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In southern Bosnia-Herzegovina lies a town that you’d swear was ripped straight from the page of a fairytale. That City is Mostar.
Named after its famed bridge, Most = Bridge and Star = Old in Turkish, Mostar may be a small city but it is enchanting at every turn. It took our breath away and we only visited for a day trip by way of Dubrovnik.
Mostar’s Old City (also called “historic town” or “Old Bridge area”) is a UNESCO World Heritage site and also happens to be extremely walkable. It’s filled with an eclectic mix of sights, sounds and smells that will delight you from the moment you arrive until the second you depart.
To help you make the most of your time in Mostar, keep reading for an overview of the city and what you can expect to see and do here. And honestly, if you prefer to arrive in Mostar without a firm plan, this would be the perfect place to just wander and explore to your heart’s content. Let’s explore Mostar!
Don’t have time to read the entire blog? We’ve got you covered! Is Mostar worth visiting? We can’t say it enough or loud enough…YES! This city with its people, places and past is phenomenal. It’s scattered with fairytale magic, dotted with quirky flare (like the bridge divers – more on them below) and layered with laidback vibes. Mostar is sure to leave a lasting impression on you as it did us. You won’t regret spending time here!
If you already know you want to visit Mostar and are looking for the best way to do so, this Kravice Waterfalls, Mostar and Pocitelj Day Tour from Dubrovnik is the way to go! You can’t beat the stress-free transportation, local guide, and additional stops!
But first, a bit of history & geography
Mostar is a place where you can journey back in history to the time of the Ottoman era. You’ll find yourself surrounded by 16th century mosques, towers, houses, and Turkish baths. At the same time, you will find Mostar’s relics from distant times starkly contrasted with visible damage from the Balkan War that caused widespread damage across Mostar in the 1990’s. The city was heavily impacted by the war. Throughout the city you will see some buildings pockmarked by bullet holes which immediately conjures thoughts of the former Yugoslav landscape and history. This is especially evident outside the Old City. Now Mostar and all Bosnia-Herzegovina is a peaceful, small mountainous country on the Balkan peninsula. It’s located on the Neretva River in an area fertile with cypress and fig trees. The Dinaric Alps form the boundary between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, making Bosnia-Herzegovina completely landlocked. It also shares boarders with Montenegro and Serbia.
Now, on to several priceless things you can do and see in Mostar:
Walk Across Stari Most
This iconic “Old Bridge: is truly a sight to behold. Being in the center of Mostar, the bridge is unmissable. The most celebrated bridge in the Balkans, it connects people, cultures, and lands. The bridge’s construction was ordered by of the then Ottoman sultan, Suleyman the Magnificent. It was built in gleaming white stone, designed by Mimar Hayruddin, and completed in 1566. When it was built, Stari Most was considered a technological achievement due to its 98-foot long elegant, curved walkway that was anchored directly into rocky cliffs on either side of the Neretva River. For nearly four centuries the swooping arch bridge stood sturdy and served as a symbol of unity between Muslims to the east and Croats on the west. Then, in 1993, Croat soldiers shelled and damaged the bridge until it collapsed completely into the river below. With international help, including funding from Austria and Turkey sending Spanish and Portuguese engineers, the rebuilt bridge was officially opened in 2004. The reconstruction was also done under United Nations protection. Today it continues to symbolize unique and people among the people.
Anyone can walk across Stari Most. A unique feature or should we say “fixture” of the bridge are the daredevil divers / cliff jumpers who plunge from the top of the bridge into the river 65 feet below. The divers make a silly spectacle of it by donning speedos and cajoling tourists for donations before they make the jump. Oftentimes they won’t take the leap until they have collected at least 50 Bosnian marks – double this in the cold, winter months.
Fun Fact: The Neretva River is one of the coldest rivers in the world!
Browse the bazaar
On either side of the Stari Mostar bridge you will find fantastic shopping – bazaar style! Kujudziluk (“Gold Alley”) bustles with trinket sellers. This lively strip or marketplace is full of restaurants, cafes and shops. On Kujund Ziluk street you’ll find beautiful rugs, prayer mats and carpets in arabesque design alongside metal craft souvenir shops. The metalworking is impressive and often done by small metalworkers in clutter shops. Household items such as coffeepots, trays, bowls, and jewelry are some of their specialties. Be sure to carry cash with you if you plan to do a bit of shopping. Some shops and most restaurants or shops selling food and drink of some kind do tend to accept credit cards.
On our drive to Mostar our driver said: “You may run into gypsies here, but they aren’t bothersome. They are just trying to stay alive.” Gypsies, known as Roma, are a small minority that continues to exist in Mostar. Know that you may see people of Roma descent asking for money or peddling trinkets throughout the Old City, but you will not be confronted in any way or made to feel uncomfortable. At least that was our experience and its commonplace in cities especially in those popular among tourists. Speaking of tourists, if you plan to visit Mostar in the summer be prepared for hordes of day trippers.
Climb to the top of a minaret
Looking for the best views of Mostar? Look no further than the Koski Mesmer Pasha Mosque. Built in 1618, it is open to the public for a small entrance fee that includes access to the minaret, mosque, and small gardens. The climb to the top of the minaret can be claustrophobic at times but you’ll be rewarded with epic, sweeping views of the city from the top! This was probably my favorite part of our visit to Mostar. Pictures are allowed.
