Notice: Our current WhatsApp number is out of use due to a technical issue. Please contact us at the new number: +38761250494
- Quick navigation
(69 reviews)
- Duration: 10 hours
- Max people: 8
- Medium difficulty
- Min age: 0+
- Pickup: Sarajevo
- Drop-off: Sarajevo
Tour overview
The Visegrad, Andricgrad, and Drvengrad tour from Sarajevo is a full-day tour from Sarajevo that includes visits to some of the most interesting places in Eastern Bosnia and Western Serbia.
You will see the UNESCO-protected Old Bridge of Visegrad and an amazing architectural and cultural complex – Andricgrad. You will visit one of the oldest monasteries in Bosnia – Dobrun Monastery and enjoy discovering an amazing ethno village – Drvengrad. In the end, you will have an unforgettable experience – the Saragan Eight Train ride.
-
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This tour includes a visit to Drvengrad, a small town located in Serbia, and crossing the border requires a passport.
Tour pricing
Single ticket
75€/per person
Tour timetable
- Departure & return location: Meet Bosnia Tours agency – at the crossroads of Gazi Husrev Begova 75, Mula Mustafe Bašeskije, Sarajevo 71000, or we can pick you up at your hotel. (See on maps)
- Departure time: 08:00 AM
Tour highlights
- UNESCO protected Visegrad Old Bridge
- Explore Andricgrad
- Dobrun Monastery
- Explore Andricgrad
- Sargan Eight train ride
Itinerary
Visegrad
After a 2-hour ride from Sarajevo, we arrive at Visegrad – a small town in the eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the valley of the Drina River, in the hilly slopes gently rising high into the mountains, over 1000 meters high. This town is full of pretty streets, but we will dedicate our visit to the Old Stone Bridge, the endowment of Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic.
He is one of the great Ottoman military leaders of Bosnian origin. At the peak of his power, he becomes Grand Vizier or the Prime Minister by today’s standards. In the ascendant of his powers, he ordered that the most beautiful bridge must be built in Visegrad on the Drina River. The main architect of the bridge was Mimar Sinan, the greatest architect of the Ottoman Empire. It was built in 1577. in the oriental style.
The Old Stone Bridge
The bridge itself has 11 stone arches, a big stone portal and a sofa in the middle. The sofa looks like a square stone bench, where you can sit and enjoy the scenery. It is a masterpiece of architecture in that era. The Bridge is one of the most important national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2007.
The bridge and its amazing history are described in the book “The Bridge on the Drina”, for which its writer, Ivo Andric, won the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature. This famous bridge symbolises strength, permanence, and stability in spite of all the disasters that have happened in this region.
Leaders come and go, war rages, natural catastrophes happen, but the bridge still stands and watches over the lives of the people who cross the river – that is something Andric describes in his novel in a majestic way.
Andricgrad
Just nearby this famous bridge is another tourist attraction – Andricgrad (Andrictown), also known as Kamengrad (Stonetown).
Andricgrad is a project of a famous film director, Emir Kusturica, inspired by the works and characters of the mentioned famous writer, Nobel prize winner, Ivo Andric. It is a tourist, cultural, administrative and educational complex, situated on a peninsula between the rivers Drina and Rzav in Visegrad.
It is actually a vision of how Visegrad would have looked if the Renaissance and other historical periods had not gone by it. In architectural terms, the city itself is a mix of different eras and styles that have changed through the history of this area: the Byzantine style, the Ottoman period, the Renaissance and classicism.
Some of the main objects of Andricgrad are the Ivo Andric Institute, the Memorial House, the Centre for Slavic languages, Fine arts Academy, the Town Hall, Renaissance theatre, multiplex cinema, souvenir shops, coffee bars and much more. Andrictown was officially opened for visits in June 2014.
Dobrun Monastery
Before we cross the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, we will visit the Dobrun monastery. Dobrun Monastery is located in the picturesque mountainous region, surrounded by rocky hills and open towards the gorge of the mountain stream, in the gorge of the Rzav River with numerous springs and fertile fields and pastures.
It is dedicated to the Annunciation and was built in 1343 by Duke Pribil and his sons Stefan and Petar. It was entirely fresco-decorated. The most important frescoes preserved today are scenes of Tsar Dusan and his wife Jelena, and their son Uros, as well as the founder’s composition of Duke Pribil and his sons and son-in-law Stano.
About the building and the early history of Dobrun Monastery, there are no reliable records, as there are rare existing records. It is only known that Dobrun Monastery was the Metropolitan seat. Dobrun Monastery was restored by Despot Stefan Lazarević and Princess Milica. Sometimes, at the turn of the 18th and the 19th century, Dobrun Monastery was deserted.
During its history, Dobrun Monastery was several times destroyed and rebuilt. Dobrun Monastery experienced its worst destruction during the Second World War when the Germans used it as ammunition storage and blew it up in 1945 on their withdrawal. Dobrun Monastery was restored in 1946.
Drvengrad
We will finish the tour by visiting the third-place – Ethno Village Drvengrad. Drvengrad means wooden town, and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. Everything is made of timber from conifer trees. The village is also known by the name Kustendorf, which means “a coastal village”. It is located in the Zlatibor region in the nature park Mokra Gora, in Serbia. It’s a traditional village, built by the mentioned film director Emir Kusturica.
