Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina: The Hidden Gem That Stole My Heart

From Dubrovnik’s beautiful coastline to the cobbled streets of Mostar, a day trip that turned out to be one of our most memorable travel experiences.

Some places are beautiful. Some places stay with you. Mostar managed to do both. 

When I first suggested taking a day trip from Croatia into Bosnia and Herzegovina with our two boys, pretty much EVERYONE thought I’d completely lost the plot.

Including Andy.

“You’re taking the kids to a WAR ZONE?!”

Now, I’d seen the photos. I knew it was going to be beautiful. I’d read the news, knew a little about the country’s troubled history and, if I’m completely honest, wondered whether it might feel a little uncomfortable.

What I wasn’t prepared for was just how much I would fall in love with this place.

And as it turns out, this slightly crazy idea of mine would become one of my favourite travel memories.

Leaving Dubrovnik: The Road to Bosnia

We started our adventure in Dubrovnik, travelling north along Croatia’s stunning Dalmatian coast. If you’ve ever driven along this stretch of coastline, you’ll know just how beautiful it is. Mountains on one side, the sparkling Adriatic on the other, and little towns dotted along the way.

Our first stop was Ston, a gorgeous little Croatian town on the Pelješac Peninsula, famous for its enormous medieval stone walls, historic salt pans and seafood. It’s exactly the sort of place I love discovering. Beautiful, full of character and somewhere you could easily spend a few hours wandering around.

From there, we continued towards the Bosnian border. Now, here’s where things got interesting. Before our trip,

I’d read all sorts of horror stories about the border crossings. Hours of queuing, disorganised checkpoints and painfully slow processes. But we had absolutely NONE of that.

And this brings me to my first travel tip…

Sometimes, paying for a local driver is worth every penny!

Normally, we’re the sort of family who hire a car and head off on our own adventure. We love having the freedom to explore, take random detours and inevitably argue over whose fault it is that we’ve taken the wrong turning. But this time, we’d booked a driver for the day. And what a brilliant decision that turned out to be! Our driver knew all the little local secrets, including which border crossing to use to avoid the busier routes. We sailed through with absolutely no problems. Once across the border, he even knew the perfect little place to stop for a cheeky Bosnian breakfast and a good old-fashioned English tea.

We were off to a very good start!

Into Bosnia: A Completely Different Landscape

Leaving the coastline behind, we headed inland. The scenery began to change. The sparkling Adriatic disappeared, replaced by mountains, huge open farming areas and little villages scattered across the countryside. It was absolutely beautiful, but in a completely different way from Croatia. As we drove, our driver began sharing stories about Bosnia and Herzegovina, its people and its complicated history.

Now, I’m not going to pretend that a day trip made me an expert on the Balkans. Far from it.

But listening to someone who knew the country and its history gave us a perspective we simply wouldn’t have gained from reading the UK news.

We learnt more about the events that led to the war in the 1990s, the different communities involved and the lasting impact on the people who live there. It made us ask questions, challenge some of our assumptions and realise just how much there was to understand. And honestly? This was one of the loveliest things about having a local driver. We weren’t just looking at beautiful scenery. We were learning about the country as we travelled through it.

Mostar: Oh My Goodness, What a Place!

And then we arrived in Mostar.

WOW. Just WOW.

I have been lucky enough to visit some pretty incredible places around the world, but Mostar is genuinely one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Imagine winding cobbled streets, beautiful old stone buildings, little shops overflowing with handmade treasures, colourful market stalls and gorgeous mountain scenery. And then, right in the middle of it all, the spectacular Stari Most, the famous Old Bridge, arching over the most unbelievably turquoise river.

It’s the sort of place where you take a photograph, put your phone away, walk another ten steps and immediately take another photograph because somehow the next view is even prettier. I absolutely LOVED wandering through the little streets, browsing all the beautiful things for sale and soaking up the atmosphere.

And the food! Oh my goodness, THE FOOD! So incredibly good. Fresh, delicious and unbelievably affordable.

In fact, one of the biggest surprises was just how budget-friendly Bosnia and Herzegovina was. The food, the shopping, the whole experience. Such fantastic value.

If you’re someone who loves discovering gorgeous places without spending a fortune, this country should absolutely be on your list.

The Famous Bridge… And Some Very Brave (Or Crazy!) People!

Of course, you can’t visit Mostar without spending some time admiring its famous bridge. Stari Most was originally built in the 16th century, but tragically destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993. It was painstakingly rebuilt and reopened in 2004, and today stands as a symbol of the city’s history, resilience and hope.

But the bridge is famous for something else too…

People actually JUMP off it! 

And not into a lovely warm swimming pool, either. We’re talking about a roughly 24-metre drop into the freezing-cold Neretva River below! Bridge diving is a long-standing local tradition, and there are organised opportunities for visitors to train for a jump under the supervision of experienced divers.

We watched a group practising from lower diving platforms by the river before attempting anything quite as terrifying as the main bridge. Honestly, watching them was enough to make my stomach turn! The boys absolutely LOVED it, though.

