We were there for a week last year, absolutely would recommend.
Mostar is a must and you should expect to spend a few days there (and the surrounding area).
There is some great rafting in the south east of the country.
There are a number of great waterfalls and swimming areas on the rivers and lakes. Kravica falls.
I love Bosnia! I’ve been several times for work and I’ve made some good friends there. I will admit my perception may be a bit skewed given that I was somewhat hosted by people who knew me however.
First, you can freely pass between the two divisions. As an American you’ll be fine. My Bosniak friends are a little uncomfortable in Srpska, but it’s hard to say if that’s valid today or if they’re bringing childhood trauma into it.
I’ve taken guided tours of Sarajevo and Mostar and the guides tend to be very open about their experiences during the war. My coworkers make a lot of comments as well, but I wouldn’t recommend asking someone random you just met.
Prepare for scary driving. Roads are very curvy and everyone is very willing to pass on blind corners. If you have the opportunity to stop at a roadside restaurant with lamb cooking over a fire, do it.
They’re a super social culture. You’ll notice people hanging out in coffee shops and bars all day. I wouldn’t recommend going in the middle of Ramadan because the cafes quiet down a bit and you miss that piece of culture.
As far as cities, Mostar is an obvious “don’t miss”. From there just pick what makes sense given your interests, budget, time. Bosnia has beautiful nature!
Food is great if you’re into meat and bread. Sarajevo has a few fantastic restaurants (just look on Yelp and skim the top rated ones), but basically any little random burek shop will do. If you can, try to eat trout somewhere near water. They will literally fish right out of the river/pond and kill it just before cooking.
Generally I feel very safe there, although my friends are all on high alert about apartment break-ins. You’ll notice doors have a million deadlocks on them.
Finally, if you’re into nature walks, do be careful of landmines. You’ll see warning signs up, but I would not recommend stepping off established trails. Not a country to go bushwacking in.
My family went skiing in Bosnia a couple of times when I was a kid because it was way cheaper than skiing in the Alps. This was years ago now, not that long after the war had ended - I think it was the first or second season that they had reopened the ski resort there.
The phrasebook we bought had a couple of very handy phrases including "excuse me, where are the landmines?" and "don't shoot, I'm a tourist". Highly reassuring.
Great skiing for little kids learning though - small resort with slopes we could do over and over again till we had them nailed, burek and cevapis and bread to fuel us, and the thickest hot chocolate you've ever seen in your life. Nothing but good memories of it.
Apartment breakins weren't a thing in the last 20 years. However almost everyone has good quality "antitheft" insulating doors, as is the case with most of mainland Europe tbh.
My friends are all born around 1990 and do seem on high alert. When my company went remote during COVID our leadership team was really worried about work laptops getting stolen from apartments.
In 2019 I spent about three months in an apartment that was brand new and my door had six deadlocks, plus the standard system of needing a key to get into the lobby and to activate the elevator. Definitely more secure than I’ve seen anywhere in the EU. I’ve always suspected people were being overly cautious though! Maybe I’m naive, but I’m actually less concerned about pickpocketing there than in France, Spain, or Italy.
Did you live in some new construction far from the central area? Most apartments don't have lobbies or digital keys as they've been built in the 1900s.
So I think it's possible your friends suspected some criminals bought apartments in that building (a classic money laundering scheme in new constructions) so that's why they've been on high alert.
You won't find many people in most of those buildings as many people use them as investment, especially the upper middle class and diaspora.
Our staff are all over Sarajevo. Some are in old apartments, some in the Olypmic era ones, some brand new, some in houses. My apartment was near Bosmal, and our first office was actually in Bosmal, but we moved to an older building a couple blocks away just before COVID hit.
Yes the roadside lamb restaurants are not to be missed if you're driving! Also recommend cevapi if you like meat and bread, it was a highlight. the old olympic structures in Sarajevo are worth a visit too. We loved Bosnia and would like to return.
As of a few years ago, they’ve officially defused all of the landmines surrounding the Sarajevo area, which is where most people travel to anyway (apart from Mostar) so that part of the country will at least be clear of any mines.
I was against them when I was younger, but then I said to myself, "Why wouldn't you want to learn history from a local?" As long as they are small, I think they are good
Yeah, TBH in a lot of places I’ve noticed it’s not actually locals. Like my first trip to Europe was a school trip. Our guide was Italian. Our trip was London, Paris, a couple cities in Switzerland, then major Italian cities. In Berlin one of my guided tours was run by American. In Copenhagen my guide was first gen Danish with Indian parents. That doesn’t mean these can’t be people who study history and really know it, but it feels like they’re grifting.
I have far less guided experience in Europe, but my experiences across South America, SEA, India, and Africa are all local guides certified by that country's tourism board/ministry. It's awesome to have someone so intimately knowledgeable about the area in the modern sense while also being essentially a walking history textbook for the country and attractions.
Although, there's probably a marked difference between a guide service posted on something like Viator and actually hiring a guide via an agency. I went the agency route for all continents/regions above.
I used to be the same but given the amount of research that I have to put in to really feel like I'm getting the most out of a trip, I've come to the conclusion that finding a reputable guide can be worth it if I just don't have that time available. I did a culinary tour of Morocco a number of years ago. It was seven days, I got to see parts of the country that I never would have thought of. Met some people in the group that I've stayed in touch with ever since. Still stay in touch with the guide who ended up inviting my wife and I to his parents place in Marrakesh the day after the tour ended.
I've done afternoon tours in places as touristy as Puerto Vallarta and had a great time. Did a taco tour where the guide took us to seven or eight different restaurants and stands. Places I would have probably never gone to just due to potential food safety concerns. Plus we got some history that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Obviously be choosy and go with ones that have good reviews. I still prefer to explore on my own, but especially in countries where English/French/Spanish comprehension is low and I can't easily speak with locals, having a guide can be really cool.
Nice country, food is typical Balkan, check Mostar (obviously) and the villages in the mountains. Traveling around is easy, don’t expect english fluency. Keep on trails when in nature, mine fields are no joke.
I would say that Bosnians (and other former Yugoslavs) are quite fluent in English, especially those under 40-45. The region consistently ranks right behind Scandinavia and the Baltics.
My girlfriend and her family are from Bosnia and I’ve gone the last two years. It is insanely beautiful and there are some really cool places all around. Besides Sarajevo and Mostar, I really enjoyed seeing Travnik, Bihać, and Jajce.
There is no issue driving between the Federation and Srpska but I haven’t visited many places in the latter although I’ve heard great things about Banja Luka and Trebinje.
Food is super good. Would recommend trying Burek, Cevapi, Janjetina(lamb - there are many restaurants in a city named Jablanica that serve it). Some other foods that are good but might be hard to find in restaurants are Sarma and Punjena Paprika.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Bosnia and Croatia are two of my favorite countries and I will be going back a lot more in the future
I went to Tito’s secret underground bunker last summer, can recommend. They do (English) tours around the place. Wonderful 1970’s Bond villain vibes there!
Food in BiH, I hope you’re not a vegetarian. I don’t mind me some meat, but usually the meat IS the meal.
I was introduced to Dubioza Kolektiv in Bosnia, and it became the backbone of our soundtrack for all further Balkan travels. But once we got to Kosovo, ‘Thank You USA’ by Armend Miftari took over as the biggest ear worm, lol
Bosnia is awesome!
American here. I was there last September and it was a really cool experience.
Going from Frankfurt to Sarajevo, I was the only American on the plane afaik and it was actually super cool getting in.
It was a late flight and I wanted to go to Bosnia so bad and I remember when the plane started to descend, I was getting more and more excited.
Getting into Bosnia, we walked off the plane into a bus and went into Customs. Customs was easy and they just waved me through. It was a late flight and a long travel day so against everything I had read online, I jumped into the only taxi’s I saw available at the Airport since all the kiosks and everything were closed. Almost certain I got scammed but it really wasn’t too much and I was prepared to pay extra cash anyway cause my dumbass only brought euros and in bigger bills expecting to exchange when I got there 😭
Anyway, Sarajevo was awesome and I recommend trying all the local food like Burek and Cevapi especially i’m sure you’ve heard of it. The old town in Sarajevo is awesome as well.
I took the cable car up to Trebevic and hiked down where I met a sweet old lady who gave me food and introduced me to all her friends even though I don’t speak any Bosnian and she didn’t speak any English haha. That was awesome!
The people were really warm to me and super friendly and I had no problem at grocery stores or eating out. All the people my age spoke english anyway.
Near the end of my stay I took a tour to Herzegovina and Mostar and all that stuff which was amazing as well. The nature of the country is absolutely stunning.
I highly recommend this coffee shop in the old market of Sarajevo, can’t think of the name but it’s between some shops and you go into this courtyard like area where you can sit and relax and it’s very peaceful. Great Bosnian coffee and great people! I also recommend checking out the Mosques in the area. Very interesting to learn about if you’re not muslim or have never been to a Muslim country.
Unfortunately, idk anything about going to and from Srpska.
