Bosnia and Herzegovina was the most surprising country we visited in former Yugoslavia. It was different than the other countries, as the people were more Islamic, which gives it an interesting culture. The country was way cooler than I expected, and I wish I had stayed longer. It has a difficult recent history, as most of the Yugoslavian War was here. We stayed here short, but we had some perfect things to do:

See the beauty of Mostar

Mostar is a fabulous village with many sights in close proximity to each other. The village is very old because it was founded in 1452, and as you can see, there are still very old buildings. The most famous sight is Stari Most, which is the big bridge that connects both historical centres. This place is a must-do on a trip in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get there: Take a 3.5-hour bus from Dubrovnik. The fantastic train ride with beautiful views takes 2 hours from Sarajevo.

How much time needed: 2 days.

See the beauty of the Derwisj house in Blagaj

This is one of the most beautiful places in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fantastic house is next to the beautiful river and the great mountain. The purpose of this house was for Islamic women who were connected to nature (Dervish). This scenery is fantastic, and the house is great to visit, but the best view is from the other side. Blagaj, in total, is worth visiting.

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: From Mostar the drive was 15 minutes.

How much time needed: 1.5 hours.

Enjoy the old city of Počitelj

The hike to move through the village is rough, and the heat can be rough, but this village is worth visiting. It is unknown when the village was founded, but it was a long time ago. There are several viewing platforms to see the whole town and its surroundings. Especially from the highest point in the corner, a gorgeous view is possible. There is a mosque, some restaurants, and the most obvious building: the citadel.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: It is half an hour drive from Mostar and 40 minutes train from Mostar to Čapljina and take a short ride taxi from here.

How much time needed: 1-1.5 hours

Have a swim at the gorgeous Kravica falls

These are the most beautiful falls in the country, and swimming here is a fantastic experience. The falls are enormous when you are up close. It can be crowded, but you can escape it by swimming. There are restaurants to have lunch at. This is a perfect escape from the summer heat and a relaxing part of the day.

Price: 20 KM

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How to get here: 45 minutes drive from Mostar.

How much time needed: 3 hours.

Extra tip

The Derwisj house, Počitelj, and Kravica falls are a perfect day trip from Mostar, and this is a perfect way to see 3 sights with some explanation at each sight. This is very convenient when you don't have a rental car.

Experience recent history and great vibes in Sarajevo 

Sarajevo is a very interesting city with a centre out of fairy tales, really horrible recent history, and some great other sights. Walking through this city is fantastic. You can find some great museums and see some interesting but heavy sights, which made this city the city that touched me the most during the former Yugoslavia trip.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: A 2-hour scenic train ride from Mostar, but also easily reachable by air and International buses.

How much time needed: 2-3 days.

If you want to know more about Sarajevo, take a look at:

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

We only stayed around 5 days in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I wanted to stay longer. There is so much to see in Bosnia and Herzegovina; we did not see enough, so I won't be an expert. I would definitely advise you to go to Srebrenica to see some very rough history.

Final thoughts

Bosnia and Herzegovina really surprised us in a positive way. The culture, interesting places to visit, and people were perfect ingredients for having a wonderful time in this country. Some stops can be very rough, but this is also included in travelling. 

If you want to know more about former Yugoslavia, check out: