Exploring Mostar Bosnia & Herzegovina was quite honestly, something I’d never thought about doing. The first time I went, I was only just getting into solo traveling/backpacking and I had a lot to learn.
The most important thing being, don’t write off countries that just don’t sound good! At the time, Croatia was gaining popularity very quickly and became one of the hottest ‘new’ holiday destinations.
I had visited a couple places that year but I found myself going on a normal family holiday in Croatia and I planned to spend some time with family and then head off to explore Dubrovnik and other touristy places! Like I said, at this point, I was not really a traveller.
However, after discovering how expensive accommodation is in Dubrovnik and that all the decent hostels were booked up (a problem I was met with again when I did eventually reach Dubrovnik on another trip – I never learn), I opted to get a bus to Mostar.
From split to mostar
I decided to make the trip from Split to Mostar. Coming from Split is not too difficult as the local buses run regularly along the coast. I stopped half way after staying in a beautiful town called Drasnice (I need to write a full guide on this soon)
I booked a local bus and hiked up the small but steep hill of the sleepy town of Drasnice, to the main road and waited. I kinda felt this bus may not actually turn up and the bus stop was no more than a dated sign, but alas it did. By car, Mostar was under 2 hours away but it took a good 4 hours on the bus (due to a busy border) which I would later discover is just standard whenever taking a bus abroad.
From Split to Mostar direct the journey should only take between 3:30 – 4:40 hours according to the Flix Bus website, however I would take these estimates with a pinch of salt. After getting on my bus to Mostar, it was at this point I thought I should probably have a look at what there is to do in Mostar and try to work out why I was even going!
The Journey
The route was very scenic and so far in Croatia, I had only been along the coast. The temperature in July was a beastly 38 degrees and the bus was a little archaic so the air con didn’t quite work as intended but it was bearable. What wasn’t bearable however, was the driver!
This was a double decker coach and I was sitting at the front upstairs so I had a great view of the surroundings and what was in front, something I would soon regret! Passing through the winding mountain roads, the driver was very impatient and repeatedly overtook any car or truck that had the misfortune of being in front.
At one point, we were overtaking a car on a bend in the mountains when the car decided he wasn’t going to let us pass and sped up. Any sane person at this point would likely slow down, get back in lane and wait for another (safe) opportunity.
Not our driver though, he enjoyed playing chicken with the car we were overtaking, and the oncoming truck heading straight for us. Frantically holding on to my seatbelt and bracing for impact, our driver still sped up.
The loud truck horn in front of us screamed and the car next to us finally bailed and slowed down. At this speed, the driver had to quickly manoeuvre the bus back into the right lane causing the entire bus to balance on the 2 right wheels for a brief but terrifying second. A dreadful experience but we soon reached a very welcomed traffic jam leading into the city… with the car we overtook just behind us… definitely worth it…
Arriving in mostar
Getting off the death bus at the very first stop I could, I was surprised at the state of the part of the city I found myself in! Later I learnt more about the awful war that happened just 20 years ago and that the city still bears the scars in the form of bullet holes! After this trip, I always read up on the history of the place I was visiting because it helps to better understand the culture or local attitudes.
Desperate for the toilet, I found a small rough public toilet which I had to pay to use. Each cubicle was simply a hole in the floor and apparently the locals enjoy using their own feces to decorate the interior… truly disgusting. This thankfully though was the worst part of exploring Mostar and what came next was incredible!
Mostar city centre
I made it to the beautiful buzzing centre of Mostar near the famous Stari Most bridge. This is the main attraction and people come from all over the world to see locals diving 20 meters into the icy Neretva river! The original bridge built in 1557 was sadly destroyed in the civil war in 1993 which meant for 11 years, the link between the two sides was a large plank of wood (something my grandparents saw 20 years earlier)
Finally in 2004, the new bridge was completed and built exactly as the original. The effects of the war and many other issues are still very much present in Mostar, most notably the segregation of the Christians and the Muslims who each have their ‘own side’ of the river.
Restaurants
I found a quaint little restaurant on the bank of a smaller river that joins to the main one just outside the main area. The area was beautiful and it felt like being in an expensive part of Italy. There was even a miniature version of the Mostar Bridge called the Crooked Bridge which was essentially a test before the new one was built.