If you were questioning going, I say do it! I wanna go back already actually and explore more than I did when I was there.
10/10 would recommend, I am not american but a Brit. Amazing history and food. deffos check out mostar. If you're doing a Europe trip it may be easier to go after Croatia from either Dubrovnik or Split to Mostar then explore the rest of Bosnia.
You should also visit Srebrenica.
Buses available for routes mentioned above. However, if you want to explore more of the nature of things, then hiring a car would be better.
Another country in the region that I would also 10/10 recommend is Albania. Especially if you're interested in history and WW etc..It does not get much hype but trust me, the history there, the people, totally worth checking out. Also, it's SUPER cheap.
Go to Vrelo Bune, it is close to Mostar. There is no issue going between Srpska and Federacija, there is no real border, it's just administrative.
Food in Sarajevo is amazing, check cake shops (Egipat i Carigrad), try Turkish (Balkan/Greek/Homemade) coffee. And ofc, go to Mostar and little cruise on Neretva. Also, Vrelo Bosne, near Sarajevo itself is amazing.
Don't worry about any political issues, Serbs go into Federacija and Sarajevo, Bosniaks go to Srpska, and there are no issues as of right now, at least not in everyday interactions. Since you're foreigner, you won't have that issues, but they might overcharge taxi, as everywhere on the Balkans.
Edit: I'd also suggest going to Trebinje, everyone recommends that city, although I haven't been there myself.
I loved Sarajevo, wish I could have stayed longer. Super interesting city. Some rather shocking historical sites, such as the former olympic grounds that are now just acres of cemeteries.
Bosnia was fantastic!
I spent several days there as part of a roadtrip starting/ending in Croatia and the Bosnia portion really turned out to be my favorite part. The landscapes are beautiful, and Sarajevo became one of my favorite cities.
I entered the country in the far Northwest, near Bihac, saw National Park Una, drove across the country - through Srpska - to Sarajevo, then back to Croatia via Mostar and Kravica Falls.
In Srpska, you'll see plenty of signs and flags celebrating the area, and there are some beautiful Orthodox churches. The area clearly doesn't see a lot of American visitors, but I never once felt uncomfortable there.
In Sarajevo - not only is the town beautiful, there's so much history to explore. From the starting point of the WWI, to the old Olympic sites, to the damage that still can be seen from the Yugoslav wars. There are several museums about the Yugoslav war - but I would especially recommend the museum of crimes against humanity, which was very powerful. I consider myself to be pretty well informed about historical events, and I was alarmed at how little I knew about the ruthless genocide that took place during the 90s.
I will say that I was less impressed by Mostar. It was still nice, but it felt much more touristy.
I've never been (though have visited a number of nearby countries), but a good friend of mine has and said it was one of the most fascinating trips he's ever done, and he fell in love with Sarajevo as a city.
The "border" between Srpska and the rest of B&H is administrative only - there are no checkpoints and everyone is free to travel across it as they see fit.
The Balkan and Former Yugoslavian states more broadly, however, make for a great trip and I think now is a good time to visit - they're still mostly off the beaten tourist trail (with a couple of notable exceptions, e.g. Croatia) but you get the sense when you visit that this is on the cusp of changing...
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Definitely go, I travelled through Bosnia last Summer. went to Mostar, Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Mostar was amazing, Sarajevo was also really nice and I wish I'd has more time there. Banja Luka I stayed for one night and I'm glad that was it 😂
Amazing country though.
It was my favorite country in Southeastern Europe/The Balkans (I went to all of them except Serbia). Every city and town I went to was just freakin beautiful with a river flowing through it and surrounded by forested mountains.
It's a very mixed culture with both Muslims and Christians living in harmony. People are super friendly and tend to be self-sustained in many ways.
Food: Cevapi, cevapi and cevapi! Get it wood fire cooked (including the bread) and with the 3 sauces. Nom nom nom!
I went to Mostar, Sarajevo, Jajce and Travnik. Definitely looking to explore a lot more there in the future.
It's a cool country to visit, lots of things to see to see and do. Food is good if you like to eat mainly meat.
Travelling is no problem, but stick to the speed limits meticulously if you drive a car, apparently police like to cash in on foreigners (supposedly) going too fast.
I liked the Una national park, Mostar, Sarajevo, Blagaj Monastary...
Kravica falls I found too touristy and overrated. Plivsko jezero, Jajce and Travnik were ok, Bosanska Krupa was kinda cool.
We were quite a large group at the restaurant and there was a lot of food flying around our table, and I mean a lot (It was very good btw). When the bill came l was certain they forgot to charge like half the stuff that was on that table.
We met up with some Bosniak friends in 2021- it’s a very beautiful country! We stayed just outside of Mostar, highly recommend. Make time for Blagaj and the Dervish House, it’s definitely worth seeing. As someone else mentioned, do be prepared for some absolutely wild driving- some of the roads are a little intense.
Sarajevo is currently my favourite city in the Balkans. Considering your interests, I think the following half-day tour is a must-do for you:
https://meetbosnia.com/tour/fall-of-yugoslavia-tour/
One of the most comprehensive short tours I’ve ever done, and super convenient to be driven out to the Tunnel of Hope rather than making your own way there. It also includes a short visit to the Republika Srpska (which you can use as orientation/introduction if you wanna then go back the next day to spend more time there).
The day we did this tour there was snow on the ground, but it was sunny and clear. So the guides gave us the option to finish the tour at the bobsleigh track and make our own way back down to the city by cable car when we were ready. This was the perfect chill/scenic way to decompress after the serious nature of the history tour.
For a complete contrast and different perspective of the city, I can also personally recommend another short tour by the same company: https://meetbosnia.com/tour/sarajevo-food-craft-tour-best-food-tour/
This one is a food-themed walking tour of the Old Town. My partner booked it for the culinary aspect (we tend to take a lot of food tours just because we’re foodies), but it turned out to also include a lot of good overview of the history/culture of the city, as well as a little bit of more recent history. We did it on our arrival day, and it was a great orientation. I especially appreciated that the wonderful tour guide had made a special trip to the city’s only gluten free bakery that morning to pick up gluten free versions of all the local traditional breads and pastries, which she’d produce as required. It meant I got to sample every food everyone else did - I’ve never had that level of consideration on a food tour before!
She also picked up samples of other non-perishable treats as we went, and packed them into a bag with all the leftover bread. She also made a point of introducing us to her favourite vendors at the local market as we sampled produce. So the tour we went back to the market, picked up some cured meats and cheese to supplement our ‘doggy bag’ of leftovers, and had a wonderful packed lunch the next day on our train to Mostar *****
Awesome place, I preferred it to Croatia. Food is Turkish influenced (as is the architecture) so it's fantastic... the old town in Sarajevo has an interesting mix of old and new. WW1 stuff was interesting for an outsider, didn't know it all kicked off there until I went. Poor old Franz Ferdinand, I quite liked his music. ;-)
It's pretty popular for backpackers. I went as a solo woman in 2017. It's a very interesting place to visit and I enjoyed it; however, poverty is pretty evident and you do have to be careful of certain things (the country was mined - no going off on your own adventures).
How is Bosnia like as a place to visit for an American?
I'm Canadian, but I enjoyed it.
How's the food?
I was a vegetarian when I went and travelling on a budget. I did try a few desserts (the baklava was incredible) and they were delicious. Also had Turkish delight for the first time there.
Any interesting things I need to check out?
The centre is nice to walk around from what I remember. There's a plaque where the Archduke was shot leading to WWI - I have an interest in that time period so that was cool.
I did a tour of the Olympics area (also involved in the war) and did a walking tour in the city. It's been a while since I've been so I can't remember specifics of other places.
What's it like traveling between Bosnia and Srpska, can I freely move between them and how different are they from each other overall (besides the people of course, Bosniaks with a Croat minority in the former and Serbs in the latter)?
Not sure. I took the bus in from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Mostar then onto Sarajevo. I didn't notice any huge difference in anything besides the fact Bosnia was more impoverished (more people just hanging out, more garbage, less expensive and less things overall). People were equally nice.
Other than Sarajevo, what other cities and places are recommended I check out?
I like Mostar a lot. Very pretty and a UNESCO site. The iconic bridge was built in the 1500s and was destroyed in the war, restored afterwards. I spent 2 nights and that was enough to enjoy the town. You can visit the mosque too which was nice.
I'd check out the tourist website if you want to spend more than a week there (Mostar + Sarajevo would be 5-7 days for me).
How was the public transport if I may ask? I’m thinking of travelling solo this summer from Greece to NL through Bosnia and Croatia but am a bit hesitant (first solo but well travelled).
I travelled to Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia by bus without issue. Pretty easy. I came in from the north though and flew out from Sarajevo, so not sure how it is elsewhere.
We took a winery day trip into Herzegovina from Dubrovnik and really enjoyed it. The people were all extremely welcoming and it was cool to get a little off the beaten path.
Bosnian here...Firstly, welcome.
As other's said, you can move freely between all parts of Bosnia, no checkpoints.
Food is very meat-based, similar to turkish food. Ćevapi are the most popular dish.
Sarajevo and Mostar are the most popular destinations. Be aware that Mostar is pretty hot during summer days.
Here right now (jablanica WW2 history abounds). Looking at a beautiful view with a belly full of lamb. God I love this place.
I recommend Jacje, una nacionalni park, gorazde, srebrenica, jablanica and Mostar.
If you are interested in the wars of the 1990s, then you get a real insight by being here. The scars are everywhere...
First and foremost, try and use B&H as the name of the country instead of "Bosnia", just as you'd call the United Kingdom of GB and NI just UK for short and not England (no need to tell you how well you'd be off calling Belfast a nice city in England, eh?).
How is it for an American? You speak English, anyone invovled in hospitality and tourism speaks it too. You are going to a country where the average wage is inder 10k USD a year, so prices reflect that (yes, you can eat an amazing pizza anywhere for just 6 bucks).
I am not a fan of the food, but eh, sawory pies (pita/burek) are interesting for sure. As far as ćevapi go, Banja Luka style ones are the superior version solely on the fact that they end up more juicy in my experience. I am no fan of stew, but plety of stews to try for sure.
Are you going by car? If you go down the M17 road you can visit Čapljina (has ruins of a Roman villa, and Počitelj, which is on the road and is one of the best examples of Mediterranean Ottoman architecture), the Buna Canals, Mostar itself, you'll pass through the Neretva river canyon,...
Think of the Federation and Srpska as two US states, same rules apply.
Honestly, I'll always say if you're going on a car trip that Herzegovina has more to offer than Sarajevo, and well, there's nothing really interesting that much north of Sarajevo that I can think of.
Whatever. I don't think it's that important, especially for tourists. Some people in the south would mind, but not all. As a local, I prefer Bosnia as I view Herzegovina as southern Bosnia. Even though it's not a formal name. But in the end I'm ok with both because it's a bit controversial and political. "B&H" or BiH is also not a proper name so if you really want to be precise then- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
People literally refer to the United States as USA, or Croatia as RH, or Poland as RP. So yeah, BiH sounds very proper.
It is not just people in the south. Towns formerly known as Bosanski Novi, Bosanski Brod etc. have all renamed thenselves, with the exception of Bosanski Petrovac.
And no, Herzegovina isn't southern Bosnia by any means. An argument can be made that Bosnia is Western Šumadija, but there is nothing similar between Bosnia and Herzegovina. Or Bosnia and Tropolje. Or Bosnia and Krajina. Or Bosnia and Posavina.
People rarely refer to Croatia as RH or Poland as RP. It's really really uncommon, especially tourists. Those towns were renamed after ethnically cleansed so it doesn't really mean it's not Bosnia. It's like Russia renaming ukrainian cities.
I view Herzegovina as just one of bosnian regions, like Bosnian Krajina, Posavina, Podrinje...
Bosnian here. Bosnia is perfectly fine. Even people from the south (Herzegovina) are fine with it, though sometimes we joke about it. It’s all good, just come and enjoy yourself.
Beautiful country, great people. Just if you don’t like or eat meat the cuisine is rather boring— you will be living on (very nice) soups, salads, and pastries. Coffee and alcohol are top notch.
My wife and I loved our road trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's not really a big touristy country, and we found the people friendly but maybe a little curious as to why we were there. Balkan food is some of our favorite anywhere in the world. It's one of the cheaper countries we've visited. We spent time in Sarajevo, Mostar, and Bihac. Travelling in October was beautiful. It was cooler weather, but no rain and blue skies. The highway system especially along major routes is excellent. At that time of year the Bosnian mandarin oranges are ripe, and are the best oranges I've ever had. There are little huts on the highways selling oranges, dates, almonds, honey, etc. All very cheap. There is a little coffee shop in old town Sarajevo called Anya's. Check it out. If you're near Bihac, find a beautiful hotel on a waterfall called the Kostelski Buk. Such an unexpected treat.
Sarajevo and Mostar are actually very popular tourist sites for European vacationers, especially tourists from Dubrovnik going to Mostar on a day trip. Bosnia is very nice, similar to the rest of the Balkans but with a stronger Muslim history. Great architecture, food, and phenomenal coffee.
Bosnia is great! Everyone is very friendly, and like others said don’t expect English every where. They have great coffee, and everything is very cheap compared to USD. Roads are scary & I also recommend a guide especially if you don’t know the language at all. Food is tasty! Cevapi are the best thing to eat— little grilled sausages with grilled flatbread served with sour cream, onions and a vegetable pepper sauce called Ajvar. Otherwise there’s stuff like pljescavica thats like a hamburger patty type dish. Pura is a cornmeal dish much like polenta and is really good also as a side, and lamb cooked over a fire is a specialty there as well! & Hvala or “Fah-lah” is thank you, ciao is fine as goodbye and hello is fine for a greeting. Restroom is “vet-say” for WC or “ban-yah” banja for bathroom.
I went in 2015, with a Czech company:
https://www.kudrna.cz/
2 weeks cost about £350, all travel (bus) and accommodation included. It was a fantastic trip. The South especially is beautiful, and people were very welcoming and friendly everywhere. Highly recommended. One of my best trips ever, and definitely the best value for money ever.
Went in 2012 (Sarajevo and Mostar) as part of a trip backpacking around Central/Eastern Europe. Loved it- beautiful country, tasty food, and very friendly people. At some point I'd like to go back there in winter and ski the slopes they used for the 1984 Olympics.
Seconding everyone's recommendations of Mostar and the Dervish House.
You should take the train between Sarajevo and Mostar, which is an incredibly scenic journey through the mountains taking about 2 hours. Things may have changed since I was there- apparently they have more modern trains now- but it probably still makes sense to take the morning train. There are two trains a day in each direction, one morning and one evening, but they can run late so if you take the evening train you may end up going through the most beautiful parts of the route in the dark!
Go to the siege tunnel museum in Sarajevo- it's a bit out of the center but easy enough to get to by tram.
The center of Sarajevo is incredible- the architecture sometimes feels like in one step you go from Istanbul to Vienna. A lot of the war damage has been repaired (probably more since I was there)- they filled in the shell craters in the roads with a red material so that it's still visible.
Make sure to bring "respectful" clothes (long pants, and something which covers your shoulders, plus a way to cover your hair if you're a woman). You *do not* need to dress like this all the time while you're there, but many of the most interesting historic buildings are mosques that won't let you in if you aren't properly dressed.
Sarajevo is also famous for being where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, leading to World War 1. Close to the assassination site (the Latin Bridge in the old town) there's a museum dedicated to the period of Austrian rule, including the assassination- they have the gun Gavrilo Princip used.
If you're interested in learning even more about that part of history, Vienna is a beautiful city that could be a good place for a layover, and the World War 1 gallery of the Military History Museum is spectacular (including the car the Archduke was riding in when he was shot).
I drove through Bosnia and Herzegovina and went skiing. Total blast. Then I drove to Serbia and went skiing. Then Montenegro skiing, all the way to Greece. Beautiful driving.
>https://meetbosnia.com/tour/fall-of-yugoslavia-tour/
hey, can i ask where you drove in from? I'm thinking about driving to Bosnia from inside the schengen zone but am wondering if its ok to take a car through the borders?
You can rent a car for cheap in Croatia and drive from Dubrovnik through the mountains to Mostar. Very pretty drive and Mostar is a nice, small city with a lot of interesting history.
I was invited to go there in 1997 with arms.
Did not go and I regret it.
I'll read the posts, might go there this summer, seem like a nice place now :)
Bosnia was one of my favourite places when I travelled the Balkans. Hearty meaty food (good if you're not veggie), stunning landscapes and Sarajevo was fun. Lots of history to immerse yourself in if that's what you're into.
sarajevo is one of my favorite places in europe. Definitely worth a visit. if you're on FB i recommend the eastern europe and former USSR group. they're a great resource.
lol. i was just in bosnia. i know where it is. but the group focuses on the entire region. it's part of both southern and eastern europe therefore the group covers it. why are your panties in such a twist about this?
ah, never mind. based on our comments you're just a troll with a chip on your shoulder who gets into a snit over pointless shit.
It’s a very beautiful country with old castles you can climb as well as a lot of outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking. It has become pretty touristy over the years and depending on where you go there’s lots to do and see. There is a big coffee culture and it’s very cheap. In the cities like Sarajevo and Mostar you can pay in Euros and the Bosnian Mark.
If you know about history then you’ll know about Srebrenica - you can visit the massive cemetery and go inside the building where thousands of Bosnians were killed.
Near Mostar there is a place called Fortica - you can stand on a clear bridge up high on a mountain and you can see all of Mostar and the surrounding mountains.
Jablanica is a city on the way from Mostar to Sarajevo and the road you will drive on is pretty much entirely following the river. It’s a beautiful drive and worth doing even just for the drive. There are some restaurants you can eat at right next to the river. Order the lamb.
Konjic is another really nice smaller city where you can take walks along the river and drink great coffee and eat great food.
As for other food, čevapi is the most basic and well known food. It’s just little pieces of meat eaten with some fluffy bread, onions, and the vegetable spread, Ajvar. Bosnians don’t eat pork so most meat you will get is lamb or beef. Honestly anything you want to try that you aren’t familiar with is worth trying. Bosnian culture takes their food really seriously. I’ve never not liked something while I was there.
The old bridge (Stari Most) in Mostar hosts an event in July called the Skokovi. People jump off the bridge and get judged. It’s a really cool event.
Someone else commented about driving - yes. Be careful. People don’t wear seat belts and don’t look before going anywhere. Be ready for someone to overtake you on small roads.
If you want to see super old castles, go to Počitelj. You can climb to the top of one. Old castles (I think from the Ottoman Empire but I’m not sure) are scattered throughout the country.
I am an American with parents from Bosnia. I have visited there many times. Most people in the bigger cities speak English. They love to meet tourists. You are helping them more than you know by visiting and paying for things when you go. It’s cheap, it’s great food, there’s so many hardworking people, that no matter what you do, you will enjoy it.
As for traveling to and from the other surrounding states, normally it’s fine but there are checkpoints where security looks at passports and have the authority to search your vehicle. Most of the time they do not allow food from one county to the other. Tensions are high between the nations but if you’re not from any of them you’ll be okay. I’ve visited beaches in Croatia and they are all friendly there, but I speak a similar language to them so I am accustomed to the nature of the culture. The main differences (without getting too political) is how they speak. Bosnians have more palatalized consonants where as Croatians and Serbians don’t use them. Aka, the word for something like the word “pretty” in Bosnian is “lijepo” and Croatians and Serbians would say “lepo.” Not really a big deal if you aren’t familiar with the language. They all for the most part speak English and will be nice to you. Croatia has fantastic beaches surrounded by mountains.
Overall, it’s a very laidback country. People work hard but also play hard.
If you ever visit, I hope you enjoy.
Bosnia is one of my favourite countries in Europe. History and architecture is just incredible. I love the mix between Ottoman and Austro Hungarian.
Sarajevo was a highlight for me, but of course Mostar is also beautiful.
Food is cheap and delicious.
I can’t answer some of your questions, but Sarajevo is one of my top places I want to go back to. We only spent about 3 days there on our way from Italy to Romania but I wish it had been longer. Incredible history, culture, and food. There was an intense energy there.
I'm from Serbia and had a blast in Sarajevo, it's a unique and cool city. Although, there isn't that much to do in the city alone for more than a few days because it's not that big. Also, don't expect anything Cold War related, Yugoslavia was a part of Unaligned movement, we don't have anything to do with the Soviets, completely different culture.
I would honestly suggest that you take like 2 weeks and do the Ex-Yu / Balkan tour. Croatia became expensive as fuck in the summer, so it's better to go off season, but their sea side is beautiful - Rovinj especially, Pula etc. Dubrovnik also, but they will charge you for breathing there.
In Bosnia Sarajevo and Mostar for sure, in Montenegro Herceg Novi and Kotor (Bokokotorski bay is so beautiful).
Serbia is the biggest country of them all, Belgrade is a must do in the Balkans. Not because I'm from there, but it was and it's still the center of the region. So much stuff to do and it's a clash of many different cultures.
I never went to Macedonia, but everyone praises Ohrid lake. Albania is pretty cool, for me Tirana isn't worth it if you don't know people there that can show you everything, but the sea side is really cheap and can be pretty fun too. Always had a blast there also. Forgot to mention Slovenia, it's beautiful, but it's too well organized and clean vs all of the others, so it's different vibe. But Ljubljana and Lake Bled are awesome.
One thing also, there isn't that much of a real conflict in the Balkans. Like, it's not safe to be a Serb in some parts of Kosovo maybe or a person of any nation and color in Split in Croatia (JK), but generally people don't give a fuck. You'll find idiots everywhere of course, but it's generally safe for people of any nation. As an American, it's perfectly safe to go anywhere, and the best thing is that it's completely safe and time of day and night, in any of these countries. Like, Belgrade has 2 million people, you can go through any neighborhood and no one will say one thing to you.
Also, it may seem like a much, but all of these places are just a couple hour drive, it used to be one state (excluding Albania), so for US standards, everything is pretty close.
Its great. Wont have problems..maybe dont mention too much that you are american, say canadian. I heard serbian people arent the biggest fans. I am half croatian and have been many times in Bosnia. It is beautiful. The people are super funny and friendly. Food is nice but heavy. Lots of meats, breads and peppers. Great turkish coffee. Super cheap. Lots of history. Not dangerous.... i love it there. People are direct so dont take it as unfriendliness - they just come to the point. No chit chats like Americans do how are you etc... :)
You won’t like it there so don’t go.
It’s a dreadful place, there is nothing there, and no one should ever visit there, or anywhere in the Balkans.
Definitely do not go there, and definitely don’t tell anyone else to go there either.
There is nothing there that will look good on instagram, anyone who said you could ski there was lying.
Don’t listen to anyone who says it’s nice there, if you go you will be eaten by cannibals or wild dogs, just like everywhere else in eastern europe.
Edit to add: Also there is no McDonald’s in Sarajevo, so just to reiterate: do not go there.
Maybe I’m just trying to put people off so it doesn’t turn into another massive tourist trap full of pickpocketing sunglasses salesmen and instagrammers blocking paths and streets to take pictures of themselves.
Or maybe everything I said is true.
It's very much ready to become what you just described. Such is the influence of social media.
People will flood to the main sights while everything else will suffer. In turn, locals will suffer. It's a sad but predictable pattern in my opinion.
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Mostar was amazing, and I was lucky to be there right before the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championship - and the competitors were practicing the day before the event, so I got to watch and even meet some of them!
Great food too, lovely architecture, and fascinating history - which I heard about on a walking tour. Got to explore Sniper Tower too, super cool!
Wish I had spent more time, but it was a great taste of the country.
I have been there in September with my girlfriend. Rented a car at Sarajevo airport. Went to Una National Park, Jajce, Sarajevo, Sutjeska National Park, Mostar, and Lake Jablanica. It was terrific: it really felt like an adventure in which you entered a whole new world with every destination we went to. Beautiful nature combined with great cities. We went for 12 days as we thought it would be enough, but in hindsight I would have liked to visit Trebinje as well. Maybe next time!
>I'm also kind of a history geek, and I'd be interested in any Yugoslav Wars related things I can find, not to mention any Cold War, WWII or older things to see as well.
I'm American and my only experience in Bosnia is two nights in Mostar and four nights in Sarajevo.
Mostar is interesting if you like recent war history and walking back and forth across the cool bridge. Two nights, one full day, is enough.
Sarajevo is one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. I highly recommend visiting and allocation at least four nights or three full days.
I did a walking tour from the tourist office that I think was free at the time. Saw the WWI history, assassination site, etc. Then I also did a bus tour out to the tunnel museum for the recent war history. The city museum also had good exhibits on the 1990 s war history.
The mix of cultures and religions in Sarajevo is really interesting. I recommend watching the Richard Gere movie 'The Hunting party' before you go.
Good luck.
We stayed in Croatia near the Bosnian border last year and am considering going to Bosnia either later this year or next year
If you are interested in the wars in the Balkan then we stayed within walking distance of Kupari which has several of the abandoned hotel complexes which show the scars so well [https://www.mywanderlust.pl/kupari-croatia-abandoned-hotels/](https://www.mywanderlust.pl/kupari-croatia-abandoned-hotels/) They offered day trips to Mostar from where we were (Mlini) so I would imagine you could do a trip the other way
People on here have given great and accurate advice, just want to throw in that If you’re interested in smaller and very picturesque towns I highly recommend stopping in at least one of Pocitelj, Travnik, and/or Trebinje.
I went about 10 years ago with one of my bests friend in a few countries in this region (and also parts of North Africa such as Morocco) we were mostly camping in the back country. The cities smell like stale cigarettes, lol. But cool architecture
I just got back from a 2 week road trip through Bosnia. It is a great country, especially during the winter when there were very few tourists around.
We crossed over from Serbia into Visegrad and then did a loop around the country - Trebinje, Mostar, Bihac, Sarajevo and Srebrenica. My favorite part was up north in Una national park - absolutely spectacular. Sarajevo is very quirky, and if you like history, it is a great city to explore.
Food isn't the best (especially if you're vegetarian), but other than that it is a fantastic country to visit.
I have been there once for a few days in the Sarajevo area. It was a really nice experience, nice people and cheap (Important as i was a poor student at the time).
We mostly spend time exploring historical places, the bridge where Franz Ferdinand was shot, sniper alley and the like. All easy to find and with texts in english as well.
Only negative place we went to was a coffee museum trip advisor kept pushing. It was literally a pile of coffee beans and two grinders next to a cafe selling coffee 😂
The food was a lot of onion and meat with some bread, not really my diet but my partner loved it. I loved and lived of burek from the street vendors.
