Bosnia and Herzegovina
Table of Contents
Story and photos by Dan Ciufo
Why Bosnia-Herzegovina?
What kind of people will love an experience in Bosnia-Herzegovina? People who enjoy history, scenery, a little adventure, people who enjoy embracing and learning about other cultures—people who enjoy traveling to places not directly on the autobahn of tourism. And people who enjoy interesting coffee! This country still bears the scars and graffiti of the wars of the 1990s, both physically and emotionally, which makes it all the more interesting.
Bosnia-Herzegovina straddles both east and west, pulled from the direction of Europe and from the influences of its former occupier for centuries, the Ottoman Empire. This tension can be visibly seen along larger city streets where architecture will transition in one block from old Turkish Market styles to buildings from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Add to the mix Bosnia’s previous role as part of the communist Yugoslav Federation as well as the divides between Islam, Catholicism, and Orthodox Christianity, and you have a confusing but fascinating visit ahead of you!
What's To See in Bosnia-Herzegovina?
Before we explore some of the interesting locations, let me say that we felt very safe in all the areas we traveled. We even felt safe in the few places where the locals were not so keen on outsiders, like the remote village of Lukomir.
We originally wanted to drive the country, but starting in Slovenia and finishing in Croatia meant the easiest way to get into the country was to fly into Sarajevo, the capital city. Regular flights from Ljubljana and Zagreb get you to Sarajevo via a popular and affordable regional carrier, Adria Airlines. In this region, delays are not uncommon.
Sarajevo
Arrival in Sarajevo can be an unusual sensory experience, first as you realize it’s a predominantly Muslim city, and second, when you note that the city still bears the scars both physically and emotionally of the wars of the 1990’s. Those are exactly what make it a very interesting mix! The airport is smallish and manageable and there is no need for a car while in Sarajevo. We stayed in an ideally located little Ottoman styled B&B in an older neighborhood, Pansion Kandij, just a few minutes walk from the main town attractions.
Among them is the very location Gavril Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparking World War One, only modestly highlighted with a simple engraving along the Miljaca River, which divides the town. Pansion Kandij has modest but comfortable rooms and excellent complimentary breakfasts offered in a traditional Ottoman decorated basement room. The wizened grandmother tending the breakfast will give a great intro to your first Bosnian Coffee. We found the hosts exceedingly helpful, whether giving us history lessons or agreeing to pick us up at the airport. This location is just minutes walking to the Sarejevo Museum, the stunning City Library, Town Hall, and about a dozen Mosques. But there are some other must-see highlights!
ABSOLUTE MUST-SEE LOCATIONS IN SARAJEVO
Bascarsija Square/Turkish Market
To really experience the highlights of the city, 2 or 3 days are necessary. The first must-see is the Turkish Market which feels like stepping back into another time and place. Here you’ll experience several blocks of Ottoman era buildings clustered around Bascarsija Square with numerous mosques and minarets in view. Five times during the day you’ll be regaled with the call to prayer by the local Muezzin.
This market area is a shopper’s paradise selling everything from copper and brass, clothing and rugs, to ice cream and snacks, with abundant Hookah Lounges and cafés dotting the landscape. And don’t forget Bosnian coffee! Bosnians are very proud and parochial about the quality of their “Bosnian Coffee,” which is carefully prepared with powdery fine grounds in boiled water, mixed in a small copper container with sugar caramelized on the bottom. It’s excellent but not for the faint of heart.
A short 10-minute walk west from the market, there’s a block where the architecture immediately, as if by magic, transitions to obvious Austro-Hungarian era architecture and takes on a noticeably more European feel with the requisite upscale shops for those so inclined. Of course, there is abundant night life available there if that’s your interest.
Sarajevo Tunnel Museum
For this experience I highly recommend a guided tour. Inexpensive tours leave daily from the tourist bureau in town to this museum, which is located at the airport. This is a great way to get a perspective on the Siege of Sarajevo from 1992-1995. We found most people very willing to talk about the wars and the siege, and were surprised to find many harking back to the “good old days” under the Communist leader Tito. Nearly every 30-year old or above we met had some experience with the war. This half-day tour will be educational and very eye opening, especially for history buffs.
Sarajevo Cable Car
This trip is fun and as historical as you want it to be. And beautiful! For just a few Bosnian Marks, the currency in Bosnia, this cable car takes you from Stari Grad, one of the oldest districts in Sarajevo, up Trebevic’ Mountain, rewarding you with a beautiful view of the city and some other interesting gems. For example, along the way as you look to the ground, you can note some cemeteries and bunkers from the wars.
