Kajtaz House (Kajtazova kuća) — originally built by a judge (Kadi) and includes a former harem and a tower that served as a prison.
- Walking over the famous bridge, Stari Most, as well as checking out the viewpoint below (and perhaps going for a swim, if you feel brave enough!)
- Booking yourself on a free walking tour. We booked ours with Walkative, who I’ve used before in other countries and had a really positive experience with. I don’t feel like our guide on this one gave us as rounded a view of the country and its issues as Neno in Sarajevo had, but I would still highly recommend the tour.
Mostar’s bazaars are a great place to pick up some unique and beautiful gifts and souvenirs
Day 9 | Drive to Lukomir — the highest permanently inhabited settlement in Bosnia and Herzegovina
We began our penultimate day in Bosnia and Herzegovina by following one of our host’s recommendations and heading to Nide Veze for breakfast. Breakfast omelettes in Bosnia and Herzegovina are so good, and this one was no exception!
Delicious breakfast at Nide Veze, Mostar
Our final stop on our 10-day Bosnia and Herzogovina itinerary was Lukomir.
Lukomir is the highest (1495 metres) and most isolated permanently inhabited settlement in Bosnia and Herzegovina (and is one of the longest continually inhabited villages in all of Europe), and has a population of just 13 residents. These residents often re-locate in winter (between the beginning of December and the end of April) because the village is inaccessible during these months as a result of metre-high snowfall.
It’s quite unlike anywhere else we visited in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is more reminiscent of Ushguli in Georgia.
Getting to Lukomir is no easy feat though. Our host, clearly wise to the failings of Google Maps in Bosnia and Herzegovina, recommended an alternative route to the one Google suggested. Yes, it was longer but at least we only had to endure the last 12 (as opposed to God knows how many!) kilometres on gravel tracks.
12 kilometres may not sound far, but when the roads are so bad that you can’t travel faster than around three miles an hour, it’s pretty torturous. All I can say is it’s a good job Stu has driven off-road vehicles before! 
There are only a small collection of guest houses in Lukomir, so you’re unlikely to encounter more than a handful of other tourists here — which leaves you free to simply explore the area on foot and take in the beauty and remoteness of your surroundings.
The remote mountain village of Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina
For this reason, Lukomir is a popular destination for hikers. As you wander around the village, you’ll see numerous hiking trails signposted in every direction, and you’ll probably come across a few hikers, too.
Hiking trails surround Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I’d hoped to be able to find a circular trail that I could complete in a morning or an afternoon (due to not actually having a full day in Lukomir), however, the majority of Lukomir hiking trails seem to be either linear or cannot be completed in just half a day.
However, an serendipitous chat with a gentleman at one of the local cafes resulted in a doable plan for our last day in the country. Although the full circular hiking trail that starts in the next village of Umoljani, climbs up to the summit of Obalj (1896 metres), descends to Lukomir and then returns to Umuljani is 16.4 kilometres (10.2 miles) long, with an overall elevation gain of 914 metres, the section between Lukomir and Umuljani is reasonably flat and takes 2.5-3.5 hours.
We discovered that once Stu had driven the 12 kilometres back to the main junction, the road to Umuljani was all paved from there. So, he could travel to Umuljani by car while I followed the well-marked hiking trail there, on foot.
I was very excited to finally be incorporating a hike into our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary!
We finished the evening with dinner and a beer at Kod Kapetana Tea. I think they’d officially stopped serving food when we arrived, but offered to rustle something up for us, including a vegetarian option for me. But, if you’d rather not risk going hungry, my advice would be to eat as early as you can.
Dinner at Kod Kapetana Tea, Lukomir
Day 10 | Hike to Umoljani, return to Sarajevo, fly home
Our hosts at Bobića Konak laid on a lovely breakfast spread for us this morning. Endless cups of tea and coffee kept the conversation flowing with the other guests (one of whom was a young Canadian guy who was exploring the area by push bike!) before we had to pack up our bags and set off.
Unfortunately, after a run of amazing weather, the sunshine departed this morning, but at least the rain waited until later on this afternoon to arive.
The Lukomir to Umuljani trail takes you along the upper edge of the 800-metre-deep Rakitnica Canyon, offering dramatic views out to one side. Although the terrain you’re looking at is anything but flat, the trail you’ll walk along is pretty level all the way. For a moderately active, moderately fit individual, it definitely felt like more of a walk than a hike! I ended up arriving into Umuljani just under two hours after leaving Lukomir.
Lukomir to Umuljani hiking trail, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Our plan had been to spend a few more hours in Sarajevo (ticking a couple more items off our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary and picking up some gifts for friends and family back home) before heading to the airport to return the car and catch our flight back to the UK. However, the weather had other ideas, because a full-on monsoon descended upon the city, making any sort of sightseeing or shopping virtually impossible.
So, instead, we called it quits and drove back to the airport early.
And, that was the end of our 10-day Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip.
Aside from the hike to Outlaws Door, we made it to everywhere we’d incorporated into our planned Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary. The only other place I toyed with visiting, but didn’t end up including in our Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary due to it being quite a bit further south is Trebinje. If you can make it work logistically, I hear it’s a beautiful city.
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