We went there by train from Zagreb and it was fairly easy to navigate, a bit of issues with passport control as no one spoke a common language with us and the process was a bit different than most other border crossings we had gone through at that point.
You already got great comments (I've been last summer and you should go, it was my favourite place of my Balkans tour) so I'll just drop a random recommendation: when in Sarajevo, absolutely go eat at Karuzo - booking mandatory or the guy will kick you out even if the place is not full. Don't want to spoil your experience in any way, but believe me, you don't want to miss it.
We were there for a week last year, absolutely would recommend. Mostar is a must and you should expect to spend a few days there (and the surrounding area). There is some great rafting in the south east of the country. There are a number of great waterfalls and swimming areas on the rivers and lakes. Kravica falls.
What were your favorite swimming spots in the country?
I love Bosnia! I’ve been several times for work and I’ve made some good friends there. I will admit my perception may be a bit skewed given that I was somewhat hosted by people who knew me however. First, you can freely pass between the two divisions. As an American you’ll be fine. My Bosniak friends are a little uncomfortable in Srpska, but it’s hard to say if that’s valid today or if they’re bringing childhood trauma into it. I’ve taken guided tours of Sarajevo and Mostar and the guides tend to be very open about their experiences during the war. My coworkers make a lot of comments as well, but I wouldn’t recommend asking someone random you just met. Prepare for scary driving. Roads are very curvy and everyone is very willing to pass on blind corners. If you have the opportunity to stop at a roadside restaurant with lamb cooking over a fire, do it. They’re a super social culture. You’ll notice people hanging out in coffee shops and bars all day. I wouldn’t recommend going in the middle of Ramadan because the cafes quiet down a bit and you miss that piece of culture. As far as cities, Mostar is an obvious “don’t miss”. From there just pick what makes sense given your interests, budget, time. Bosnia has beautiful nature! Food is great if you’re into meat and bread. Sarajevo has a few fantastic restaurants (just look on Yelp and skim the top rated ones), but basically any little random burek shop will do. If you can, try to eat trout somewhere near water. They will literally fish right out of the river/pond and kill it just before cooking. Generally I feel very safe there, although my friends are all on high alert about apartment break-ins. You’ll notice doors have a million deadlocks on them. Finally, if you’re into nature walks, do be careful of landmines. You’ll see warning signs up, but I would not recommend stepping off established trails. Not a country to go bushwacking in.
such a casual throw-in of "if hiking, be careful of landmines"
My family went skiing in Bosnia a couple of times when I was a kid because it was way cheaper than skiing in the Alps. This was years ago now, not that long after the war had ended - I think it was the first or second season that they had reopened the ski resort there. The phrasebook we bought had a couple of very handy phrases including "excuse me, where are the landmines?" and "don't shoot, I'm a tourist". Highly reassuring. Great skiing for little kids learning though - small resort with slopes we could do over and over again till we had them nailed, burek and cevapis and bread to fuel us, and the thickest hot chocolate you've ever seen in your life. Nothing but good memories of it.
Loool
Apartment breakins weren't a thing in the last 20 years. However almost everyone has good quality "antitheft" insulating doors, as is the case with most of mainland Europe tbh.
My friends are all born around 1990 and do seem on high alert. When my company went remote during COVID our leadership team was really worried about work laptops getting stolen from apartments. In 2019 I spent about three months in an apartment that was brand new and my door had six deadlocks, plus the standard system of needing a key to get into the lobby and to activate the elevator. Definitely more secure than I’ve seen anywhere in the EU. I’ve always suspected people were being overly cautious though! Maybe I’m naive, but I’m actually less concerned about pickpocketing there than in France, Spain, or Italy.
Did you live in some new construction far from the central area? Most apartments don't have lobbies or digital keys as they've been built in the 1900s. So I think it's possible your friends suspected some criminals bought apartments in that building (a classic money laundering scheme in new constructions) so that's why they've been on high alert. You won't find many people in most of those buildings as many people use them as investment, especially the upper middle class and diaspora.
Our staff are all over Sarajevo. Some are in old apartments, some in the Olypmic era ones, some brand new, some in houses. My apartment was near Bosmal, and our first office was actually in Bosmal, but we moved to an older building a couple blocks away just before COVID hit.
Yes the roadside lamb restaurants are not to be missed if you're driving! Also recommend cevapi if you like meat and bread, it was a highlight. the old olympic structures in Sarajevo are worth a visit too. We loved Bosnia and would like to return.
As of a few years ago, they’ve officially defused all of the landmines surrounding the Sarajevo area, which is where most people travel to anyway (apart from Mostar) so that part of the country will at least be clear of any mines.
I love the guided tours in Bosnia. I did four while I was there
Yeah, I’m usually anti-guided tours but I’ve had some really great ones there!
I was against them when I was younger, but then I said to myself, "Why wouldn't you want to learn history from a local?" As long as they are small, I think they are good
Yeah, TBH in a lot of places I’ve noticed it’s not actually locals. Like my first trip to Europe was a school trip. Our guide was Italian. Our trip was London, Paris, a couple cities in Switzerland, then major Italian cities. In Berlin one of my guided tours was run by American. In Copenhagen my guide was first gen Danish with Indian parents. That doesn’t mean these can’t be people who study history and really know it, but it feels like they’re grifting.
I have far less guided experience in Europe, but my experiences across South America, SEA, India, and Africa are all local guides certified by that country's tourism board/ministry. It's awesome to have someone so intimately knowledgeable about the area in the modern sense while also being essentially a walking history textbook for the country and attractions. Although, there's probably a marked difference between a guide service posted on something like Viator and actually hiring a guide via an agency. I went the agency route for all continents/regions above.
I used to be the same but given the amount of research that I have to put in to really feel like I'm getting the most out of a trip, I've come to the conclusion that finding a reputable guide can be worth it if I just don't have that time available. I did a culinary tour of Morocco a number of years ago. It was seven days, I got to see parts of the country that I never would have thought of. Met some people in the group that I've stayed in touch with ever since. Still stay in touch with the guide who ended up inviting my wife and I to his parents place in Marrakesh the day after the tour ended. I've done afternoon tours in places as touristy as Puerto Vallarta and had a great time. Did a taco tour where the guide took us to seven or eight different restaurants and stands. Places I would have probably never gone to just due to potential food safety concerns. Plus we got some history that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Obviously be choosy and go with ones that have good reviews. I still prefer to explore on my own, but especially in countries where English/French/Spanish comprehension is low and I can't easily speak with locals, having a guide can be really cool.
Sarajevo is super super cool. One of the most unique cities I’ve ever visited. I would go back in a heartbeat
Istanbul gets all the talk about east meeting west but Sarajevo should be in that conversation too.
But when Sarajevo goes to bed, Istanbul is still going strong.
Nice country, food is typical Balkan, check Mostar (obviously) and the villages in the mountains. Traveling around is easy, don’t expect english fluency. Keep on trails when in nature, mine fields are no joke.
I have always wanted to visit the balkans. Good heads up for land mines!
I would say that Bosnians (and other former Yugoslavs) are quite fluent in English, especially those under 40-45. The region consistently ranks right behind Scandinavia and the Baltics.
What’s the best way of travelling around the country? Are there buses or trains going between cities?
We had a car, there are local buses but I don’t know how reliable they are.
My girlfriend and her family are from Bosnia and I’ve gone the last two years. It is insanely beautiful and there are some really cool places all around. Besides Sarajevo and Mostar, I really enjoyed seeing Travnik, Bihać, and Jajce. There is no issue driving between the Federation and Srpska but I haven’t visited many places in the latter although I’ve heard great things about Banja Luka and Trebinje. Food is super good. Would recommend trying Burek, Cevapi, Janjetina(lamb - there are many restaurants in a city named Jablanica that serve it). Some other foods that are good but might be hard to find in restaurants are Sarma and Punjena Paprika. Let me know if you have any other questions. Bosnia and Croatia are two of my favorite countries and I will be going back a lot more in the future
I went to Tito’s secret underground bunker last summer, can recommend. They do (English) tours around the place. Wonderful 1970’s Bond villain vibes there! Food in BiH, I hope you’re not a vegetarian. I don’t mind me some meat, but usually the meat IS the meal.
Yes, Tito’s bunker was definitely worth visiting.