Naturally, the idea of throwing myself off an enormous bridge into freezing water wasn’t particularly appealing. I was more than happy to stay on dry land, watch the madness unfold and enjoy the view.

The Part of Mostar That Really Stayed With Me

But beyond the beautiful streets, fantastic food and slightly bonkers bridge jumpers, there was something else about Mostar. Something I still struggle to put into words.

Bosnia and Herzegovina just hits differently.

There are these incredible contrasts everywhere. Beautiful restored buildings sit alongside others still bearing reminders of the war. Bustling streets filled with tourists, shops and restaurants exist against a backdrop of a history that is incredibly painful and really not all that long ago. Yet everywhere we went, the people we met were warm, kind and welcoming. There was no sense of being unwelcome or uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. We felt genuinely lucky to be there. Lucky to walk those streets, listen to the stories and experience this extraordinary place for ourselves. It wasn’t simply that Mostar was beautiful. It was that the beauty meant something more when you understood even a little of what the city and its people had been through. And I think that’s what made it feel so special.

Međugorje: A Place of Faith, History and Humanity

Leaving Mostar behind, we headed to Međugorje, a small town in the Herzegovina region. Our destination was the Church of St James the Greater, Apostle, and this turned out to be another really memorable stop.

For anyone unfamiliar with Međugorje, it became internationally famous in 1981 when a group of local young people reported seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Since then, millions of Catholic pilgrims have travelled here from around the world, making it one of the best-known pilgrimage destinations in Europe. The Church of St James is at the heart of the town and is dedicated to the apostle who is also the patron saint of pilgrims.

Now, you don’t have to be particularly religious to appreciate the atmosphere of this place. There’s a real sense of faith, community and togetherness. And for me, this was also where the country’s recent history really hit home.

We could still see bullet holes in buildings. Actual physical reminders of a war that happened within our lifetimes.

I’d read about the conflict. I’d seen the pictures and news reports. But standing somewhere and seeing those reminders for yourself is an entirely different experience.

It was incredibly sobering.

That’s what I found so remarkable about Bosnia and Herzegovina. A country where reminders of enormous suffering are still visible, yet where we experienced such generosity and welcome. I know a short visit can only show you a tiny part of a country’s story, but what we experienced genuinely touched me. It made the whole day feel like so much more than simply sightseeing.

The Journey Back to Dubrovnik

Eventually, it was time to head back to Croatia. We travelled through the beautiful Herzegovinian countryside, surrounded by mountains, little villages and scenery that seemed to get more spectacular around every corner. The drive itself was wonderful. And, once again, having a local driver meant we could all just sit back, enjoy the journey and talk about everything we’d seen. No map reading. No wrong turns.

No “I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED LEFT!” moments.

A rare achievement on one of our family adventures.

But as we made our way back towards Dubrovnik, I already knew one thing.

We would be coming back to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Because as wonderful as our day had been, we’d barely scratched the surface.

There was so much more countryside to explore, so many beautiful towns and villages we’d driven past, and so much of the country we still wanted to discover.

One day simply wasn’t enough.

My Tips for Visiting Mostar From Dubrovnik

If you’re considering adding Bosnia and Herzegovina to a Croatia holiday, here are a few things I’d recommend:

•  Book a local driver or small-group tour. This was hands down one of our best decisions. Not only did it make the border crossings and driving easier, but we learnt so much more about the country.

•  Allow extra time for the border. We had absolutely no problems, but waiting times can vary considerably. Don’t assume your journey will be as quick as ours.

•  Stop in Ston. It’s a gorgeous little place and well worth including if you’re taking the coastal route.

•  Go

  hungry! The food in Bosnia is fantastic and the prices are brilliant. Make time to enjoy it,

•  Wear comfortable shoes. Mostar’s beautiful cobbled streets are wonderful for exploring, but not quite so wonderful in impractical footwear!

•  Watch the bridge divers. It’s fascinating, a little terrifying and something the kids will love. Leave the jumping to the properly trained professionals unless you’re undertaking a supervised programme!

•  Include Međugorje if you have time. Whether you’re religious or not, it’s an interesting place to visit and adds another dimension to the day.

•  And most importantly, go with an open mind. Don’t let outdated assumptions or somebody else’s worries stop you from discovering somewhere extraordinary.

  
  

Would I Recommend Bosnia and Herzegovina?

In a heartbeat.

It’s beautiful, affordable, fascinating and filled with some of the warmest people we met on our travels.

But more than that, it left me feeling something I don’t often experience quite so strongly when travelling.

A sense of privilege.

That we’d been welcomed into this incredible place, heard a little of its story and been given the opportunity to see it for ourselves. It was humbling, uplifting, beautiful and genuinely unforgettable.

So if you ever get the opportunity to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, GO!

Be the crazy person who books that trip everyone questions.

Be the family who ventures somewhere a little unexpected.

Because that place people worried about you visiting?

It might just turn out to be one of the most incredible places you’ve ever seen.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, you stole a little piece of my heart.

And I promise I’ll be back.