Bosnia and Herzegovina holidays

Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights

Brett Smith from Vamos Travel travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina to discover what could be offered for Vamos Travels discerning customers. Please see his Bosnia Blog below:

Day 1: We arrived in Sarajevo and were transferred to a charming guest house, privately run for many years by a gracious lady called Safija. That afternoon we made a city tour of Sarajevo’s charming old town and tried our first traditional Bosnian coffee accompanied by Turkish delights. The Bosnian’s love their coffee and are reputedly bigger coffee addicts than the Turks or the Italians. Sarajevo’s Old Town is made up of pretty cobbled streets, bordered by souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and numerous mosques with their picturesque minarets. After strolling through the old town we made our way across to the new town, where the pavements suddenly change from cobblestone too marble slabs and the Austro-Hungarian architecture appears along with the Christian churches.

So effectively you can have one foot in the old town and one in the new! Although Sarajevo, is most widely known in recent times for the war. Sarajevo has actually been a shining example of religious and cultural humanity; with Christians and Muslims living, working and socializing within one community. As a visitor it is really exciting to see the distinct cultures within such a small capital city. That evening we went to a famous restaurant in the hills overlooking the city. The view was breathtaking and on a clear autumn night with the minarets and church towers lit up it gave the city a magical feel.

Day 2: After a good night’s sleep and a lovely homemade breakfast we met our guide who took us to Bobovac the site of the Bosnian king during the 14th century.

Bobovac is now only ruins but it makes for a pleasant walk and the views are superb. Afterwards we had the opportunity to visit the wonderful Franciscan Monastery in Kraljeva Sutjeska and enjoy the impressive museum with its collection of books, paintings and artefacts some dating back over 1000 years. We were then kindly treated to a delicious meal prepared by a local family and as we left I drew the attention of a particularly affectionate kitten!

We returned to Sarajevo in the late afternoon and on the evening we ventured into the old town and found a cosy restaurant. The food was superb and of course so reasonably priced by UK standards.

Day 3: Today we ventured up into the mountains, stopping at the highest mountain village in the country, Lukomir. Lukomir is one of Bosnia’s last remaining traditional villages with only 75 residents who still survive from farming and sheep herding. It was fascinating to experience such an indigenous population on European soil.

But the people weren’t the only amazing part of Lukomir; because of its high vantage point the views down into the Rakitnica Canyon are stunning. Our guide took us on a fabulous hike into the canyon where at the half way point we had chance to enjoy a picnic and soak in the stunning scenery and enjoy the quiet remoteness.

That evening we went to a recommended fish restaurant owned by a friend of Vamos Travels partners. I had a sea food risotto and it has to go down as one of the best meals of the year.

Day 4: Today we drove from Sarajevo in Bosnia to Mostar in Herzegovina. As we drove we experienced an incredible change in landscape and most noticeably of all, of climate too. Bosnia is on a sub-continental climate and Herzegovina a Mediterranean climate. We left Sarajevo at 09.30am, it was cold, wet and around 8 degrees. After only 2 hours drive we arrived in Mostar to encounter blue skies and 25 degrees.

The geographical and climatic diversity we had seen in only 3 days was breathtaking and incredible for a relatively small country. We checked in to our hotel which also crossed as a museum and was a wonderful place. The house dates back to the 16th century and the rooms offer a graceful blend of past and present, fully furnished in Ottoman style but with all the mod cons available. Mostar is one of the prettiest towns I have visited and it is hard to believe only 15 years ago that the city had been so badly bombed during the war.

The white stone buildings and stone roofs are delightful and of course the iconic 16th century Mostar Bridge is a visual delight and has been restored to its former glory. We were even lucky enough to see one of the famous bridge divers in action. In the afternoon we enjoyed strolling around the pretty streets and checking out the shops and in the evening we went for a romantic meal, which again proved great quality and ridiculously good value. On our way back to the hotel we stumbled across an amazing venue called Ali Baba’s; a bar built into a natural cave, which on the weekends turns into a popular nightclub.