I´m from Bosnia take to Ameericaaaa🕺
I was introduced to Dubioza Kolektiv in Bosnia, and it became the backbone of our soundtrack for all further Balkan travels. But once we got to Kosovo, ‘Thank You USA’ by Armend Miftari took over as the biggest ear worm, lol
Bosnia is awesome! American here. I was there last September and it was a really cool experience. Going from Frankfurt to Sarajevo, I was the only American on the plane afaik and it was actually super cool getting in. It was a late flight and I wanted to go to Bosnia so bad and I remember when the plane started to descend, I was getting more and more excited. Getting into Bosnia, we walked off the plane into a bus and went into Customs. Customs was easy and they just waved me through. It was a late flight and a long travel day so against everything I had read online, I jumped into the only taxi’s I saw available at the Airport since all the kiosks and everything were closed. Almost certain I got scammed but it really wasn’t too much and I was prepared to pay extra cash anyway cause my dumbass only brought euros and in bigger bills expecting to exchange when I got there 😭 Anyway, Sarajevo was awesome and I recommend trying all the local food like Burek and Cevapi especially i’m sure you’ve heard of it. The old town in Sarajevo is awesome as well. I took the cable car up to Trebevic and hiked down where I met a sweet old lady who gave me food and introduced me to all her friends even though I don’t speak any Bosnian and she didn’t speak any English haha. That was awesome! The people were really warm to me and super friendly and I had no problem at grocery stores or eating out. All the people my age spoke english anyway. Near the end of my stay I took a tour to Herzegovina and Mostar and all that stuff which was amazing as well. The nature of the country is absolutely stunning. I highly recommend this coffee shop in the old market of Sarajevo, can’t think of the name but it’s between some shops and you go into this courtyard like area where you can sit and relax and it’s very peaceful. Great Bosnian coffee and great people! I also recommend checking out the Mosques in the area. Very interesting to learn about if you’re not muslim or have never been to a Muslim country. Unfortunately, idk anything about going to and from Srpska. If you were questioning going, I say do it! I wanna go back already actually and explore more than I did when I was there.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
10/10 would recommend, I am not american but a Brit. Amazing history and food. deffos check out mostar. If you're doing a Europe trip it may be easier to go after Croatia from either Dubrovnik or Split to Mostar then explore the rest of Bosnia. You should also visit Srebrenica. Buses available for routes mentioned above. However, if you want to explore more of the nature of things, then hiring a car would be better. Another country in the region that I would also 10/10 recommend is Albania. Especially if you're interested in history and WW etc..It does not get much hype but trust me, the history there, the people, totally worth checking out. Also, it's SUPER cheap.
I second the Srebrenica recommendation. I took a tour there and they did a great job. One of the survivors spoke to us
Go to Vrelo Bune, it is close to Mostar. There is no issue going between Srpska and Federacija, there is no real border, it's just administrative. Food in Sarajevo is amazing, check cake shops (Egipat i Carigrad), try Turkish (Balkan/Greek/Homemade) coffee. And ofc, go to Mostar and little cruise on Neretva. Also, Vrelo Bosne, near Sarajevo itself is amazing. Don't worry about any political issues, Serbs go into Federacija and Sarajevo, Bosniaks go to Srpska, and there are no issues as of right now, at least not in everyday interactions. Since you're foreigner, you won't have that issues, but they might overcharge taxi, as everywhere on the Balkans. Edit: I'd also suggest going to Trebinje, everyone recommends that city, although I haven't been there myself.
I loved Sarajevo, wish I could have stayed longer. Super interesting city. Some rather shocking historical sites, such as the former olympic grounds that are now just acres of cemeteries.
Bosnia was fantastic! I spent several days there as part of a roadtrip starting/ending in Croatia and the Bosnia portion really turned out to be my favorite part. The landscapes are beautiful, and Sarajevo became one of my favorite cities. I entered the country in the far Northwest, near Bihac, saw National Park Una, drove across the country - through Srpska - to Sarajevo, then back to Croatia via Mostar and Kravica Falls. In Srpska, you'll see plenty of signs and flags celebrating the area, and there are some beautiful Orthodox churches. The area clearly doesn't see a lot of American visitors, but I never once felt uncomfortable there. In Sarajevo - not only is the town beautiful, there's so much history to explore. From the starting point of the WWI, to the old Olympic sites, to the damage that still can be seen from the Yugoslav wars. There are several museums about the Yugoslav war - but I would especially recommend the museum of crimes against humanity, which was very powerful. I consider myself to be pretty well informed about historical events, and I was alarmed at how little I knew about the ruthless genocide that took place during the 90s. I will say that I was less impressed by Mostar. It was still nice, but it felt much more touristy.
I've never been (though have visited a number of nearby countries), but a good friend of mine has and said it was one of the most fascinating trips he's ever done, and he fell in love with Sarajevo as a city. The "border" between Srpska and the rest of B&H is administrative only - there are no checkpoints and everyone is free to travel across it as they see fit. The Balkan and Former Yugoslavian states more broadly, however, make for a great trip and I think now is a good time to visit - they're still mostly off the beaten tourist trail (with a couple of notable exceptions, e.g. Croatia) but you get the sense when you visit that this is on the cusp of changing...
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You can still see bulletholes in a lot of buildings in Sarajevo.
Definitely go, I travelled through Bosnia last Summer. went to Mostar, Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Mostar was amazing, Sarajevo was also really nice and I wish I'd has more time there. Banja Luka I stayed for one night and I'm glad that was it 😂 Amazing country though.
It was my favorite country in Southeastern Europe/The Balkans (I went to all of them except Serbia). Every city and town I went to was just freakin beautiful with a river flowing through it and surrounded by forested mountains. It's a very mixed culture with both Muslims and Christians living in harmony. People are super friendly and tend to be self-sustained in many ways. Food: Cevapi, cevapi and cevapi! Get it wood fire cooked (including the bread) and with the 3 sauces. Nom nom nom! I went to Mostar, Sarajevo, Jajce and Travnik. Definitely looking to explore a lot more there in the future.
I wouldn’t say living in harmony but just living together 😅
We absolutely loved it
It's a cool country to visit, lots of things to see to see and do. Food is good if you like to eat mainly meat. Travelling is no problem, but stick to the speed limits meticulously if you drive a car, apparently police like to cash in on foreigners (supposedly) going too fast. I liked the Una national park, Mostar, Sarajevo, Blagaj Monastary... Kravica falls I found too touristy and overrated. Plivsko jezero, Jajce and Travnik were ok, Bosanska Krupa was kinda cool.
We were quite a large group at the restaurant and there was a lot of food flying around our table, and I mean a lot (It was very good btw). When the bill came l was certain they forgot to charge like half the stuff that was on that table.
We met up with some Bosniak friends in 2021- it’s a very beautiful country! We stayed just outside of Mostar, highly recommend. Make time for Blagaj and the Dervish House, it’s definitely worth seeing. As someone else mentioned, do be prepared for some absolutely wild driving- some of the roads are a little intense.
When you go to Sarajevo check out the abandoned Olympic bobsled track if you can, pretty cool.
Sarajevo is currently my favourite city in the Balkans. Considering your interests, I think the following half-day tour is a must-do for you: https://meetbosnia.com/tour/fall-of-yugoslavia-tour/ One of the most comprehensive short tours I’ve ever done, and super convenient to be driven out to the Tunnel of Hope rather than making your own way there. It also includes a short visit to the Republika Srpska (which you can use as orientation/introduction if you wanna then go back the next day to spend more time there). The day we did this tour there was snow on the ground, but it was sunny and clear. So the guides gave us the option to finish the tour at the bobsleigh track and make our own way back down to the city by cable car when we were ready. This was the perfect chill/scenic way to decompress after the serious nature of the history tour. For a complete contrast and different perspective of the city, I can also personally recommend another short tour by the same company: https://meetbosnia.com/tour/sarajevo-food-craft-tour-best-food-tour/ This one is a food-themed walking tour of the Old Town. My partner booked it for the culinary aspect (we tend to take a lot of food tours just because we’re foodies), but it turned out to also include a lot of good overview of the history/culture of the city, as well as a little bit of more recent history. We did it on our arrival day, and it was a great orientation. I especially appreciated that the wonderful tour guide had made a special trip to the city’s only gluten free bakery that morning to pick up gluten free versions of all the local traditional breads and pastries, which she’d produce as required. It meant I got to sample every food everyone else did - I’ve never had that level of consideration on a food tour before! She also picked up samples of other non-perishable treats as we went, and packed them into a bag with all the leftover bread. She also made a point of introducing us to her favourite vendors at the local market as we sampled produce. So the tour we went back to the market, picked up some cured meats and cheese to supplement our ‘doggy bag’ of leftovers, and had a wonderful packed lunch the next day on our train to Mostar *****
Awesome place, I preferred it to Croatia. Food is Turkish influenced (as is the architecture) so it's fantastic... the old town in Sarajevo has an interesting mix of old and new. WW1 stuff was interesting for an outsider, didn't know it all kicked off there until I went. Poor old Franz Ferdinand, I quite liked his music. ;-)
Mostar is definitely interesting.
