BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA MULTI-DAY TOUR

Bosnia & Herzegovina multi-day tour itinerary:

Interested in something different? Interested in a mixture of cultures, architectures, religions? Want to experience new exiting locations? Bosnia and Herzegovina is the country for you. Still undiscovered, rich in history and natural beauties, with welcoming local people – it will charm you right away.

Day 1 – Zagreb airport pick up and Zagreb walking tour (overnight Zagreb)

The tour starts when our driver picks you up at Zagreb airport. This way you don’t have to worry about anything. Just find a driver with your name and he will safely transfer you to your accommodation.

Later in the day we will take you on a walking tour to get to know Zagreb. Zagreb is a charming capital and on this tour you will see the best of it. You will visit the most popular sights in the city center. The tour usually starts when a guide picks you up at your accommodation or you meet him on the Main square. A great start is a model of the city where it’s easy to explain all about the city history. The Zagreb Cathedral, Dolac market or the belly of Zagreb, the Stone gate, St Mark’s square and church, Lotrščak tower, Zagreb funicular, Ilica street and Zrinjevac park.

Day 2 – Zagreb – Plitvice lakes – Bihać (overnight Bihać)

On the way to start your Bosnian adventure is a natural gem, Plitvice Lakes national park. This is the oldest, the most visited and the biggest Croatian national park. The 16 lakes interconnected with waterfalls will just take your breath away. It will also be a great intro into Una river national park, one of the most famous parks in Bosnia.

After visiting Plitvice Lakes, you will proceed to Bihać where you will spend the night.

Overnight in Bihać.

Day 3 – Bihać and Una river national park (ovenight Bihać)

Third day will be dedicated to exploring the city of Bihać and its surroundings. Bihać was mentioned for the first time in the year 1290 In the late Middle Ages and it was a free royal city and at one time the capital of the Kingdom of Croatia. In the city you can visit Fethija mosque, former catholic church which the Ottomans took over and converted into a mosque. Another attraction that you might like is the Captain’s tower which keeps a cool legend and it’s now a museum of the city’s history.

Ostrožac castle is another attraction you can visit. Built by the Ottomans in the 16th century this little castle it’s surrounded with greenery and nature.

The rest of the day is reserved for Una river National park with jaw-dropping landscapes, waterfalls, turquoise waters and stunning views.

Overnight in Bihać.

Day 4 Bihać – Jajce – Travnik – Sarajevo (overnight Sarajevo)

After breakfast you start the journey towards Sarajevo with interesting stops along the way. Jajce is the first stop. This historical city has it all. The town is famous for its beautiful 22-metre (72 ft) high waterfall where the Pliva River meets the river Vrbas – but you probably didn’t know that it was listed as one of 12 most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Usually this kind of sights are located away from the cities, but this one is located in the city center, a few minute walk from the fortress and Old town. The mentioned fortress was for years known as the strongest fortress in Bosnia which was seiged by the Ottomans for 65 years. Other attractions you can visit are Mlinčići (Little Mills) which are a national monument of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Catacombs of Jajce in the center of the city and the temple of Mitra, the roman god, the oldest monument in the city.

Travnik is, we would safely say, a new revelation in B&H. On every step you take Travnik witnesses it’s great history. It was mentioned the first time when Mehmed the Conqueror passed through it on the way to conquer Jajce. The attractions that you can visit are: The Old fortress, a mixture of styles and a cultural hub of the city, Blue water – the most beautiful location in the city with the most popular coffee place in Travnik, The Colorful mosque with unusual drawing inside and outside.

Overnight in Sarajevo.

Day 5 – Sarajevo tours (overnight Sarajevo)

The fifth day is dedicated to the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Now the capital city of an independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo is an old city that has seen its fair share of historic events. It witnessed to the defining moment that sparked the outbreak of the First World War, years of communist rule as part of Yugoslavia, and its own bloody civil war in the early 1990’s. It is known as a city tolerant of diversity, and celebrates the peaceful coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews. You will have a guided tour to hear all about the history and present day of Sarajevo.

Overnight in Sarajevo.

