There are so many things to say about Mostar and Bosnia, a destination I’ve been dreaming of for years. Delicious Veg food, great wine, breathtaking landscapes…
But here I want to tell you something you have to know before leaving, that will help you to enjoy at best your Mostar Experience.
Balkans are great, but there are some aspects that make them different than other most popular areas of Europe and interestingly far from our limited imaginary.
Here are my tips before you leave for Mostar, Bosnia.
#1 – Comfortable and OLD shoes.
I love old shoes: leaving with old shoes is better than with new ones because they know your feet and your way of walking. This particularly applies when it comes to villages like Mostar.
In Mostar, for shoes being comfortable is not enough. For me, ballerinas are very comfortable but if I had traveled with this type of shoe I would have had them holed at best, the tendons of my legs inflamed forever at worst .
Mostar is slipy! The stones that form the streets of the beautiful old town are as poetic and characteristics as dangerous.
The most suitable shoes are tennis shoes or boots with rough soles, ankle boots, hiking shoes but preferably NOT new (as they have a too smooth sole).
#2 – Also visit the surroundings
The interesting part of Mostar is the old town, very small, so you can visit it in one day and the others you can make this place yours by creating your own rites, such as observing people on the old bridge, sipping Turkish coffee, drinking local Blatina wine, looking at the landscape in the different moments of the day, with different colors and shades.
But after a few days it is good to start exploring around.
In most hotels you can find small guides with tour suggestions for Blagaj, Kravice waterfalls, Sarajevo.
You can also enjoy great “wine tours” in the local cellars and vineyards. Ask to your accomodation’s managers to book a tour for you, they’ll surely be kind and do this.
Tours are very cheap: 20-25 euro per person for small groups (3-5 paople), 30-35 euros if alone or in pairs.
I chose a “do it yourself” tour to Sarajevo, taking a bus from the station (less that 3 km from the old town, 5 euros with a cub).
I chose the bus because, mindful of my whereabouts in Serbia, I know that by bus you can see more slices of local life.
A kind and unlively bus travel partner, renamed Petreckteck by me, told us that we were right and that it’s better to avoid the train because “the train is terrible.” Even the hotel managers recommended us the bus, but I didn’t get the reason.
The fact is that even the bus trip is tough stuff: Mostar-Sarajevo are 145 km and with the local bus it takes 3 hours of uphill bends in the woods (actually, the stops are in tiny villages and even in deep forest).
All this, without any pause to pee. So, I am assuming that I’d do it a thousand times again, I’d recommend you not to drink too much before embarking on this trip, that I would not recommend to girls with menses.
#3 – Alcohol free places
Both Sarajevo and Mostar have many observant Muslim inhabitants, and they also run restaurants and pubs. So if you want to drink a beer or a glass of wine be sure that the place you choose serves alcohol because somewhere they don’t. If in doubt, just ask. They will say, “Yes we serve alcohol” or “no, we don’t” always with great kindness.
#4 – They all speak English
Everybody speaks English. Paradoxically it is even more difficult to communicate in English here than in the bigger Sarajevo. This is because Sarajevo is not just a tourist town, and much of the working class just has some memory of German language, while good part of Mostar business comes from tourism.
#5 – Mind the humidity
Mostar looks like a magic place! A riot of labyrinthine paths with unique views, all coiled around a river (Neretva) which is constant music of the place.
Poetry aside, if you suffer from cervical pains and headackes, wear a hat in the evening, because even if the day is warm and climate is mild until mid November, in the evening humidity rises and it’s colder.
#6 – If you need a good accomodation…
I was in Villa Nadin and heartily recommend it to everybody. Quaint but classy, never kitsch. Beautiful rooms, beautiful garden and nice common room. Always clean, the managers are really kind and will alwys be helpful.
All for now. I tidy my memories up and I’ll be back to you.
25 Comments
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rosa
Vorrei andare anche io in bosnia.
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Trisha Velarmino
Your photos of the old bridge and old town area really impressive. This place is really unique, full of history and heritage of different cultures. Would love to take a walk around, visit church and mosques and some of the museums. Thanks for sharing some tips! It’s really helpful.
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Tiina A
Mostar has been on my list! Thanks for these tips. It’s not so far away where I live but never visited Bosnia – just heard stories from it.
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Fatima
These are some fabulous tips for anyone visiting Bosnia. Glad you’ve also shared about the accommodation.
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Dreammerin
Thank you so much for all these tips! It looks like an amazing place to visit! I would love to visit this place!! On my bucket list!
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Laura
I loved Bosnia. Mostar was amazing, especially watching people jump and having lunch by the river.
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Cathy
Great tips, those stones do look tough on your feet. I love how affordable the tours are, sounds like a great way to go.
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noel
This is on my list of places to visit in Eastern Europe, I would love to see this in 2017 and hopefully go back to Europe and this region for more extensive travel
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Jenn and Ed Coleman
Good shoes are the travelers best friend. You often find yourself, not only walking further, but also over a mariad of different surfaces. What’s worse is that a single slip, fall or blister could cut your trip short. Stay upright my friend.
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Tracey
Bosnia is on our list to visit in 2017 and now I want to start in Mostar! It looks absolutely idyllic. Great tips, interesting that English speaking is so prevalent. I love beautiful old cities that are compact but loaded with great things to see, do, and eat. Mostar sounds like a place my family will love visiting.
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Drew
We spent 4 days in Mostar last month, and fell in love with it. Definitely agree on the stones. Especially crossing Stari Most, those rocks were incredibly slippery. I can only imagine the number of tourists who slip and fall every day, especially after it has rained! We also did a tour with iHouse travel about the rise and fall of Yugoslavia, which took us to some hidden places, right around old town, that we never would have found on our own, including a abandoned public park and former underground military bunker that housed fighter jets. Super interesting.
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Kavey
I’d really like to visit Mostar. From what I’ve seen on TV / online it looks like a charming place with some wonderful history and architecture. Like you I love to get out of town to the countryside and smaller places nearby too. Definitely on my list!
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Eugenia
I never thought Mostar would be so wonderful, you managed to capture amazing photos! I am also glad to hear that people do speak English here, I am sure any tourist will appreciate it! Thanks for introducing me this amazing place, hope one day I can visit it too! 🙂
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Ana De- Jesus
It is a good idea to wear comfortable shoes especially when you are exploring. You can enjoy the surroundings far more.
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