Day in Mostar and Sarejevo

My journey to Bosnia didn't go to plan - but lets be honest, when do plans go exactly the way you want them to?

I was expecting to catch the first coach from Kotor old town to Dubrovnik in Croatia at 14:00 but the bus was already over 1 hour later than expected and getting through the border control point also took over 45 minutes. With only a 15 minute coach change in Dubrovnik, I had missed my interchanging coach to get me to Mostar.

This put a spanner in the works which meant that I had to spend a night in Dubrovnik before catching the next days 16:00 coach to Mostar which meant that I had lost a day in Bosnia.

I miraculously found a cheap lodge that had some availability only 10 minutes away from the coach station so I booked a room for the night which only cost me around £30 for the night.

The hosts of my Airbnb in Mostar were extremely understanding and even refunded me the money for one night from my stay in their accomodation which funded the change of plan.

So I spent the night watching the sunset over the Dubrovnik mountains and bay, ordered myself a chinese through Glovo and had myself an early night.

The next day was a day wasted unfortunately due to the only coach from Dubrovnik to Mostar being at 4PM so I checked out of the lodge, got a bus to the Dubrovnik station and found a pub / restaurant closeby the eat and drink whilst waiting for the bus.

The bus took approximately 3.5 hours to get to Mostar and I was so relieved to get to the Airbnb.

This is where I stayed for the duration of my time in Bosnia.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/19386504?source_impression_id=p3_1728843327_P3iAczhZMpvIyR7O

Price: £116.83 for 3 nights / £38.94

Things to see and do

I always wanted to visit Mostar on a day tour when I was in Dubrovnik, but time and money dependencies meant I had to save this trip for another time and I'm glad I waited to have 2 days here. On first impressions when arriving into Bosnia, I was a little scared about the vibe / atmosphere of the city. I had been told before visiting that there are a lot of un exploded trip mines from the Bosnian war left, however these are likely to be off the beaten track rather in and around the main city. By night it may feel a little scary but during the day it is beyond beautiful.

The Museum of War and Genocide Victims

This museum gives you a real insight into the events of the Bosnian war and what the vitims had to go through during the years of the war, allowing you to learn and understand about the armed conflicts that took place between 1992 and 1995. It's pretty sad and heart wrenching.

Stari Most (Old Mostar Bridge)

The most known destination for tourists due to its importance in history. During the last war, Croatia bombed and destroyed the wall that was 400 years old where they claimed that Muslims were using it to transport military equipment. After the war, the locals of Mostar rebuilt the bridge and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site linking Muslims and Christians of the city.

The bridge provides some unique and beautiful picturesque photo oppurtunities.

Walk around the Old Town and general city

As you walk around the Mostar Old Town, you will see that there are many Turkish and Ottoman influences. If you are looking for souvenirs, there are many shops selling turkish coffe sets, metal works, quality jewelry pieces, Morrocam style lamps and turkish Delight box sets.

Walking round the rest of the city, you become to understand the after effects of the Bosnian war that detroyed so much of the city as there are many buildings abandoned and still knocked down from before the war.

Take a Speed Boat ride underneath the bridge and down the Nereteva River

At a price of only 15 Bosnian Marks, I don't see how this experience would go amiss. You get a 20 miniute ride up and down the Neretva river underneath the Mostar Bridge and see the bridge and viewpoint from a different perspectve. I got pretty lucky with Adi who gave me an extra 10 minute ride and he was pretty chatty and open with me regarding the history and best things there are to see and do in Mostar.

Kriva Cuprija (Crooked Bridge)

Another ancient bridge in Mostar which can be seen from the Old Bridge, which crosses a right bank affluent of the Neretva River. The bridge is a stone one-arch bridge of small dimension and closely resembles that of the Stari Most.

Whilst walking over it you may be lucky to come across some Bosnian wildlife, LIZARDS!!!

I was lucky enough to see 5 just all together.

Koski-Mehmed Pasha Mosque - Mostar 360 Viewpoint

The Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque in Mostar represents another extraordinary piece of Ottoman architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Besides the Karadzoz Bey Mosque, this is the most known and most monumental mosque in Mostar.

The inside of the mosque was stunning however, going up the spire of the tower to the 360 viewpoint of Mostar is not for one if you're chlostrophobic or have a fear of heights.

The views at the top were surreal however my fear of heights hit me like a ton of bricks, especially with the narrow stairwell leading up to the top.

Zip Line Fortica

Cost: 50 BAM (£21.41)

After wandering round Mostar for a couple of hours, I waved down a taxi driver to take me to the top of Fortica Hill where they have a zipline experience available that allows you to zip through two mountains faced opposite each other.

He was a lovely gentleman, and didn't charge me more than the best part of £20 to go up to the top, wait for me to have my experience and bring me back down to central Mostar and was very friendly.

Unfortunately, because of the risk of losing my phone being high I couldn't take any photos during the zipline but look at the views from the top, I'm sure you can find some Youtube videos on how it looks but it was an incredible experience.

Sarejevo

How to get to Sarejevo from Mostar

There are 3 ways you can get to Sarejevo from Mostar.

1) Train Time: 06:36 Cost: 14.10 BAM Single My personal reccomendation! Although I did sleep in and had no choice but to get the Bus in the morning but the train ride back was phenominal.

There are two trains that go to Sarejevo from Mostar every day however if you only want to see the city for one day then the 06:36 train is the one you will have to go for as the last train back to Mostar is at 16:49 the same day, unless you want to stay in the capital then there is also a train that departs at 17:09

2) Bus Times: 08:00 > 10:40 Cost: £12.87

The second option is via Bus which takes just over 2.5 hours and takes you through the mountains and a similar route to the train just by road rather than train track. Chances are you may see the train whilst you're on your way to the Bosnian capital coming back the other way.

3) Taxi

Cost: £70-£85

The last alternative is via taxi, however, I wouldn't advise this as it is relatively expensive although if you have some disposable income then it'll get you there much faster than the train or the Bus.

Whilst I was in Sarejevo, I believe you only really need a day here to get a feel of what it's like to stay here, I personally didn't feel that there was much to see and do besides your typical high street shopping or have a coffee or a bite to eat in one of the many parks.

Baščaršija

I highly recommend starting your trip to Sarajevo with a wander around the old bazaar to get a feel of the city. As you walk down Ferhadija street, just a few steps away from the flat, you’ll find an inscription on the tiles that says “Sarajevo – Meeting of Cultures”. It marks the place where the main two cultures shaping the city’s character merge.

Latin Bridge

I remember learning about this place during history lessons when I was at school. Latin Bridge is the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie on 28 June 1914, which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I. Interestingly enough, the killer by the name of Gavrilo Princip is generally considered a terrorist by Bosniaks and Croats, and a hero by many Serbs.

If you weren’t actively looking for this place, it’s really easy to miss. All that’s left to commemorate the events of 1914 now is a small plaque to mark the exact location where the assassination took place. It wasn’t always this way, though. The Austro-Hungarian monarchy built a monument dedicated to Franz Ferdinand and his wife, but it was removed when Yugoslavia was established.

Trebević Mountain

You can also take a cable car to the top of Trebević Mountain, which was used for some of the events of the 1984 Winter Olympics. It’s one of the most important symbols of Sarajevo – before the siege, it was one of the most popular hangout spots among the locals. When the Siege of Sarajevo started, it provided refuge from the billows of smoke that filled the

city until the so-called “Lungs of Sarajevo” were completely destroyed during the Bosnian War.