Day 6 Sarajevo – Mostar – Blagaj – Počitelj – Sarajevo (overnight Sarajevo)

Mostar – Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva. The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most visited landmarks, and is considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans. Nowadays the locals jump in the river from the bridge and they are a tourist attraction. Besides the bridge you can also see the Muslibegovića House. Constructed 300 years ago, it is considered the most beautiful house from Ottoman period in the Balkans.

Blagaj – Blagaj is is a village-town situated at the spring of the Buna river and a historical tekke (tekija or Dervish monastery). The Blagaj Tekija was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument. Blagaj Tekke is a monastery built for the Dervish.

Počitelj – Počitelj is historic village in Herzegovina. The village is built in a natural karst amphitheater along the Neretva river during the Middle Ages. Počitelj was in 1996 named by the World Monuments Watch as one of the world’s 100 most endangered cultural heritage sites so use the chance to visit it.

Overnight in Sarajevo.

Day 7 – Srebrenica Tour (overnight Sarajevo)

Unfortunately, the recent history of Bosnia & Herzegovina is painted black. In the Bosnian war many people lost their lives and many lives changed. ‘Don’t Forget Srebrenica’ are the giant words painted on a socialist-era apartment block in a Sarajevo suburb. Srebrenica lies close to the hearts of many Bosnians after a massacre killed more than 8,000 men and boys in July 1995. Here’s how you can visit to see where the event happened and to pay your respects at the site of Europe’s biggest mass murder since World War II.

Overnight in Sarajevo.

Day 8 – Transfer from Sarajevo to regional airports

You can end this tour back in Zagreb or Split or Dubrovnik. Let us know and we will customize the tour for you.

Places you will visit on your tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Bihać

Geographical position of this city made it interesting for different cultures and nations. There are proofs of life in the stone, bronze and iron age and the presence of the Ilirian tribe Japodi in the 8th century BC. Later on, as a part of the Roman province Dalmatia, the area was influenced by the Roman culture. In the 7th century the Slavs come into the story and influence the area. In 1260. the Hungarian king Bela 4th gives the royal rights to the city of Vihuch and that is when the development of Bihać as it is today starts. That is also when Bihać is entering it’s turbulent history regarding the noble families of the area and later on the Ottoman empire. In 15th century Bosnia falls into Ottoman hands, even though the city itself withstood the attacks for over 100 years. In the 19th century it becomes a part of Austro-Hungarian empire. That moment was symbolically celebrated with opening the town gates and destruction of the defensive walls. This way Bihać was opened to it’s suburbs.

Jajce

Jajce is a small city in Bosnia & Herzegovina, central not only geographically but also culturally. It was the home of medieval kings, Ottoman governors, and a range of different ethnic groups, as well as being one of President Tito’s earliest Communist strongholds.The Walled City of Jajce is a medieval fortified nucleus of Jajce in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with citadel high above town on the hill, enclosed with approximately 1,300 metres long defensive walls. It is one of the best preserved fortified capitals of the Bosnian Kingdom, the last stronghold before to kingdom dissolved under the pressure of military advancement at the onset of Ottoman Empire takeover.The fortress was built by Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, the founder of Jajce. It is declared as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina and placed on UNESCO Tentative List.

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nestled within the greater Sarajevo valley of Bosnia, it is surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of the Balkans.It is the political, financial, social and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a prominent center of culture in the Balkans.Due to its long history of religious and cultural diversity, Sarajevo is sometimes called the “Jerusalem of Europe” or “Jerusalem of the Balkans” because it is one of only a few major European cities to have a mosque, Catholic church, Orthodox church and synagogue within the same neighborhood. Although settlement in the area stretches back to prehistoric times, the modern city arose as an Ottoman stronghold in the 15th century. During the history, several time Sarajevo got the attention from around the world. In 1885, Sarajevo was the first city in Europe and the second city in the world to have a full-time electric tram network running through the city, following San Francisco. In 1914, it was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by local Young Bosnia activist Gavrilo Princip that sparked World War I, which also ended Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and resulted in the creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Later, after World War II, the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Second Yugoslavia led to a massive expansion of Sarajevo, then the constituent republic’s capital, which culminated with the hosting of the 1984 Winter Olympics marking a prosperous era for the city. However, after the start of the Yugoslav Wars, the city suffered the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Sarajevo has been undergoing post-war reconstruction, and is the fastest growing city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Travnik

