What to Visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a beautiful country situated in the Western Balkans Peninsula. It is a place where eastern and western civilizations met and enriched throughout its long and fascinating history. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country that measures just over 50,000 square kilometers. Have You ever wondered why our country has two words in its name? What is the difference between Bosnia and Herzegovina? Well, here are some answers.
Bosnia
Bosnia is a word derived from an Indo-European word – “bosana” meaning water. This part of our country was mentioned in the 10th century and now it covers the north and central parts of the country. Let’s find out what to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Herzegovina
Herzegovina, ancient Hum, takes its name from the word „herceg“, which was the title of the duke. They ruled the southern part of the region until the Ottoman invasion in the 15th century. The two regions are culturally imperceptible and for much of their history have been united under one government. The land has often felt the influences of stronger regional powers that have scrambled for control over it. These influences have helped to create Bosnia and Herzegovina’s characteristically rich ethnic and religious mix.
This small space opens the extraordinary ability to capture a single glance of four empires. Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian and two kingdoms: Bosnian and Yugoslav. Also three world monotheistic religions: Christianity (Orthodoxy and Catholicism), Islam and Judaism, and different architectural styles. The capital city is Sarajevo, an incredible place in the valley surrounded by four Olympic mountains.
If you wonder where to travel and spend your vacations, we invite you to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are many reasons to experience this small but unique country in Europe.
If you are interested to learn more about the world’s history and visit the spot where was caused The First World War. If you are simply a lover of beautiful nature, Bosnia and Herzegovina are the right countries to visit and take tours from Sarajevo.
Three times during the 20th century, it has been the center of the hall world. The first time was in the year 1914 when in Sarajevo happened the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It is known as the central event that caused World War I. Tour in Sarajevo offers to explore sites of historical significance and to find out if assassinator Gavrilo Princip was a hero or villain more than 100 years later.
WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
The second time of the capital glory was in the year 1984. Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Tours in Sarajevo let you experience the spirit of the Olympics and flashbacks to the 1980s. Visit Sarajevo and find out why it has been declared as the best host of the Winter Olympic Games of all time.
Just eight years later Sarajevo became a city under the longest siege in the modern history of Europe. For the third time was the center of the hall world. The aggressors used force and weapons to destroy everything in the city, even Olympic sites. But the spirit of the city has remained alive and is here again. Despite the dark days of the past, Bosnia and Herzegovina offer many beautiful, unforgettable, and unique experiences in its worldwide known hospitality.
TOURS IN SARAJEVO
Tours in Sarajevo offer to visitors cognitions that in the area of 500 square meters are located four religious sacraments: mosque, catholic cathedral, orthodox church, and synagogue. The walk through the city of Sarajevo is a walk through its history.
TOURS FROM SARAJEVO
A tour to Travnik and Jajce from Sarajevo is a lovely experience where you can explore central Bosnia. It’s the two most beautiful towns.
TRAVNIK
Travnik town for many years served as the capital of Bosnian eyalet. Known as viziers city – in the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Vizier was the prime minister of the Ottoman sultan. Travnik is the birthplace of Ivo Andric, a Yugoslav novelist.
In 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is one of the best-preserved cities. There are 28 protected cultural and historic buildings in this area. It is also known about the lovely short river that we call Plava Voda or Blue Water. The Source of the river is just in the center of this small town. This town traditionally produces Travnik cheese.
A beautiful coffee shop on the corner will serve You the best Bosnian coffee that You can taste. In the same place, Franc Joseph tasted his best coffee paying it with golden coin back then…
JAJCE
Jajce, the capital of the independent medieval Kingdom of Bosnia. A city of stone, light, and water, the royal castle, town-museum under the open sky, was built on the banks of the rivers Pliva and Vrbas. A city with its towers, walls, and fortress which surround the town are interesting to see for everybody.
Once you are there, you get the feeling of the mysterious history of the place. You will rush to get to know it better. The old city of Jajce is a candidate for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The strongest determinant of the city, his trademark, is a magnificent, 18 meters high waterfall. Place where the river Pliva tumbles abruptly into the Vrbas river.
The waterfall decorates the center of the Old Town, which makes this place unique in the world. For sure it will take your breath away. Jajce Fortress with long defensive walls was the stronghold of the town. Former royal capital and the last territorial possession of the Kingdom of Bosnia.
Today it provides breathtaking views of the surroundings and pleasant walks along the ramparts. Jajce is an important city in Yugoslav history. The Second Conference of Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) had held and founded the federal state of Yugoslavia in this city.
VIŠEGRAD
If the curiosity leads you then tour to Visegrad suits your interests. This small town is full of pretty streets but attention is attracted by 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 becomes Grand Vizier. 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 the oriental style. 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 entered in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2007.
IVO ANDRIC
Ivo Andric, Winner of the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature. He wrote the famous novel “The Bridge on the Drina”. It is a historical novel. The story spans about four centuries and covers the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian periods of the region, with a particular emphasis on the lives, destinies, and relations of the local inhabitants.
