Take a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example. Your weekend is free, and you’ve read everything there is to know about this quaint and interesting country. Or perhaps you’ll be passing through Croatia and want to take a quick side trip. Mostar, a popular stopover on the way to Dubrovnik, has a lot to offer a short-term visitor.
Our suggestions for Perfect weekend in this magical city, whether it’s on the weekend or any other day of the week, are outlined below.
DAY ONE:
Most Mostar visitors arrive by car. Mostar has a small airport with seasonal charter flights on minor carriers to European destinations like Rome, Gothenburg, and Cork. It’s ideal if you’re able to travel directly into the city. Fly to Sarajevo or Dubrovnik instead if you’re like the majority of us and then drive from there.
Sarajevo and Dubrovnik are both less than two hours distant by automobile. In this area, the scenery is so beautiful that you may spend as much time photographing it as you do driving.
Hotels, hostels, and apartments are available for rent in Mostar. The most costly price I can discover for a weekend in Mostar is a stunning £50/night (about $65USD). Western money will go a long way here. Filter your results so that you may locate a location that has onsite parking or one that is close by.
The remainder of your first day is reserved for getting acquainted with the area. Take a stroll across the city, passing over the Stari Most bridge (the bridge for which Mostar is named). This is the city’s main tourist attraction, and it’s clear from the outset. One or more persons may be seen jumping from the bridge if you’re lucky.
‘Professional’ skydivers wait all day for tourists to donate money to leap from the bridge. At 25 euros, they’re out of this world! Three jumpers were spotted throughout our three-day stay in the city. Locals say the leap is safe, but it’s nonetheless exciting to witness. The best vantage point is from a rocky outcropping along the water’s edge. It’s a nice area to relax and watch the world go by on a beautiful day.
A photographic exhibit now on display in the west tower of Stari Most is also strongly recommended by us. About 50 photographs taken during the early 1990s war are featured in this display. Throughout the conflict, the photographer returned to East Mostar several times to capture the daily lives of the Bosniaks residing there. As a result, it was one of our most memorable moments of our trip to the museum.
DAY TWO:
The Karasjok-bey mosque, located about 150 metres north of the Stari Most, is a great place to begin your day. You’re not here for the magnificent interiors, and if you’ve ever been to some of the world’s most beautiful mosques, you’ll be disappointed.
Tourists who wish to climb the minaret for a spectacular view are the primary audience for this mosque. After walking past, our guide told us that they don’t really enforce the dress code here and that we didn’t need to wear proper apparel. The cost of climbing the tower (about 5 euros per person) is a bit high, but like I mentioned, it’s worth it. Those opinions.
From the bridge where you found this bank-turned-sniper-tower, proceed to Mostar’s main business district. Even though it’s illegal to break and enter, a tour of this facility will ignite your curiosity in World War II living like nothing else can. There is a cinder block “step stool” in the back of the structure that you can use to get in. I’d go during the day to be safe, but once you’re inside, you’ll notice plenty of proof of previous guests.
Tima Irma, on the main street, west of the bridge, is the place to go for lunch. We don’t mind if you come back for more than one meal at our establishment. On TripAdvisor, it’s the most highly rated eatery in Mostar, and we’ve had numerous suggestions from locals as well. The owner, who is a delight, became a fast friend of ours. We went back to this restaurant twice because the food was so affordable and tasty. This is a big deal for us because we rarely go back to the same eateries.
It’s a great opportunity to gain an overview of the city and learn a little bit about its history. Every afternoon in Mostar, a free walking tour is offered, and you can register for it online. Tours are also available for purchase through the locally owned and operated iHouse Travels. We went on the Death of Yugoslavia tour, which was the afternoon excursion that day. We learned a lot in the three and a half hours we were there, and the price was right. IHouse Travel is located just west of the bridge, in a similar location.
Restaurants along the river offer riverside dining options. We ate at Sadrvan, which is a tourist trap yet serves good food at a reasonable price. Honestly, given the resemblances between the menus of restaurants in Mostar, you may as well just pick one. No time to try all the Balkan cuisine.
DAY THREE:
It would be ideal to go into the country on Day 3 if you have some spare time.
It’s named Karvina Falls, but it’s actually a minor waterfall system that’s located approximately 25 miles south of Mostar. We’ve heard that it can be almost desolate because it is well-hidden and not part of a national park. Because Bosnians have known about the hidden waterfall for as long as anyone can remember, it can get quite crowded in the summer. Pop-up restaurants and cafes are available throughout the summer months, or you may bring a picnic and relax.
(The waterfalls at Kravica look a lot like those at Croatia’s Plitvice Falls.)
If your only have a limited amount of time in Mostar, make the most of it by venturing outside of the Old Town and enjoying a coffee or gelato in the fresh air.