For all the women out there planning to visit the mosque, if your legs are not covered you will be asked to cover your legs with a wrap skirt covering prior to entering the mosque.
Enjoy traditional Bosnian cuisine
Sampling local Bosnian cuisine is a must in Mostar. You’ll find many amazing restaurant venues scattered throughout the Old City, especially on Kujudziluk Street (“Gold Alley”). Open-air seating along the river to rooftop terraces overlooking the Balkan architecture – you’ll find both in Mostar and so much more including more traditional, indoor establishments.
In Bosnian culture, lunch is the most substantial meal of the day with most people eating around 2 pm.
The food is heavy on meat, potatoes and bread which is similar to other Balkan countries. An excellent vegetarian dish is Devec – traditional Bosnian vegetable stew with rice. The Boasnian version of fast food is Cevapcici (CHAY-VAHP-chee-chee) or cevapi (che-VA-pee) for short. It is a sausage made of ground lamp, lots of spices and grilled onions. It is often served with a thick pita bread called somun (SO-moon).
Tucking into traditional Bosnian cuisine was a special experience for both of us as it was the first time either of us had ever tried Bosnian food.
Kajtaz House
The Kajtaz House is a site we missed, and we wish we hadn’t. It’s a UNESCO site and the oldest house in Mostar. It was once a harem (women’s) section of a large 16th century Turkish style house. We hear it is full of original artifacts and can be perused in a short amount of time.
Travel to Mostar
The main airport in Bosnia – Hercegovina is the little but busy Sarajevo International Airport which is about 2.5 hours from Mostar. You can also travel to Mostar by way of Dubrovnik which is about a 4-hour drive but can be much longer depending on the time of year you make the trip. It can take a while at the border crossing as well. Mostar does have its own airport, but the only year-round flight service is from Zagreb on Croatia Airlines.
If you plan to travel to Mostar by way of car, you will also find various vineyards and wine rest stops scattered across the southern Croatian countryside on the route to Mostar. One we stopped at was Winery Deak in Raba, Croatia. Yes, local wines are available but so are wonderful coffees and croissants plus the view is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Plus, they have nice, clean restrooms!
A nearby regional gem: Kravica Waterfalls
Located on the Trebižat River near the Croatian-Bosnia boarder you will find an unreal, Disney-esque place lush with greenery and sparking waterfalls. Sometimes referred to as the “Bosnia mini-Niagara”, these falls are only a 45-minute drive from Mostar and a very popular day trip from Dubrovnik.
The best part about these broad, 25 meter-high waterfalls is you can swim in them! However, the water is quite cold year-round. You can also rent a canoe in the summer months and paddle around the cold waters if you prefer. We both knew we would regret not taking the plunge at the falls so we both went for it and can confirm the water was freezing cold, we lasted maybe 5 minutes and we were the only two in the water during our 2-hour visit to the falls. In the end, it was worth every goosebump!
While there are some changing facilities on-site, there is no shade near the falls so be sure to bring an umbrella or plan to sit at the restaurant if you are looking for shade. The summer can see big crowds as well which might make your plan to grab a shaded spot at the restaurant tricky.
To access the falls, you must do a little “hike” down 0.25 miles. The hike is steep as you must get just over 400 feet down from the parking lot and main entrance. This hike is over rocks that can get quite slippery when wet. We recommend you wear shoes with good traction for this part of the visit. You can change into water shoes or sandals once you arrive by the falls.
Is it worth visiting Kravica Waterfalls?
Yes! The views are stunning and its proximity to Mostar and Dubrovnik make it an ideal day trip. It allows you to see a slice of Bosnia- Herzegovina’s natural beauty and if you jump into the falls, it provides you with a truly memorable experience.
If you’re anything like us, Mostar will tug on your heartstrings and never quite let go. We didn’t know exactly what to expect before arriving here and things worked out wonderfully but if we had gone into our day trip more prepared, we would have been able to see more of the city’s beauty both inside and outside of the Old City. We hope this post inspires you to consider travels to Mostar or helps you firm up your future Mostar plans. Happy travels or as they say in Bosnia, “sretna putovanja!”
~ Justin + Alyssa
Loved your description of Mostar. I still haven’t visited it even though it is not far
So glad you enjoyed our description of this beautiful place. We hope you will be able to experience it firsthand one day soon especially because you are relatively close to it!
Looks like a wonderful place to visit, enjoyed your photos and the story of your adventures as well as learning about this town.
Thank you so much for giving this post a read! Glad you enjoyed the photos and hearing about our Mostar adventures.
Wonderful being able to revisit magical Mostar through your eyes as we toured the area about ten years ago. Your description of it as being like a fairy tale was spot on. I hope others also discover the beauty of Mostar thanks to your post.
Thanks, Annie! Why am I not surprised you have had the chance to experience Mostar 🙂 It was a lot of fun to write this post and we hope it will shine a light on this magical place / encourage others to travel here.
Your excitement writing the Mostar post came through loud and clear not surprisingly as the city is one many more people should be encouraged to visit.
Looks like a great place to visit!
It really left a strong impression on us. If you ever get the chance to travel to Mostar, we hope you do!
Wonderful place 💓
So glad you think so too!
Another step along your zodiac path…
Oooo I like the sound of that. Tell me more!