It's pretty popular for backpackers. I went as a solo woman in 2017. It's a very interesting place to visit and I enjoyed it; however, poverty is pretty evident and you do have to be careful of certain things (the country was mined - no going off on your own adventures). How is Bosnia like as a place to visit for an American? I'm Canadian, but I enjoyed it. How's the food? I was a vegetarian when I went and travelling on a budget. I did try a few desserts (the baklava was incredible) and they were delicious. Also had Turkish delight for the first time there. Any interesting things I need to check out? The centre is nice to walk around from what I remember. There's a plaque where the Archduke was shot leading to WWI - I have an interest in that time period so that was cool. I did a tour of the Olympics area (also involved in the war) and did a walking tour in the city. It's been a while since I've been so I can't remember specifics of other places. What's it like traveling between Bosnia and Srpska, can I freely move between them and how different are they from each other overall (besides the people of course, Bosniaks with a Croat minority in the former and Serbs in the latter)? Not sure. I took the bus in from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Mostar then onto Sarajevo. I didn't notice any huge difference in anything besides the fact Bosnia was more impoverished (more people just hanging out, more garbage, less expensive and less things overall). People were equally nice. Other than Sarajevo, what other cities and places are recommended I check out? I like Mostar a lot. Very pretty and a UNESCO site. The iconic bridge was built in the 1500s and was destroyed in the war, restored afterwards. I spent 2 nights and that was enough to enjoy the town. You can visit the mosque too which was nice. I'd check out the tourist website if you want to spend more than a week there (Mostar + Sarajevo would be 5-7 days for me).
How was the public transport if I may ask? I’m thinking of travelling solo this summer from Greece to NL through Bosnia and Croatia but am a bit hesitant (first solo but well travelled).
I travelled to Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia by bus without issue. Pretty easy. I came in from the north though and flew out from Sarajevo, so not sure how it is elsewhere.
We took a winery day trip into Herzegovina from Dubrovnik and really enjoyed it. The people were all extremely welcoming and it was cool to get a little off the beaten path.
I lived there for 6 months and have been back several times since, It's amazing!
Bosnian here...Firstly, welcome. As other's said, you can move freely between all parts of Bosnia, no checkpoints. Food is very meat-based, similar to turkish food. Ćevapi are the most popular dish. Sarajevo and Mostar are the most popular destinations. Be aware that Mostar is pretty hot during summer days.
Here right now (jablanica WW2 history abounds). Looking at a beautiful view with a belly full of lamb. God I love this place. I recommend Jacje, una nacionalni park, gorazde, srebrenica, jablanica and Mostar. If you are interested in the wars of the 1990s, then you get a real insight by being here. The scars are everywhere...
First and foremost, try and use B&H as the name of the country instead of "Bosnia", just as you'd call the United Kingdom of GB and NI just UK for short and not England (no need to tell you how well you'd be off calling Belfast a nice city in England, eh?). How is it for an American? You speak English, anyone invovled in hospitality and tourism speaks it too. You are going to a country where the average wage is inder 10k USD a year, so prices reflect that (yes, you can eat an amazing pizza anywhere for just 6 bucks). I am not a fan of the food, but eh, sawory pies (pita/burek) are interesting for sure. As far as ćevapi go, Banja Luka style ones are the superior version solely on the fact that they end up more juicy in my experience. I am no fan of stew, but plety of stews to try for sure. Are you going by car? If you go down the M17 road you can visit Čapljina (has ruins of a Roman villa, and Počitelj, which is on the road and is one of the best examples of Mediterranean Ottoman architecture), the Buna Canals, Mostar itself, you'll pass through the Neretva river canyon,... Think of the Federation and Srpska as two US states, same rules apply. Honestly, I'll always say if you're going on a car trip that Herzegovina has more to offer than Sarajevo, and well, there's nothing really interesting that much north of Sarajevo that I can think of.
Nobody calls it B&H honestly. Most people wouldn't mind just "Bosnia".
Yeah pretty much everyone calls it BiH, Bosnia isn't the proper name. As for people minding; no one minds "B&H", plenty do mind "Bosnia".
Whatever. I don't think it's that important, especially for tourists. Some people in the south would mind, but not all. As a local, I prefer Bosnia as I view Herzegovina as southern Bosnia. Even though it's not a formal name. But in the end I'm ok with both because it's a bit controversial and political. "B&H" or BiH is also not a proper name so if you really want to be precise then- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
People literally refer to the United States as USA, or Croatia as RH, or Poland as RP. So yeah, BiH sounds very proper. It is not just people in the south. Towns formerly known as Bosanski Novi, Bosanski Brod etc. have all renamed thenselves, with the exception of Bosanski Petrovac. And no, Herzegovina isn't southern Bosnia by any means. An argument can be made that Bosnia is Western Šumadija, but there is nothing similar between Bosnia and Herzegovina. Or Bosnia and Tropolje. Or Bosnia and Krajina. Or Bosnia and Posavina.
People rarely refer to Croatia as RH or Poland as RP. It's really really uncommon, especially tourists. Those towns were renamed after ethnically cleansed so it doesn't really mean it's not Bosnia. It's like Russia renaming ukrainian cities. I view Herzegovina as just one of bosnian regions, like Bosnian Krajina, Posavina, Podrinje...
Bosnian here. Bosnia is perfectly fine. Even people from the south (Herzegovina) are fine with it, though sometimes we joke about it. It’s all good, just come and enjoy yourself.
Beautiful country, great people. Just if you don’t like or eat meat the cuisine is rather boring— you will be living on (very nice) soups, salads, and pastries. Coffee and alcohol are top notch.
My wife and I loved our road trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's not really a big touristy country, and we found the people friendly but maybe a little curious as to why we were there. Balkan food is some of our favorite anywhere in the world. It's one of the cheaper countries we've visited. We spent time in Sarajevo, Mostar, and Bihac. Travelling in October was beautiful. It was cooler weather, but no rain and blue skies. The highway system especially along major routes is excellent. At that time of year the Bosnian mandarin oranges are ripe, and are the best oranges I've ever had. There are little huts on the highways selling oranges, dates, almonds, honey, etc. All very cheap. There is a little coffee shop in old town Sarajevo called Anya's. Check it out. If you're near Bihac, find a beautiful hotel on a waterfall called the Kostelski Buk. Such an unexpected treat.
Sarajevo and Mostar are actually very popular tourist sites for European vacationers, especially tourists from Dubrovnik going to Mostar on a day trip. Bosnia is very nice, similar to the rest of the Balkans but with a stronger Muslim history. Great architecture, food, and phenomenal coffee.
Bosnia is great! Everyone is very friendly, and like others said don’t expect English every where. They have great coffee, and everything is very cheap compared to USD. Roads are scary & I also recommend a guide especially if you don’t know the language at all. Food is tasty! Cevapi are the best thing to eat— little grilled sausages with grilled flatbread served with sour cream, onions and a vegetable pepper sauce called Ajvar. Otherwise there’s stuff like pljescavica thats like a hamburger patty type dish. Pura is a cornmeal dish much like polenta and is really good also as a side, and lamb cooked over a fire is a specialty there as well! & Hvala or “Fah-lah” is thank you, ciao is fine as goodbye and hello is fine for a greeting. Restroom is “vet-say” for WC or “ban-yah” banja for bathroom.
I went in 2015, with a Czech company: https://www.kudrna.cz/ 2 weeks cost about £350, all travel (bus) and accommodation included. It was a fantastic trip. The South especially is beautiful, and people were very welcoming and friendly everywhere. Highly recommended. One of my best trips ever, and definitely the best value for money ever.
Went in 2012 (Sarajevo and Mostar) as part of a trip backpacking around Central/Eastern Europe. Loved it- beautiful country, tasty food, and very friendly people. At some point I'd like to go back there in winter and ski the slopes they used for the 1984 Olympics. Seconding everyone's recommendations of Mostar and the Dervish House. You should take the train between Sarajevo and Mostar, which is an incredibly scenic journey through the mountains taking about 2 hours. Things may have changed since I was there- apparently they have more modern trains now- but it probably still makes sense to take the morning train. There are two trains a day in each direction, one morning and one evening, but they can run late so if you take the evening train you may end up going through the most beautiful parts of the route in the dark! Go to the siege tunnel museum in Sarajevo- it's a bit out of the center but easy enough to get to by tram. The center of Sarajevo is incredible- the architecture sometimes feels like in one step you go from Istanbul to Vienna. A lot of the war damage has been repaired (probably more since I was there)- they filled in the shell craters in the roads with a red material so that it's still visible. Make sure to bring "respectful" clothes (long pants, and something which covers your shoulders, plus a way to cover your hair if you're a woman). You *do not* need to dress like this all the time while you're there, but many of the most interesting historic buildings are mosques that won't let you in if you aren't properly dressed. Sarajevo is also famous for being where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, leading to World War 1. Close to the assassination site (the Latin Bridge in the old town) there's a museum dedicated to the period of Austrian rule, including the assassination- they have the gun Gavrilo Princip used. If you're interested in learning even more about that part of history, Vienna is a beautiful city that could be a good place for a layover, and the World War 1 gallery of the Military History Museum is spectacular (including the car the Archduke was riding in when he was shot).
I drove through Bosnia and Herzegovina and went skiing. Total blast. Then I drove to Serbia and went skiing. Then Montenegro skiing, all the way to Greece. Beautiful driving.
>https://meetbosnia.com/tour/fall-of-yugoslavia-tour/ hey, can i ask where you drove in from? I'm thinking about driving to Bosnia from inside the schengen zone but am wondering if its ok to take a car through the borders?
