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13 nights in Bosnia & Herzegovina Sept, 2023

Anyone who reads my reports has figured out by now I probably spend more time than the average tourist when I am traveling. So once again, take my times with a grain of salt.

2 nights Banja Luka;
2 nights Jajce;
3 nights Mostar;
6 nights Sarajevo

I flew in to Banja Luka from Belgrade. While not the most efficient trip, I needed to put my 4 nights in Belgrade between Montenegro and Bosnia because I wanted to ride the Bar-Belgrade train through the mountains - and I made it on the last day train of the season in mid-September (night trains continue year-round, I think). I actually rode Podgorica-Belgrade, so I missed the Bar-Podgorica section, which I hear is really beautiful. Cost was €23.

2 nights Banja Luka: Banja Luka’s airport is so small, there is no baggage carousel. I was actually out and in front of the building when I realized there was no more opportunity for “through the next door” to find my suitcase! I am still not sure where I should have claimed it, but I THINK out on the tarmac right off the plane.

Stayed: Hotel Vidovic

Did: arrival day - wandered the town, walked through the fort, and ate dinner at the restaurant on the walls by the river.
On my one full day I had a guided walking tour of the town, a great traditional meal, and lucked into a free concert/performance at the cultural hall, which turned out to be half singing and half spoken story-telling (in Serbian) accompanied by a classical pianist. Both performers were professors at a university in Kosovo. I didn’t understand a word but was not bored one minute of it.

2 nights Jajce: Jajce is a small town on the Pliva River, whose claim to fame is the beautiful waterfall in town and lake just outside town. I think it must be a much busier place in the summer, with lots of great outdoor activities, but I was just a little late in the season to witness that (no problem for me).

Stayed: Apartment Vodopad

Did: On the way, I stopped at Krupa Waterfalls, Krupa Serbian Orthodix Monastery, and (almost in Jajce) Mlinčići, which is a small park full of former water mills, with streams running swiftly underneath.
On my full day, I slept late, sat on my balcony which looked directly at the river, and wandered through town.

3 Nights Mostar:

Stayed: Muslibegovic House. Several here have mentioned it and I have wanted to stay since I first looked it up. It is a family home turned hotel/museum and is run by the 9th generation of family. Not damaged in the war, the construction and many furnishings and decorative elements are still from the days of the Ottomans.

Did: On the way, we did a wander off-road looking for the wild horses at Livno. Instead we found a bridge from the Romans - no road, just a bridge at the end of a path.

Day 1: Old Bridge, Crooked Bridge, Kosice Mehmed Mosque (which you can enter - small admission fee but they provide a long apron and scarf to make sure you are well-covered), the small Museum of War and Genocide, and an evening “free” tour of the city led by a native of Mostar who gave a really in-depth guide to ancient history and more recent history. He was a “Muslim atheist” (I told this to a guide in Sarajevo, who was perplexed) and he tried to give a very balanced account of the 1990’s, having been there for the war in Mostar. I had to leave after 3 hours but he was still answering questions.

Day 2: A guided tour to Medugorje and Kravica Waterfall (which I had missed on my one night stay in 2021).
According to guides from both days, most of the remaining war damage you see in Mostar has less to do with finances and much to do with ownership issues.

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6 nights Sarajevo

Stayed: Hotel Lula right in the old town (lula in Serbian means “pipe” - the hotel is on the small street that used to be home to makers and sellers of pipes.

Did:
On the way I stopped and toured Tito’s Bunker - the area prepared in the side of a mountain just outside Konjic so that Tito and his government would have a safe place as headquarters in case of nuclear war. It was top-secret and for many years, even those who lived nearby didn’t realize what was there. It is now operated with limited hours by the city, who give guided tours. But it is still connected with a military area at one end, hence the limited hours.

Day 1: This was spa day. I had been traveling for almost 5 weeks by this time, so nails, hair, and a massage was a relaxing retreat. I found Allure Beauty Salon online and booked a couple of weeks prior - and was absolutely delighted with the facilities, expertise, and friendly staff.

Day 2: 3/4 day tour of Sarajevo itself, along with the Tunnel of Hope and a trip up the mountain to see the park and remains of the bobsled run from the 1984 Winter Olympics. My guide was 5 when the war came to Sarajevo and had traversed the tunnel several times as a young child. He had personal stories of his memories, as well as stories from his father, in addition to his superb historical knowledge.

Day 3: a drive north to see Srebrenik Fortress. Not everyone is me, with my enjoyment of road trips. So my Days 3 and 4 might not be everyone’s cup of tea - quite a bit of time in the car with interesting destinations that weren’t blockbuster. But the scenery both days was just gorgeous and I liked that part as much as either destination.

Day 4: driving trip to see the Pjescane pyramids, which made me think of a baby Arches Nat’l Park. Virtually no one was at either location when I was. And both were worth seeing. I had a “driver” (same one) both of these days, not a guide. He used to drive higher-ups for the U.N. after the war - we had some interesting conversation.

Day 5: Spa people really wanted to color my hair on Day 1, so I said “why not”. Lol! That occupied my morning and in the afternoon I used Dave’s tip for the 10th floor views at the City View Hotel rooftop cafe and went to The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EARLY the next morning it was off to the airport for my flight to Budapest.

