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Cities, Highlights, Nature & Landscape

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Heaven on Earth Waiting to Be Discovered

22/06/2015

Red currant fields and square-shaped houses resembling toy blocks slowly disappearing in the distance, an occasional fruit merchant perched by the roadside…

If you’re entering Bosnia and Herzegovina through its Croatian border with Dubrovnik, there isn’t much that will prepare you for its beauty. The country’s charm catches you off guard. As soon as your heart sinks at the sight of bullet marks still visible in some buildings or at the concrete walls of housing estates marking the war and post war-period, Bosnia and Herzegovina surprises you with a sight so stunning that it makes you look twice, wishing that you wouldn’t have to leave. Emerald rivers, waterfalls, rolling hills overlooking the country’s many lakes, the ottoman heritage which makes you feel as if you suddenly found yourself in Turkey… Bosnia and Herzegovina is a mosaic of natural beauty and fascinating culture. The best thing about it? It’s still very much a road less travelled amongst Europe’s popular routes which means that you can have a piece of this green paradise (almost) all to yourself. Without further ado, let’s find out what makes this charming little country so unique and why you should visit this summer!

LANDSCAPES AND NATURE

I am yet to visit a country in Europe where every river is emerald in colour and so crystal clear that it’s practically see-through.  From the charming Vrelo Bosne park in Sarajevo, the mirror-like riverside in Republika Srpska’s Trebinje to Kravice waterfalls, the list of BiH’s natural wonders seems to have no end.

Pocitejl, Bosnia and Herzegovina

View of the Neretwa River from Počitelj’s castle ruins.

Kravice Waterfall, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kravice Waterfalls.

Lakes in Vrelo Bosne, Sajarevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Vrelo Bosne, in Sarajevo.

picteresque rout between Mostar and Sarajevo

Driving between Mostar and Sarajevo will make you feel like you got sucked into a postcard!

Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina riverside

How’s this for picture perfect? The river running through Trebinje in crystal-clear, as you can see from this mirror-like reflection.

ARCHITECTURE

Stari Most in Mostar is the country’s most recognisible landmark but certainly not the only one worth visiting. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina has suffered significant damages during the war, it’s home to fascinating architecture, where Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influence mix with its modern-day identity.

stari Most, Mostar Bridge viewpoint, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stari Most in Mostar

Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The buildings of Počitelj, a small town perched on the banks of the Neretwa river.

visit Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina travel

Colourful little houses in Trebinje.

Sarajewo's Old Town. architecture, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Not too shabby – the view from my living room window in Sarajewo’s Old Town.

GREAT FOOD

Food in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a perfect reflection of the country’s historical heritage – just like the buildings in Sarajevo, the local cuisine combines its Western roots with Turkish and Middle Eastern influence. This is great news for all  fellow sweet toothers – baklava, halva and Turkish delight are available in opulence, and the ever-present smell of freshly brewed coffee is a reminder of the country’s coffee culture, dating back to the Ottoman times. Vegetarians and those on a gluten-free diet may be slightly disappointed – aside from the sweets,  the local cuisine consists mainly of meat and bread. The good news is, most dishes are organic and produced locally. Not only that, food in BiH is very cheap by the Western European standards – you can indulge in the country’s culinary staples for less than €10 a day!

Bosnian coffee and Turksih delight

Happiness comes in many forms and Bosnian coffee is one of them! Remember not to make the mistake of calling it Turkish – although they look similar, Bosnian and Turkish coffee are prepared differently.

Tufahije, Bosnian desert, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Don’t leave Bosnia and Herzegovina without trying tufahije – poached apples stuffed with walnuts , generously coated in syrup and served with whipped cream.

ćevapčići  Bosnia and Herzegovina

You can’t go wrong with ćevapčići – they are delicious, filling, and will only cost you a couple of euros!

Sogan dolma, sarajevski sahan Bosnian Dish, mixed Dolma Sarajevo

Behold: sarajevski sahan consisting of stuffed onions (sogan dolma), stuffed vine leaves and minced meat. All this for just €6!

FRIENDLY LOCALS

It’s not just the sights that make a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina such an unforgettable experience – the country’s beauty and undeniable charm lies in the smiles of the locals and their genuine friendliness. There are only two places in the world where, within just of couple of hours of my arrival, I felt completely at home – New York City and Mostar, the first town I visited in Bosnia and Herzegovina. NYC and the quiet, centuries old Mostar couldn’t seem to have less in common and yet, that feeling of being unjudgementally welcome which I experienced in both, puts Bosnia and Herzegovina on top of my travel favourites list. During my solo travels through BiH, complete strangers would invite me for coffee to then share their stories, often involving their memories of the 1992 war. I would get shown around hidden nooks and crannies by people who were not only kind enough to spend their time with a stranger, but also didn’t expect any payment in return.

friendly people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, coffee

Chit chats with strangers over a cup of freshly boiled coffee became a norm during my travels through BiH.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST… IT’S CHEAP!