There is evidence of some settlements in the region dating back to the Bronze Age, the true history of Travnik begins during the first few centuries AD. Numerous indications prove the Roman presence in the region, including graves, forts, the remains of various other structures, early Christian basilicas, etc. In the city itself, Roman coins and plaques have been found. In the Middle Ages the area is first mentioned by Bela IV of Hungary in 1244. The city itself is first mentioned by the Ottomans during their conquest of nearby Jajce. At that time much of the local population converted to Islam. The city quickly grew into one of the more important settlements in the region, as authorities constructed mosques, marketplaces, and various infrastructure. During 1699 when Sarajevo was set afire by soldiers of Field-Marshal Prince Eugene of Savoy, Travnik became the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia and residence of the Bosnian viziers. The city became an important center of government in the whole Western frontier of the empire, and consulates were established by the governments of France and Austria-Hungary. The period of Austrian occupation brought westernization and industry to Travnik, but also a reduction of importance. A large fire started by a spark from a locomotive in September 1903 destroyed most of the towns buildings and homes, leaving only some hamlets and the fortress untouched. The cleanup and rebuilding took several years. From 1929 to 1941, Travnik was part of the Drina Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During the Bosnian War, the town mostly escaped damage from conflict with Serbian forces, hosting refugees from nearby Jajce, but the area experienced fighting between local Bosnian and Croat factions before the Washington Agreement was signed.

Mostar

Mostar is the chief city and, historically, the capital of Herzegovina. It is situated in mountainous country along the Neretva River and lies on the Sarajevo-Ploče rail line. First mentioned in 1452, Mostar became a Turkish garrison town in the 16th century. In 1566 the Turks replaced the town’s wooden suspension bridge over the Neretva with a stone arch one, hence the name Mostar (from Serbo-Croatian most, “bridge”). This stone bridge had a single arch 90 feet (27 metres) wide and was a masterpiece of Ottoman engineering. In November 1993, during the Bosnian civil war, the bridge was destroyed by artillery fire from Bosnian Croat forces. A major rebuilding project was undertaken to restore the bridge and nearby buildings that had also been damaged; the bridge reopened in 2004. The bridge and the surrounding area were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2005.

Počitelj

Počitelj is one of the pearls of Herzegovina. It is a small village in the hills, lying on the banks of river Neretva. It is located close to city of Čapljina, on the Mostar-Metković-Dubrovnik road. What makes this village special are beautiful historic buildings that blended with nature. Town evolved between 16th and 18th century. Today, we can recognize two parts of the town: medieval and Ottoman. Of the important facilities in Počitelj, it is important to mention the Hajji Alija’s Mosque from the mid-16th century, which dominates the town, and the Šišman-Ibrahim Pasha’s Madrasah with original copper domes. Another dominant position is taken by a Clock Tower from the 17th century and a hammam – Turkish bath. Right next to the hammam there was an inn for caravans, which is now being renovated, and it used to house a famous restaurant. Počitelj is dominated by oriental construction styles which, together with the Mediterranean style, give this place a special dimension. It had probably existed even before, but Počitelj is mentioned for the first time in written documents in 1444.

Blagaj

It is possible that a Roman settlement or castrum (fort) was present on the site, and before that, an Illyrian settlement or outpost. A Medieval fort served as the seat of power for Sandalj Hranic – a regional duke and de facto administrator in the territory. With the arrival of the Ottomans in 1466, several new buildings were constructed within the city, including several bridges, guest houses, mosques, and other religious buildings which you can still explore today.The Blagaj tekke itself was constructed as a Sufi dervish lodge in 1520. It stands at the very sources of the ice-cold Buna river and its mysterious spring caverns. There are several components to the architecture that constitutes the tekke – including a guest house (musafirhana), and a mausoleum (turbe). The tekke was used primarily for religious purposes such as chanting and invoking the names of God as a place of reflection and prayer. Some have stipulated that this Sufi tradition has built upon existing Bosnian Church practices of gathering near the source of rivers and other important markers – thereby establishing a continuity of several religious traditions in the country. The tekke is still considered a place of holy pilgrimage for many people in the country – a tradition that is second only to the Ajvatovica celebration.

Bosnia & Herzegovina Tour map