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Summary:

  • This part of my trip was also planned by Dijana Krkotic, www.docleatravel.com. She does not specialize in Bosnia, so mostly did it to make my trip easier for me. She had contacts in 3 different areas, with the contact in Sarajevo being the closest professionally. All my lodging was arranged by her (and she got me the last room at Muslibegovic House, which made me so happy). Her partners arranged all my day trips, as well as drivers from one town to the next.
  • While the first 2 providers were good enough, I would give very high marks to the one in Sarajevo: https://tourmage.ba
  • I opted not to have a car for this part of my trip and was happy with that. I definitely could have taken the bus city to city and then taken day trips to the stops I made between cities, but it seemed like a timesaver to stop while driving past them (and probably close to equal financially if you did the day trip, but I haven’t priced it).
  • Bosnia is not as well-traveled but nowhere I went was dangerous, even though I think that might still be a common misconception.
  • It is long geographically so distances between places were further than in Montenegro.
  • Religion is still key, it felt to me: Serbian Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim. It is just a vague feeling I can’t quantify, but this seemed to be much more important in the areas predominantly Serbian Orthodox, while areas with a larger Muslim population seemed to want to let everyone live in peace together.
  • Duh moment for me as I realized that the language in all 3 of these countries (plus Croatia) is basically Serbian.
  • I was mentally tired when I arrived in Sarajevo and might have picked up and left if it had been possible - but Sarajevo totally charmed me in spite of myself. I really really liked it. For me, 6 nights was not at all too long. I could go back.
Posted by
1548 posts

Great report! So many good tips; makes me want to go back to see the sights we missed!

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4844 posts

Thanks, Carol! It's a beautiful country. I feel like I have satisfied my desire to see most of the country with this long - but I sure don’t feel like I have seen everything Sarajevo has to offer.

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8048 posts

Once again, a great trip report to places that I rarely think about until I read your stories, TexasTravelmom. They sound like beautiful places to visit. Maybe one day, but it's scary when I realize I'm not 30 anymore and don't have as much time.

I always think of another character in a book (yes, for some reason your trip reports make me think of books I've read, lol!); Travis McGee, who was a protagonist in novels by John D. MacDonald. Travis lived on a houseboat and was a "salvage consultant" who took on various assignments to pay the bills. However, his philosophy was that after every assignment, he would take time off to enjoy an early retirement. He firmly believed that retirement should be taken when young, although I'm not sure how practical that is today. 😊 But it's nice work if you can get it...

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4844 posts

Hahaha, Tammy! I would hate for you to miss something! 🤣 I guess today is a busy day on the forum!

Mardee, you are too funny. :) But I know what you mean about realizing time is shorter than it was “a few years ago”. That thought is partially why I am visiting some of these different destinations now. Much of Western Europe is easier and I think I will be able to visit much of it even with a little less mobility. Now seems like a better time to see some of these lesser known places as a solo traveler.

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2791 posts

I was in Sarajevo in 1990s before the war-when it was part of Yugoslavia. I remember going to a mosque there and to the market. I bought a beautiful Turkish style silver coffee pot I still display that my Turkish colleague admonished me for paying too much. I didn’t bargain really because I just wanted it. He told me I need to think of it as a 20% off sale every day!

Thank you for bringing back memories. And I realize what a different world it was that I was traveling in then.

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Tammy, I PMed you! But in addition to what I said, add mobility. Some of these areas are a bit more difficult to see as a solo traveler than places with an extensive good train network. And as I get older, I know I will have less mobility and energy.

Beth, what memories! I wanted to buy ALL the coffee pots and cups. 🤣 Maybe some day you can get back to Sarajevo to compare then and now - I will never have the “before” opportunity. I really liked Sarajevo and could happily spend more time there.

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777 posts

Another great trip report! Sounds like a real adventure! Thanks for posting.

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Hi, TTM! Great travel report. I enjoyed reading about the places you visited -- some crossover with what I visited, but also some sites I did not see. I'm very interested in Banja Luka, the largest city and administrative center of Republika Srpska. The US just put new sanctions on Bosnian Serb leaders: https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/a-defiant-stand-bosnia-s-republika-srpska-and-the-brewing-balkan-crisis/ar-AA1iCJHR

I had a 25-day trip planned for BiH in Sept 2022, but I ended up canceling it due to some family issues. Banja Luka was on that itinerary.

I too liked Sarajevo quite a bit. I was only there a little over 36 hours, so there was much I wanted to do that I did not get to do. Next trip, I guess.

Thanks again for the quite good trip report. I much enjoyed it.

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Thanks, Dave. :) I was particularly interested in Bosnia - and had finished The Bosnia List shortly before my trip. It was a great “back of my mind” reference, as I had various conversations. The general vibe I got in both Serbia and the Republika Srpska was different than in Bosnia or Herzegovina. It is not inconceivable to me to see things get worse in this area. And that is coming from someone who doesn’t really do politics or policies. But I do people….. I think Serbia is serious about Kosova and Orthodoxy. I admit I am glad I moved this trip up to 2023.

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4046 posts

Yeah, The Bosnia List is pretty intense but gives good insight into one family's experience of the Bosnian War. Brčko was on my list of places to visit for the prior 25-day tour.