Things to do in  Bosnia and Herzegovina

Spectacular Kravice Waterfall (Vodopad Kravica) in Bosnia and Herzegovina are one of Europe’s best-kept natural secrets. Plummeting over 98-foot (30-meter) soft tufa cliffs on the Trebizat River southwest of Mostar, the waterfalls have sliced out a natural amphitheater spanning nearly 400 feet (120 meters) as the river splits into more than a dozen separate waterfalls cascading into the lake below.

Crossing the Miljacka River and leading into the old town of Sarajevo, the Latin Bridge is an elegant fixture of Sarajevo’s scenic riverfront. But what draws so many visitors to this Ottoman landmark is its part in world history as the site where Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated, instigating the events of World War I.

The Blagaj Monastery (or Blagaj Tekija) enjoys a tranquil setting beside a towering cliff and the gentle Buna River near Mostar. Since 1520, this Ottoman monastery has served as a place of contemplation for the Muslim Dervish fraternity. Today, you can learn about the monastery’s resident mystical order and cultural importance on a visit here.

Arching over the Neretva River, the Old Bridge (Stari Most) is Mostar’s most photographed landmark and one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most prized examples of Islamic architecture. Built by the Ottomans in the 16th century and destroyed during the Croat-Bosniak War, the UNESCO-listed stone bridge was rebuilt in 2004 as a symbol of peace and reconciliation.

The Sarajevo Tunnel was a lifeline to the outside world during the years-long siege of Sarajevo. During the war, the Bosnian army smuggled food and supplies through the tunnel. Today, the small museum serves as a memorial to those difficult times, with information boards, video presentations, and audio guides depicting life under siege.

This quiet, unassuming town nestled in the hills of Herzegovina became a pilgrimage site for thousands of Catholics in 1981, when the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to six local children. Since then, thousands of visitors have flocked to Apparition Hill to pay respects or simply enjoy Medjugorje’s meditative surroundings.

One of Europe's most important Marian apparition sites, Apparition Hill has been a place of Catholic pilgrimage since 1981, when a group of six local children first claimed to have seen apparitions of Mary. Today, the hill and its nearby St. James Church draw in more than a million visitors a year.

Bascarsija Bazaar, the Ottoman-era marketplace of Sarajevo, is a lively hub of activity in the city’s old town, Stari Grad. Crowded streets lined with traditional and souvenir shops, a broad selection of cultural landmarks, and the ornate Sebilj fountain help make this one of Sarajevo’s most popular attractions, no matter your interests.

A bustling hub of commerce and culture at the heart of Mostar’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, the Old Bazaar of Kujundziluk has been the town’s principal market since the 16th century. Cobbled lanes and colorful Ottoman-era buildings are the backdrop for a lively shopping quarter packed with handicrafts, souvenirs, and art galleries.

The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque is an oasis of calm compared to the busy streets of Sarajevo’s surrounding Old Town. Except, that is, during prayer times when its courtyard fills with people. Since the 16th century, it has been the main and largest mosque for Sarajevo, although only its exterior and ornate well retain their Ottoman design.

The lifeblood of Mostar, the Neretva River (Rijeka Neretva) curls its way through the town's heart and has served as a geographic and political divider over the years. Winding its way down from the Dinaric Alps, it’s Bosnia and Herzegovina’s longest river, flowing for 141 miles (225 kilometers) through lakes, gorges, and historic towns.

Located in Bosnia and Herzegovina and within day-tripping distance of Dubrovnik, Croatia, the Vjetrenica Cave system offers a fascinating glimpse of what lies below the Dinaric Alps. Along with underground rivers and massive stalactites and stalagmites, the cave is full of over 200 types of cave-dwelling insects and other species, many of which aren’t found anywhere else on Earth.

Housed by a collection of neoclassical buildings in central Sarajevo, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the largest museum in the country—and one of the largest in the Balkans. Exhibitions at this long-standing museum cover archaeology, ethnology, and natural sciences, but the star attraction is the Sarajevo Haggadah illuminated manuscript.

Graffiti on exposed concrete replaces the sheen of ice that once covered the now defunct Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track. This abandoned track from the 1984 Winter Olympics sits among the forest on Trebevic mountain outside the city, waiting for visitors to walk or bike along its course. Fans of urban exploration or nature hikes may enjoy exploring this now neglected site.

Tucked away in Mostar’s historic Muslim Quarter and overlooking the east bank of the River Neretva, Kajtaz House (Kajtazova Kuća) is a perfectly preserved late 16th-century Ottoman nobleman’s mansion built behind high walls to protect the women of the family from unwanted attention. Once the home of Mostar’s Turkish governor, it is surrounded by a shady, fountain-filled courtyard garden, pebbled in circular patterns representing the five daily prayers of an observant Muslim. Crafted from stone, the two-story building is whitewashed and supported by wooden stilts; the overhanging roof was designed to shade the lower floors. Inside it is furnished in its original form, with separate living quarters for men and women, brightly patterned kelims covering the floors and traditional low sofas lining rooms that are dotted with centuries-old, ornately carved wooden furniture. The ancient kitchen is crammed with copper cooking pots and utensils, while upstairs, traditional harem pants and fezzes hang on the walls.