Bosnia and Herzegovina travel guide
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a mountainous Balkan country where Ottoman bazaars, Austro-Hungarian avenues, mosques, churches and synagogues sit side by side. Clear rivers, waterfalls and forests cover much of the land, and the coffee and food culture is strong. It suits travellers interested in history, hiking and rafting, and good-value city breaks.
Places worth the trip
Sarajevo
Baščaršija, the Ottoman-era bazaar, is full of coppersmiths, coffee houses and ćevapi grills, and the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque sits at its centre. Nearby is the Latin Bridge, and on the city's edge the Tunnel of Hope museum preserves part of the tunnel used during the 1992 to 1995 siege.
Mostar
The Stari Most, a sixteenth-century Ottoman stone bridge over the green Neretva river, was destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt using original techniques. Divers still jump from its arch in summer.
Kravica Waterfalls
A wide, curving series of waterfalls on the Trebižat river, south of Mostar, with a pool for swimming in summer.
Blagaj and Počitelj
At Blagaj, a Dervish house (tekke) stands beside the cave spring of the Buna river. Počitelj is a fortified Ottoman village climbing a hillside above the Neretva.
Jajce
A medieval town with a fortress above it and a waterfall that drops right into the town centre where the Pliva river meets the Vrbas.
Višegrad
The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, a UNESCO-listed sixteenth-century bridge over the Drina, is the setting of Ivo Andrić's novel 'The Bridge on the Drina'.
Sutjeska National Park
The country's oldest national park, with Maglić, its highest mountain, and Perućica, one of the last primeval forests in Europe.
Una National Park
A protected river valley in the north-west with waterfalls such as Štrbački Buk and opportunities for rafting and kayaking.
Interesting facts about Bosnia and Herzegovina
- The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand near Sarajevo's Latin Bridge in 1914 was a trigger for the First World War.
- Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, and the mountains of Jahorina and Bjelašnica are still used for skiing.
- Ivo Andrić, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961, grew up in Bosnia and wrote about its history.
- Stećci, the carved medieval tombstones found across the country, are listed by UNESCO.
- The country has three official languages, Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian, which are mutually intelligible, and two alphabets, Latin and Cyrillic.
Best time to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina
May, June and September are ideal, with warm weather for cities, hiking and rafting. July and August are hot, especially in Mostar and Herzegovina, which can be among the hottest places in the Balkans. Autumn brings colourful forests. Winter is cold and snowy in the mountains, which suits skiing around Sarajevo, but some rural roads become difficult.
Getting around
Buses link most towns and are the main form of public transport, though timetables can change, so check at the station. A scenic train runs between Sarajevo and Mostar along the Neretva valley. Sarajevo has trams, trolleybuses and buses. Renting a car is the best way to reach waterfalls, villages and national parks, but mountain roads are winding.
Practical details
- Capital
- Sarajevo
- Currency
- Convertible mark (BAM)
- Languages
- Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 122 police, 124 ambulance, 123 fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Rounding up or leaving around 10 per cent in restaurants is common. Tipping guides is appreciated.
Staying online in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mobile coverage is good in Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka and other towns, and along main roads, with 4G widely available. It becomes patchy in remote mountain valleys and national parks such as Sutjeska. Wi-Fi is common in cafés, restaurants and accommodation. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU, so EU roaming allowances do not apply. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Driving directions and offline maps for mountain areas.
- Google Translate: Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian translation, with camera mode for Latin and Cyrillic signs.
- XE Currency: Convert convertible marks, which are pegged to the euro.
Bosnia and Herzegovina travel FAQs
No. The country is not in the EU, so EU roaming allowances do not apply and charges can be high. A travel eSIM gives you local data without relying on your home plan.
Some hotels and tourist businesses accept euros, but change is usually given in convertible marks. It is best to carry local currency, which is easy to withdraw from ATMs.
Around two to three hours by road or train. The train journey along the Neretva valley is one of the most scenic in the Balkans.
Many visitors come on day trips from Dubrovnik or Split, but staying overnight lets you see the old town quieter in the evening and early morning.