And once on top, not only is there a café’ for snacks and natural areas, but the history buff is again rewarded by stumbling upon old bunkers and sniper positions from which Yugoslav National Army soldiers targeted notorious “sniper alley”. It was from this mountain that the Yugoslav National Army held the city under siege, and there are still vestiges of that on the mountain. But also evident are bobsled runs and other artifacts of the 1984 Winter Olympics. It’s a lovely place to hike and picnic with some local bread and cheese.
Kovace’ Cemetery
Yes, a cemetery. One of the best overviews of the city of Sarajevo can be had from the cemetery that was once part of one of the 1984 Olympic Stadiums. During the siege, burial locations were in such demand that some of the more than 13,000 killed were buried in the stadium complex. It’s a heartbreaking walk, not just because it’s very steep, but once you arrive the vast majority of very crowded gravestones are marked between 1992 and 1995.
It’s hard to understand the psyche of this city without a little quiet time here, and the history and views make it well worth the 10 minute walk up from the market center. This walk takes you through some of what we really enjoy taking in when traveling—the local residences, complete with hanging laundry and other features of everyday life.
Get Inside a Mosque
This was truly one of the highlight moments in our three week trip! The Emperor’s Mosque just south of the river was an incredible find. The Muezzin, the man who calls Muslims to prayer and in our case, who led the service, was warm and welcoming, insisting my wife come in and observe the service from the women’s gallery. We stood through a prayer service and it was an unforgettable experience. The service was at night and the Mosque was beautifully lit and adorned inside. We spent a half hour after the service speaking with the Muezzin, who was Sufi and literally fell in love with my wife, which is easy to do!
OFF THE BEATEN PATH IN BOSNIA-LUKOMIR
Lukomir
Lukomir was a most unusual find and not in most guidebooks, but highly recommended for the more adventurous. This is the highest, most remote village in all of Bosnia, literally balanced on the edge of a mountain in the Dinaric Alps. It’s a shepherd’s village that appears to be lost in a previous century. About two hours south of Sarajevo, Lukomir requires a car, a lot of patience and a little bit of adventuring outside the comfort zone! We rented very reasonably from Budget Rental right in Sarajevo and headed towards Mostar.
Along the way we had arranged an overnight in the Guesthouse Letnja Basta in Lukomir, but just getting there was an exercise in “could this one-lane rutted track really be the way?” It was. There are two operating “guesthouses” which are actually just the upstairs rooms of resident’s houses. There are about 40-60 residents, almost all associated with getting the 3,000 or so sheep out and back to pasture every day. The residents wear clothing from another time, and not because it’s touristy—there aren’t any tourists! As we started walking the small village we were persuaded by hand signals to enter the home of an elderly woman with a hundred years of character on her face. She prepared us Bosnian Coffee on her wood burning stove in what was essentially a one room house.
Later, our bunkhouse host prepared us a dinner of a local specialty called “Burek”, which is a circular braided dough with spinach, cheese and maybe meats baked inside. It’s cooked from the top in an iron pan heated with coals. AMAZING! We sat at their dinner table while about a half dozen locals drank liquor and chain-smoked. Definitely a local experience. Needless to say, we took our granola breakfast outside in the morning! There are no stores, no commercial enterprises, and the little town takes just a few minutes to walk from stem to stern. There is a very humble town mosque that is an interesting contrast to the large and ornate mosques in Sarajevo mentioned above. There is a hidden key to get in if you’re clever! Visiting Lukomir is about being part of the local culture and is an unforgettable visit!
Back on the Beaten Path - Mostar
Mostar, southwest from Sarajevo towards Dubrovnik, is a rabbit warren of tiny and confusing streets. It’s similar to many “Old City” parts of town in the region-the interior is best walked, not driven! Coming from Sarajevo and Lukomir, we had a rental car and ended up just finding public parking close to our lodging and walking in. A medium sized town of around 100,000, Mostar features one of the most photographed and scenic bridges in the Balkans, the Stari Most. A day or two in Mostar covers most of the coveted sites.
One place not to miss is the lodging we stayed in-the MUSLIBEGOVIC HOUSE HOTEL, an Ottoman era Bosnian National Monument. It’s both a museum and a hotel. A relative value, we stayed in a beautifully adorned Ottoman styled room and were treated to refreshing drinks in the cool, cobbled Bosnian courtyard. The host was very gracious and helpful when I left my wallet in the returned rental car, and she persuaded the car owner to return with the goods-being stuck in Bosnia with no cash, card or ID was not going to bode well for us!
