The Balkan countries have been through war and unrest but is well on its way to recovery. Bosnia and Herzegovina was caught in the center of this conflict and went through devastation in those days. Nowadays, it is rebuilding itself and travelers are now flocking here for its rich history and beautiful nature. I got to experience the best the country has to offer in a day's time and here are the highlights. A must!
Baščaršija and Sarajevo City Centre
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| Sebilj and square at Baščaršija |
The highlight of Sarajevo for me would have to be at the Baščaršija which is the old bazaar in the city center. The square with the Sebilj fountain is the place to start discovering the area. From here you can venture into the narrow streets filled with souvenir shops and eateries to satisfy your hunger. From there, you can visit the Latin Bridge, which was the site of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination in 1914 which is considered the start of World War 1. Other interesting spots are the clock tower, Gazi-Husrev-beg mosque, among the many mosques there and Gradska Trznica which is a market but looks like an opera theatre.
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| Latin Bridge |
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| Gradska Trznica |
Konjic Bridge
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| Konjic Bridge |
As you drive out of Sarajevo, in the summer, beautiful green hills and mountains surround the country. In between them are small towns that are a delight to visit. Konjic was one of them. We stopped by the Konjic Bridge with its beautiful ottoman architecture. This design is replicated throughout bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina as we see on our journey.
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| View of Konjic town from the bridge |
Broken Bridge at Jablanica
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| Broken Bridge at Neretva River, Jablanica |
Our stop was at a broken rail bridge over the Neretva river in Jablanica. The bridge was blown up during the Battle of Neretva when trying to prevent forces from crossing over. It was actually blown up two more times to be featured in a movie depicting the battle. Now it just lies there going into the river and a museum set up nearby commemorating the events. This part of town has a beautiful mountain in the background giving a nice peaceful feeling to the town.
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| Museum commemorating the Battle of Neretva |
Stari Most in Mostar
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| Stari Most |
Our whole trip was heading towards Dubrovnik so Mostar was our next stop. It is the main city on the Herzegovina region of the country. The most famous icon is the Stari Most, the bridge that links 2 parts of the city, over the Neretva river. Its history includes being used in the rescuing civilians and was once destroyed during the war in the 90s. It was reconstructed and completed in 2004. A popular activity at the bridge in the summer is diving from the center top of the bridge which is done by expert divers. Spectators can watch from above or below by the banks of the river.
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| Souvenirs sold in Mostar |
Dervish Monastery at Blagaj Tekija
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| Blagaj Tekija and Buna river |
Blagaj Tekija is another interesting place to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a Dervish monastery that sits under a cliff and by the source of the Buna river. To think that it was previously used as a religious sanctuary, must've provided the most peaceful environment one requires for prayers. We got to visit the monastery and activities happening in each room. I was also allowed to perform prayers in one of the rooms at the monastery. You can also take a boat ride into the cave at the cliff.
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| A ceiling in one of the rooms at the monastery |
Pocitelj
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| View at Pocitelj |
The next place to visit is the panoramic Pocitelj. It is previously a walled and fortified town which explains a lot of the stone architecture around the town. We walked through a few houses and head towards a viewpoint to take pictures of the town and Neretva river. It was such a beautiful sight. Along the way back, we also met a few of its townpeople. One was even selling figs and dried fruits.
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| Stone houses in Pocitelj |
Kravica Waterfalls
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| Kravica Waterfalls |
We also visited Kravica waterfalls on our way to Dubrovnik. It features multiple waterfalls cascading into a lake below. You'll arrive at the top of the waterfall and have the option of walking down or taking a mini train going down to the base of the waterfall. At the base, you can have picnic, swim in the lake or just admire the beauty of mother nature.
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| Bridge crossing the lake at Kravica |
From Kravica, it was off to Dubrovnik for us, going in and out of the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia twice as a small part of the coast is in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The journey along the coast was also a treat as the sun was setting down over the horizon. A day I'll never forget. Have you been to Bosnia and Herzegovina? How was your trip?
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