I collapsed in the chair and ordered a mixed grill and a cold beer for only £7 and enjoyed the view as the sun slowly set in the distance! I hadn’t realized how late it was! This view was something that stuck in my mind and I thought it would be a great place to return to one day. Sadly, as I found out when I returned this restaurant had declined in quality…
Accomadation
I made it to my hostel which actually turned out to be a small private apartment for just £20 a night. The owner didn’t speak English but after some Google translating I learnt everything I needed to know about the city. Now I had WiFi, I began planning my day for tomorrow and came across a tour being offered by another hostel nearby which I’m pretty sure was called Musala! (See here on Hostelworld)
The owner was very friendly and took me and 2 Irish lads on a day tour of some of the main points of interest including Blagaj, Kravice Falls (more info soon), Medjugorje and up the top of a small mountain overlooking Mostar. I didn’t really know what to expect from the tour and it was only about £30 but it was a very fast paced and fascinating tour.
Tours
There was a lot of driving involved and with the temperature in the high 30s, walking around the city of Medjugorje was something I could have happily skipped. The Irish lads however informed me of its significance to Catholics as it is a popular pilgrimage as apparently there were apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
Kravice Falls
For me, the day was all about Kravice Falls. This was an incredible natural aqua park full of waterfalls you could climb around and soak under to cool off. I could have happily spent the whole day here, not just a few hours. There was food and drinks on offer and the opportunity to Kayak around and through the falls.
I decided to try out my new waterproof phone case whilst kayaking and managed to catch some incredible pictures of the area.
I would definitely recommend being careful though for two reasons, firstly the waterfalls are a lot more powerful than they seem and secondly, when I was about to grab onto what I thought was a rock, it was in fact a huge green snake hissing at me!
Realizing at the last possible second, I frantically paddled away… I like snakes in general but this one looked like he wasn’t enjoying the ever increasing tourism in the area. I didn’t realize at the time, but there are quite a lot of snakes in the area… including some that swim in the water! But don’t let that put you off… just get a kayak!
I would later discover that sadly, my waterproof case wasn’t as waterproof as I thought…
City Viewing Platform
Finishing the day trip on the way home we drove up to the top of a small mountain that overlooks Mostar and the view was truly magnificent. The road we took didn’t really look like a road, more of a dirt track with steep sides and I couldn’t believe the banged up old sedan could make it to the top! This was great for pictures and there was a panoramic uninterrupted view of the whole city.
Finally arriving back at the hostel, I expected to pay for the tour and head out for dinner but the owner insisted I stay and have dinner with the hostel. He was a brilliant tour guide the whole day and incredibly hospitable.
He even turned down the payment at the end of the day until I insisted he took it. A truly amazing attitude and I really hope other travellers have enough sense to make sure they pay for their tours, even when they politely refuse the first time. He’d definitely earned it.
After saying goodbye, I felt quite sad that I would soon be leaving this incredible city the next day and wished I’d booked longer. I reassured myself that I would definitely come back in the future and as I stood on the Stari Most Bridge as the sun set over the emerald green river, I decided that if I ever want to get married, this would be the place I would propose! (UPDATE – I actually did this 3 years later, I’ll write about it soon)
Dark Tourism
Finishing off the evening in the markets, I read about another interesting place which was an old bank. During the war, this tall structure was used as a sniper tower and some 20+ years later, it still stands derelict imposing over the area serving as a reminder of the horror the city experienced. It’s usually locked off to the public but as I walked past late at night, I noticed the door was just… open.
Anyone in their right mind would keep walking but it piqued my interest, so much that I had to look inside.
It was pitch black with only the moon giving slight visibility and I didn’t have my phone torch as earlier once I plugged it in, the small droplets of water short circuited the phone and broke it. I explored the first floor of the bank and tried to find the stairs.
I’d read other urban explorers had managed to climb to the top of the bank and I reasoned it would make a great story if I did the same. Common sense soon kicked in however due to the eerie darkness, the lack of light to see holes in the floor and the fact I had nothing to take a picture with if I did reach the top, I opted to go back.
After a great last sleep from the long day of exploration, I remembered how to get back to the station and prepared myself for yet another traumatic bus ride! Overall, travelling from Split to Mostar and exploring a small part of Bosnia is one of the best things to do in Europe.
Even though the tourism has increased a lot since 2016, it is still a much better option during the summer months than popular places in Italy and France. There is also plenty of great wine to taste as well, so that’s a huge bonus!
Want to read about some of the best European cities to visit? Check out our top 14 off the beaten track places in Europe here!!