Also not to be missed in Mostar is the speedo-wearing divers that for some coin of the realm will dive off the top of the Stari Most (“old bridge”), a death defying leap. There are many opportunities and locations, especially in the evening, to get magnificent photos of the fabled bridge. As in many Bosnian cities, trips to the local mosque, as well as to the Serbian and Orthodox churches, are a must. Trying to grasp the complexities of Islam, Orthodox and Catholic Christianity and how those align with Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian ethnicities will help navigate the fascinating history of the Balkans.
Getting Around
I mentioned both flying and rental cars. We found the local Budget Rental cars easy to navigate, though often in places you’d not expect to pick up vehicles. For example, since you don’t need a car for your city stays, why not go pick up when you depart the city? Good idea, except the pickup locations could be tricky. We picked up at train stations, strange downtown office fronts and crowded city blocks. We’re still laughing about the rental that was supposed to be the cheapest econojob available, but ended up being a Mercedes. Nice…except I didn’t know how to operate it and the guide was of course, in Serbo-Croatian. Fifteen minutes later I was being followed up a mountain by about 20 honking cars, and topping out at 15 mph, trying to figure out why it wouldn’t go faster. It’s all part of the adventure! We also used ferries, as well as city and regional buses.
Moving on from Mostar we were heading south to Dubrovnik in Croatia, so we would not need a car – thus a regional bus made sense. GettyBus and FlixBus are popular options and relatively inexpensive. They also offer the advantage of being able to pre-purchase online tickets. Mostar is a 3-4 hour bus ride on to Dubrovnik, which gives you a good overview of the small to medium sized towns in Bosnia, nearly every one of which bears the pock-marks of previous conflict. Like anywhere in Europe, it pays to be flexible and you can often save money by using alternate transportation.
Eating
Meat. Lots of meat. Being retired military, I’m rather low on the “foodie” scale, but found the fare to be solid, well prepared, and abundant in protein! Lots of grilled meats, goat, beef, lamb, sausages, along with Mediterranean influenced cuisine. I’ve already mentioned Burek, a regional fave, but Cevapi is also a prominent dish; a popular type of kebab often with lamb or beef, vegetables, onion and excellent pita breads. We grew to LOVE the salads, which featured generous amounts of red cabbage, and very light oil dressings—it may not sound great but it was!
For those who like to imbibe the occasional adult beverage, Bosnia does not disappoint in the wine department. We sampled a number of excellent wines, especially white. A nearly national drink is “Raki” or “Rakija,” which is typically a fruit brandy, usually plum, but can be pear, peach or other fruits—it is not for the faint of heart! Another way to really experience the local vibe is to frequent the farmers markets in the city squares, usually published on the web. Copious vegetables, fruits and other wares were available in every town square we visited once or twice a week. Our typical lunch would be bread and cheese from a local grocery, followed by veggies and fruits from the outdoor markets. It’s a convenient combo for picnicking and watching local life, or hopping in the rent car and heading out.
Play, Stay, Eat
It’s almost as challenging to summarize Bosnia as it is to understand its complicated politics. Just try to grasp the three-person presidency, one Bosniak, one Serb and one Croat, or the complicated interplay of Islam (Bosnians), Catholicism (Croats) and Orthodoxy (Serbs) as they relate to ethnicity. It can be mind-bending. But what an experience! Playing here means some incredible sightseeing steeped in history and interesting experiences. Staying can be very nice, like the Bosnian national monument Muslibegovic House, or a few upscale hotels in the cities. Or it can be very austere (and authentic) like the upstairs bunkhouse of one of two resident guest houses in Lukomir. Eating options are excellent, generally inexpensive and fresh with influences hailing from Europe, Turkey and the Mediterranean. Bosnia earns five stars on the interesting experience scale! If you can take extra time and combine it with a trip to nearby Slovenia and Croatia, this truly becomes a trip of a lifetime!
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After four years in the US Marines, then nearly 24 years in the US Air Force, finally finishing up in Hawaii, Dan Ciufo retired in 2006 and began a career in education, teaching Air Force Junior ROTC at a local high school in Texas. Dan and his wife Daphne have a passion for travel and have been to nearly 30 countries. An assignment in Germany led them to fall in love with their little German village in the Rhineland Pfalz, but also gave them the opportunity to take their young children Anna and Leah to over 15 other European countries. Dan also enjoyed traveling to numerous more exotic locations with the military. Recent travel highlights include three weeks of independent travel in the Balkans, a terrific itinerary in California, and an upcoming trip of several weeks to Israel and Jordan. Dan and Daphne enjoy unusual and off-the-beaten path locations, interesting and diverse cultures, and independent travel.
Dan is just getting started in the travel writing genre, but enjoys chronicling their many adventures, and has done a lot of writing over his career.