The Bridge symbolizes strength, permanence, and stability in spite of all disasters. It is amazing what such a building or the river below it goes through during the centuries. We people only live a very short time compared to anything around us. In the long run, the life of one person is nothing compared to history. Andric manages to describe this very well. The river runs smoothly, or sometimes not so smoothly, and so does the history of man. Leaders come and go, war rages, natural catastrophes, the bridge still stands and watches over the lives of the people who cross the river.
EAST BOSNIA
On this tour don’t miss visiting Dobrun Monastery which is located in the picturesque mountainous region, surrounded by rocky hills, and opened towards the gorge of the mountain stream. In the gorge of 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 up. Today there 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 Germans used it as ammunition storage and blew up in 1945 on their withdrawal. Dobrun Monastery was restored in 1946.
HERZEGOVINA REGION
When you are once in Bosnia and Herzegovina take your tour from Sarajevo to the Herzegovina region. Ride and walk through fascinating landscapes, interesting villages and cities, and historical museums. Let your first stop on the tour from Sarajevo be Konjic.
KONJIC
A town was known as The Old Stone Bridge, which connected the banks of the Neretva River for centuries. Discover Tito’s top-secret bunker in Konjic which is a time capsule back to 1950’s Yugoslavia. This is the story of one of the largest and best-kept secrets of the former Yugoslavia. Once a miracle of construction, special, extraordinary, and complex for a special purpose – a secret facility.
It was designed to withstand nuclear war and shelter communist leaders and army generals. It’s a kind of labyrinth, a complex of residential areas, conference rooms, offices, halls for strategic planning, a ‘presidential bloc’, and other sections. There is an interesting fact, that the bunker, designed and built strictly to accommodate a small circle of the elite. It has been reborn and is open to all. As Bosnia was the scene of some of the fiercest battles between the Yugoslav Partisans as well as the Axis Powers during WW2, make your next stop in Jablanica.
JABLANICA
A small village is famous for its bridge and the Battle of Neretva where the Partisans managed to win a very unlikely battle. Nowadays, the destroyed bridge still remains a symbol of wartime sacrifice and difficulties. Enjoy Kravice waterfall on the Trebižat River.
It’s a mini version of Niagara Falls, hidden in the Balkans. Let your tour continue to Pocitelj. The stepped Ottoman-era fortress village of Počitelj is a medieval and Ottoman-Mediterranean wonder of nature and architecture, a place like no other.
BLAGAJ
Cupped in a steep rocky amphitheater, it’s a warren of stairways climbing between ramshackle stone-roofed houses and pomegranate bushes. A haven of peace and natural harmony is The Blagaj Tekke or the Dervish Monastery. It is an important monument of the early Ottoman period in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The monastery has been used by the dervishes in order to perform special rituals. The Blagaj Tekke is situated by the spring of the river Buna, surrounded by beautiful mountains. In the silence of the Dervish house’s garden, cooled by the freshness of the wonderful river with the most spectacular view.
You will understand why Blagaj was the focus of interest of historical personalities, Roman nobility, Ottoman viziers and kadis, Austro-Hungarian officers. Many travelers search for the freshness of the water, the warmth of the sun, and blue skies.
MOSTAR
One of the most important pearls of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Mostar. A city of stone on stone, historical, political, scientific, and cultural center of Herzegovina lies at the foot of the slopes of Velez Mountain, in the Neretva River valley. This is where you will find the famous Old Bridge, built-in 1566 according to plans of Hayruddin, the great Turkish builder of the 16th century.
It is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The beating heart of the city. A strong iconic symbol of its history, one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks. The bridge is 24m high and you will frequently see members of the Mostar Diving Club dive off the bridge. Dating back to the time when the bridge was built.
“When you spend a night in Mostar, it is not the sound that wakes you up in the morning, but- the light. I know this from my own experience. It was the light that welcomed me when I arrived. It followed me from the morning to the evening, and when I left, that light forever stayed in me as the main characteristic of my memories of Mostar…”
NATURAL BEAUTIES
Besides specified attractions and tours from Sarajevo, there are many other places that attract tourists. In the text below we will name some.
Tour to Bijambare Cave and Bosna Springs Park offers You to enjoy the natural beauties of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For sure these destinations will take your breath away.
The living ethnological museum, Lukomir Village where the customs of nomadic tribes and Dinaric highlanders are still practiced. This tour is an important part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s historical, cultural and architectural legacy which is a top rural tourism destination.
A tour to Prokosko Lake offers you the riding experience of your dreams. Through the most beautiful landscapes of Bosnia and Herzegovina and breathtaking destinations.
Fransiscan Monatseries in Kresevo, Fojnica and Kraljeva Sutjeska have much to present to visitors.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a place where everybody is welcome and where even strangers can feel at home.
We are sincerely hoping that this blog post helped you to understand the beauty and the potential that is present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are a really small country that has a lot to offer, and these UNESCO heritage sites, beautiful waterfalls, and nature that leaves you breathless can vouch for that. So, every time you come to Sarajevo, or anywhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina, make sure to read our “Bosnia and Herzegovina” and save time spent on Google searching for interesting and amazing locations you can visit while in our country. Once you experience Bosnia and Herzegovina you would want to come again, we’re sure!
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