This project started with a few houses built as scenery for shooting Kusturica’s movie “Life is a Miracle”. But soon after, a concept of making something “out of ordinary” gained traction, and the few initial wooden huts mushroomed into a sophisticated ethno-village complex.
Drvengrad is also a traditional village in its shape and structure: it is of rectangular shape, surrounded by a wooden fence, with the entrance gate placed at one end of its long axis and the main street extending to the other end, where a small church with a wooden belfry is situated.
In the village centre, there is a square paved with wooden blocks and sleepers, surrounded by authentic log cabins brought to the village from the surrounding area.
While visiting you can see some beautiful art at the gallery “Macola“, Orthodox church dedicated to St. Sava, pay a visit to the library, watch movies at the cinema house “Underground”, eat some delicious homemade cakes from the cake shop, go to the bar to enjoy some jazz music, have a hot drink in the amazing atmosphere of the café “The Damned Yard”.
You can try local and international cuisine at the restaurant “Visconti”, or go to the National Restaurant “Lotika”, where you can find some of the best dishes in Serbian cuisine. There is a display of restored old cars throughout the streets, which adds to the antique feel.
Drvengrad was inaugurated in 2004. After receiving the Philippe Rotthier European Architecture award in 2005, Drvengrad was pronounced the best architectural achievement in Europe in the previous 3 years. The village gained the status of a 4-star town hotel complex.
Since 2008, every year the village hosts the Kustendorf Film and Music Festival. With so many attractions in this small village, it is difficult to leave disappointed. Kusturica has built a cosy little piece of heaven where everyone can find some relaxing distractions from their everyday life.
Sargan Eight Train
Also, near Drvengrad, you can enjoy the train Nostalgia. Sargan Eight is an old-fashioned narrow-gauge railway. Its construction was finished in 1925. Unfortunately, the narrow-gauge railways were no longer used from the ’70s in Yugoslavia, so this part of the railways in Mokra Gora and Nostalgia Train that we have preserved today represents a major tourist attraction. You are going to enjoy the beautiful scenery on this ride that you will certainly remember.
If you are interested in old architecture, or you travel across Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, you should definitely visit Visegrad, Andricgrad and Drvengrad.
Included
- Licensed guide
- Transportation
- AC equipped vehicle
- Hotel pick-up
- Hotel drop-off
- Luggage handling: you may bring it with you on the tour, or securely store it for free at our office during the day.
Excluded
- Entrance fees for Drvengrad (3€ per person)
- Sargan train (1.200 RSD - Serbian dinar or 10€ per person. Payable with card or cash)
- Private tour
- Private expenses
- Food & beverages
What to bring on tour
- Passport & Visa (if required)
- Local Currency (BAM - Convertible Mark)
- Travel Insurance
- Adapter & Charger
- Mobile Phone
FAQ
You can book directly through our website, contact us via email or phone, or visit our office in Sarajevo. We are happy to assist with any inquiries and help you plan your perfect trip!
Yes, we provide private drivers and guides for a more personalized experience. Let us know your preferences, and we will arrange the best option for you.
Visa requirements depend on your nationality. Many travelers from the EU, the US, and several other countries can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Please check with your local embassy for specific details.
Pack according to the season. Comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and a small backpack for day trips are recommended. Don’t forget essentials like travel adapters and personal medication.
Tipping in Bosnia is appreciated but not mandatory. In restaurants, rounding up the bill or leaving a 10% tip is common. Tipping tour guides, drivers, and hotel staff is also customary depending on the service quality.
Reviews
Anne T
Had a fabulous day in East Bosnia and West Serbia. My guide Amir was informative, very knowledgeable and was great company. We spent the day laughing at Kevin Bridges as we drove through the countryside. All of the locations we visited were beautiful and interesting but of course tinged with sadness because of the events of the war. A poignant day. I met some warm, friendly, hospitable people and I hope to go back some day.
Corokke
My husband and I wanted to visit the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, and selected this tour to take us there. It was a great choice, as our guide Amir was informative, entertaining, empathetic, and so patient with us! It felt like we were travelling with a family friend, and I can’t recommend him enough. I booked this with no knowledge beforehand of any of the other spots, and it was very interesting to see quirky locations that I never even knew existed. The train ride at the end of the day was especially fun – the scenery full of fall colors and brisk air was very refreshing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kavin K
I didn’t really know what to expect going into the tour, only that we were going to stop in Visegrad to see the famous bridge. First off our guide Amir was extremely personable and knowledgeable about everything in BiH. I learned so much about the country’s complex and troubled history and current situation. Just being able to talk to Amir during the trip is worth it! That being said, I enjoyed most of the sights on the tour, with Andricgrad the exception, as it’s just a strange place 😂 The train ride was a fun surprise, touristy but still enjoyable. Recommended!
Susan S
Edi was the perfect guy. His knowledge of the history, the culture and the day-to-day life brought the story alive. I highly recommend this tour.
Diego
Thanks to our tour guide Armina for being so lovely and providing us with such a memorable experience. She was so kind and her knowledge of the area was really helpful.
Articles to read
from 75€/per person
Choose a date
Every tour can also be organised as a private tour. For private arrangements, contact us by email at
info@meetbosnia.com
or via WhatsApp at
+387 61 240 286
.
Tour map
or