Day 5: Today we headed out to the beautiful Kravica waterfall. Once again the contrast in geography is amazing. As you take in the wonderful green forest and vegetation surrounding the falls you feel like you are in South America rather than Southern Europe.

From Kravica we headed towards the pretty mountain town of Pocitelj. After climbing the fort we of course stopped for a customary Bosnian coffee in a nice café with great views over the river valley. Afterwards we headed to the famous Dervish order monastery in Blagaj. It was built in the 16th century by the Ottomans at the picturesque source of the Buna River and is a gorgeous building in a dramatic setting. After exploring the monastery we stopped for lunch by the river.

This gave us more chance to absorb the stunning surroundings as well as a superb trout lunch, fresh from the river. Re-charged we then made the long windy drive towards the Sutjeska National Park. Sutjeska National Park is a wonderful place for nature lovers containing a variety of treats such as: the Perucica primeval forest, the mystical lakes of Zelengora and the 85m Grasshopper waterfall.

Day 6: We met our guide and agreed on a 6 hour hike through Perucica Forrest, Europe’s last remaining primeval forest. It was an exciting trek but unfortunately the cloud cover meant we could not enjoy the view points like you would in the high season months of June, July and August. Still, we encountered a rare lizard, a dear and even came across bear tracks to add to the excitement of this enchanting forest. In summer months there are a whole host of treks which can be enjoyed, including summiting Mount Maglic, Bosnia’s highest mountain (2386m).

Day 7: Today we headed back to Sarajevo and on our return we stopped at the Sarajevo War Tunnel Museum. The tunnel was the life line of Sarajevo and without it the people of Sarajevo would not have been able to resist the siege for such a long period (from 1992 to 1995). A remarkable testament to the resolve of its citizens. The tunnel was 1.5 metres in height and width, and ran for approximately 800 metres in length. During the time it was used, it is estimated that 20 million tons of food entered the city, and 1 million people passed in and out of it.

In the afternoon we headed back to where our week had started and began a spot of souvenir shopping for friends and family in the old town. I also had chance to try a Cevapi, which is small meat sausages of lamb and beef mix inside a pita bread. They are usually served with fresh onions. The saying goes that the first thing a Bosnian person does when returning to Sarajevo even before visiting their family is they stop for a coffee and a cevapi. In the evening we had chance to check out a bit of Sarajevo’s nightlife. After another wonderful meal we tried a number of venues with the highlight being the famous Sarajevsko brewery. It was an amazing venue with two well preserved levels taking you back in time to the 1920’s.

Day 8: Unfortunately it was time to go but what a week it had been. To summarise, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a tremendous variety of cultural and natural attractions all accessible within a relatively small radius. For the trekkers amongst you, the National park offers endless adventure and beauty. Mostar and Herzegovina offers a lovely Mediterranean climate & atmosphere. Bosnia offers a plethora of cultural and historical places of interest.

Sarajevo is an amazing city, still very badly scarred from the effects of the war but the cultural harmony and laid back old town are quite unique and for the discerning traveller it is a great place to experience. If you are interested in experiencing Bosnia and Herzegovina please contact:
brett.smith@vamostravel.com to discuss the possibilities. Vamos Travel can arrange city breaks to Sarajevo, Nature, trekking and Cultural tours and be-spoke itineraries.

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Price Includes:

Transfer on arrival
2 nights accommodation – 3 star in Sarajevo
1 x day trip to Bobovac
Private transfer to Mostar
2 nights accommodation - 3 star in Mostar
Private transfer to primeval forrest
2 nights accommodation
1 x day trekking (call Brett for options! 0845 299 7807)
Transfer back to Sarajevo
1 x final night in Sarajevo
Transfer to airport

This tour is subject to availability and is governed by Vamos Travel Terms & Conditions