Unlike most places in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina offers sights to behold without going too hard on your wallet. It’s basically a solo traveller’s paradise – you can easily find accommodation for as little as €10/room in the off-season (this includes even the popular cities like Mostar) while dining out costs as little as 3.5 – 10KM (€2-5). Book your hotel in Bosnia and Herzegovina here! Public transport is also surprisingly affordable – to give you an idea, a bus ride from Mostar to Sarajevo will cost €10, while a train ride on the same route will set you back a mere €5. Sounds too good to be true? All the more reasons to see for yourself…
Over to you – have you been to Bosnia and Herzegovina, or perhaps you’re planning a visit? If it’s the latter then I hope you found this post helpful!

21 Comments

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Comments

  1. Cherise says

    23/06/2015 at 14:26

    Looks soo amazing!!

    Reply
  2. sunshineandoliveadventures says

    09/07/2015 at 23:12

    Wow! I am going to have to add it to my list!

    Reply
  3. The.Restless.Worker says

    14/07/2015 at 03:01

    Bosnia and Herzegovina has been on my travel bucket list for a very long time. Your pictures look absolutely amazing and from the sounds of it this is a great somewhat ‘undiscovered’ travel destination!

    Reply
  4. Samir says

    02/09/2015 at 21:38

    I really can not wait to go back to my home town of Mostar , it’s been 28 years since I’ve Moved from Bosnia. And came to the States, it’s time to go visit .

    Reply
  5. Doreen syrewicz says

    03/09/2015 at 03:11

    Beautiful country

    Reply
  6. Prachi Sharma says

    29/12/2015 at 18:02

    Oh, my goodness! What pictures! totally in love with them.

    I only knew, Bosnia is devastatingly beautiful, but now i know!

    Amazing work, keep inspiring us!

    Reply
  7. michaelamanningtravel says

    10/02/2016 at 11:28

    Wowzer, look at all those colours! 🙂 I really really REALLY want to head here at some point! I love Croatia and Slovenia…

    Reply
  8. Lisa says

    18/02/2016 at 06:16

    This artis is apsolutly amazing…great job girl!! It looks like next vacation spot

    Reply
  9. Jasmina says

    20/02/2016 at 05:24

    This makes me ever so homesick!!! Beautiful photos of a truly beautiful country 🙂

    Reply
  10. Skender says

    20/02/2016 at 19:53

    Great photos 😉
    You are all welcome to beautiful country of Bosnia and Herzegovina!

    Reply
  11. Rima says

    21/02/2016 at 05:34

    Visit Bosna thru @bih_levoyge agency
    Havana a lovely time

    Reply
  12. Faruk Pehlic says

    21/02/2016 at 10:10

    I would already be back in Bosnia I miss my home country it’s a beautiful place next year tho I’m going for sure :)))))

    Reply
    • Nikki. (@LatinaPeligrosa) says

      08/08/2016 at 22:31

      where do you live now tho if you’re outta Bosnia?

      Reply
  13. [email protected] says

    22/02/2016 at 07:55

    Hi dear , thank you very much for great overview of our country. Our recomodation would be to visit also Sarajevo Meeting of Culture http://www.smoc.ba

    Reply
  14. Herminica says

    22/02/2016 at 19:34

    Very nice blog post! 🙂 I would only keep in mind that few of us from BiH like that “Federation of BiH” or “Republic of Srpska” are even mentioned because they are only bad outcomes of the war and stepping on our human rights even only by their existence :/ Otherwise good! 🙂

    If you are btw interested to see more from also rest of the Balkans from the perspective of a refugee from that area who is currently living in Finland, please visit my blog then 🙂 Here are blog posts labelled with BiH-tag. Enjoy!

    http://lolimte.blogspot.fi/search/label/Bosnia%20and%20Herzegovina

    Reply
  15. Ray says

    18/10/2016 at 19:29

    What time of the year can you watch the Mostar bridge jumpers?

    Reply
    • agirlw6_wp says

      22/11/2016 at 11:21

      Hmm it’s in the summer I think but not exactly sure when – have you tried Googling it? 😉

      Reply
    • Irhad Babic says

      28/07/2017 at 16:49

      The traditional ones will happen this weekend (so tomorrow and day after). Red Bull Cliff Diving from the Old Bridge is in September. Not sure which day exactly.

      Reply
      • Irhad Babic says

        28/07/2017 at 16:52

        Just checked. Red Bull Cliff Diving is on September 16th
        https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/red-bull-cliff-diving-bosnia

    • Jay says

      13/02/2018 at 07:57

      Traditional annual jumps are at the end of July and Red Bull Cliff Diving is at the begining of September.

      Reply
  16. Irhad Babic says

    28/07/2017 at 16:51

    Amazing post. Thank you for noticing our strengths and not going hard on our weaknesses :D. If you decide to visit again, hit me up, if I’m available I’ll gladly show/drive you around. I’m in Sarajevo.

    Reply

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