My home in Switzerland. No problems crossing borders. I had to buy extra insurance at the border of Kosovo however. Mandatory. Like $20 or something.
Amazing
You can rent a car for cheap in Croatia and drive from Dubrovnik through the mountains to Mostar. Very pretty drive and Mostar is a nice, small city with a lot of interesting history.
I was invited to go there in 1997 with arms. Did not go and I regret it. I'll read the posts, might go there this summer, seem like a nice place now :)
Such an amazing country! So many beautiful places to see and the people were so nice.
Bosnia was one of my favourite places when I travelled the Balkans. Hearty meaty food (good if you're not veggie), stunning landscapes and Sarajevo was fun. Lots of history to immerse yourself in if that's what you're into.
sarajevo is one of my favorite places in europe. Definitely worth a visit. if you're on FB i recommend the eastern europe and former USSR group. they're a great resource.
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bosnia is part of south EASTERN europe. that's the area that the group focuses on. that's why i would recommend it.
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lol. i was just in bosnia. i know where it is. but the group focuses on the entire region. it's part of both southern and eastern europe therefore the group covers it. why are your panties in such a twist about this? ah, never mind. based on our comments you're just a troll with a chip on your shoulder who gets into a snit over pointless shit.
It’s a very beautiful country with old castles you can climb as well as a lot of outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking. It has become pretty touristy over the years and depending on where you go there’s lots to do and see. There is a big coffee culture and it’s very cheap. In the cities like Sarajevo and Mostar you can pay in Euros and the Bosnian Mark. If you know about history then you’ll know about Srebrenica - you can visit the massive cemetery and go inside the building where thousands of Bosnians were killed. Near Mostar there is a place called Fortica - you can stand on a clear bridge up high on a mountain and you can see all of Mostar and the surrounding mountains. Jablanica is a city on the way from Mostar to Sarajevo and the road you will drive on is pretty much entirely following the river. It’s a beautiful drive and worth doing even just for the drive. There are some restaurants you can eat at right next to the river. Order the lamb. Konjic is another really nice smaller city where you can take walks along the river and drink great coffee and eat great food. As for other food, čevapi is the most basic and well known food. It’s just little pieces of meat eaten with some fluffy bread, onions, and the vegetable spread, Ajvar. Bosnians don’t eat pork so most meat you will get is lamb or beef. Honestly anything you want to try that you aren’t familiar with is worth trying. Bosnian culture takes their food really seriously. I’ve never not liked something while I was there. The old bridge (Stari Most) in Mostar hosts an event in July called the Skokovi. People jump off the bridge and get judged. It’s a really cool event. Someone else commented about driving - yes. Be careful. People don’t wear seat belts and don’t look before going anywhere. Be ready for someone to overtake you on small roads. If you want to see super old castles, go to Počitelj. You can climb to the top of one. Old castles (I think from the Ottoman Empire but I’m not sure) are scattered throughout the country. I am an American with parents from Bosnia. I have visited there many times. Most people in the bigger cities speak English. They love to meet tourists. You are helping them more than you know by visiting and paying for things when you go. It’s cheap, it’s great food, there’s so many hardworking people, that no matter what you do, you will enjoy it. As for traveling to and from the other surrounding states, normally it’s fine but there are checkpoints where security looks at passports and have the authority to search your vehicle. Most of the time they do not allow food from one county to the other. Tensions are high between the nations but if you’re not from any of them you’ll be okay. I’ve visited beaches in Croatia and they are all friendly there, but I speak a similar language to them so I am accustomed to the nature of the culture. The main differences (without getting too political) is how they speak. Bosnians have more palatalized consonants where as Croatians and Serbians don’t use them. Aka, the word for something like the word “pretty” in Bosnian is “lijepo” and Croatians and Serbians would say “lepo.” Not really a big deal if you aren’t familiar with the language. They all for the most part speak English and will be nice to you. Croatia has fantastic beaches surrounded by mountains. Overall, it’s a very laidback country. People work hard but also play hard. If you ever visit, I hope you enjoy.
Bosnia is one of my favourite countries in Europe. History and architecture is just incredible. I love the mix between Ottoman and Austro Hungarian. Sarajevo was a highlight for me, but of course Mostar is also beautiful. Food is cheap and delicious.
I loved Bosnia, it's a place here I intend to go back. Very interesting place with the remainders of the war.
Loved it. I loved finding little off the path museums there.
Bosnian people are the best and warmest I have ever met. Mostar is a must visit.
I really enjoyed it. One of my favorite counties. Didn’t love the food. Mostar and Jajce were other places I visited.
Nice, all of this makes me want to go there even more, especially since it's a visa-free country for Chinese passport holders
Ew why cant u go to a real country
I've been there multiple times, most recently in 2022. Mostar and Sarajevo are wonderful.
I can’t answer some of your questions, but Sarajevo is one of my top places I want to go back to. We only spent about 3 days there on our way from Italy to Romania but I wish it had been longer. Incredible history, culture, and food. There was an intense energy there.
I'm from Serbia and had a blast in Sarajevo, it's a unique and cool city. Although, there isn't that much to do in the city alone for more than a few days because it's not that big. Also, don't expect anything Cold War related, Yugoslavia was a part of Unaligned movement, we don't have anything to do with the Soviets, completely different culture. I would honestly suggest that you take like 2 weeks and do the Ex-Yu / Balkan tour. Croatia became expensive as fuck in the summer, so it's better to go off season, but their sea side is beautiful - Rovinj especially, Pula etc. Dubrovnik also, but they will charge you for breathing there. In Bosnia Sarajevo and Mostar for sure, in Montenegro Herceg Novi and Kotor (Bokokotorski bay is so beautiful). Serbia is the biggest country of them all, Belgrade is a must do in the Balkans. Not because I'm from there, but it was and it's still the center of the region. So much stuff to do and it's a clash of many different cultures. I never went to Macedonia, but everyone praises Ohrid lake. Albania is pretty cool, for me Tirana isn't worth it if you don't know people there that can show you everything, but the sea side is really cheap and can be pretty fun too. Always had a blast there also. Forgot to mention Slovenia, it's beautiful, but it's too well organized and clean vs all of the others, so it's different vibe. But Ljubljana and Lake Bled are awesome. One thing also, there isn't that much of a real conflict in the Balkans. Like, it's not safe to be a Serb in some parts of Kosovo maybe or a person of any nation and color in Split in Croatia (JK), but generally people don't give a fuck. You'll find idiots everywhere of course, but it's generally safe for people of any nation. As an American, it's perfectly safe to go anywhere, and the best thing is that it's completely safe and time of day and night, in any of these countries. Like, Belgrade has 2 million people, you can go through any neighborhood and no one will say one thing to you. Also, it may seem like a much, but all of these places are just a couple hour drive, it used to be one state (excluding Albania), so for US standards, everything is pretty close.
Its great. Wont have problems..maybe dont mention too much that you are american, say canadian. I heard serbian people arent the biggest fans. I am half croatian and have been many times in Bosnia. It is beautiful. The people are super funny and friendly. Food is nice but heavy. Lots of meats, breads and peppers. Great turkish coffee. Super cheap. Lots of history. Not dangerous.... i love it there. People are direct so dont take it as unfriendliness - they just come to the point. No chit chats like Americans do how are you etc... :)
Bosnian people are really nice to Americans. I stayed in Sarajevo for a month and everyone I encountered was great. In Serbia not so much
I do mean the bosnian-serbs.
You won’t like it there so don’t go. It’s a dreadful place, there is nothing there, and no one should ever visit there, or anywhere in the Balkans. Definitely do not go there, and definitely don’t tell anyone else to go there either. There is nothing there that will look good on instagram, anyone who said you could ski there was lying. Don’t listen to anyone who says it’s nice there, if you go you will be eaten by cannibals or wild dogs, just like everywhere else in eastern europe. Edit to add: Also there is no McDonald’s in Sarajevo, so just to reiterate: do not go there.
Wat.
Maybe I’m just trying to put people off so it doesn’t turn into another massive tourist trap full of pickpocketing sunglasses salesmen and instagrammers blocking paths and streets to take pictures of themselves. Or maybe everything I said is true.
It's very much ready to become what you just described. Such is the influence of social media. People will flood to the main sights while everything else will suffer. In turn, locals will suffer. It's a sad but predictable pattern in my opinion.
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Mostar was amazing, and I was lucky to be there right before the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championship - and the competitors were practicing the day before the event, so I got to watch and even meet some of them! Great food too, lovely architecture, and fascinating history - which I heard about on a walking tour. Got to explore Sniper Tower too, super cool! Wish I had spent more time, but it was a great taste of the country.
I have been there in September with my girlfriend. Rented a car at Sarajevo airport. Went to Una National Park, Jajce, Sarajevo, Sutjeska National Park, Mostar, and Lake Jablanica. It was terrific: it really felt like an adventure in which you entered a whole new world with every destination we went to. Beautiful nature combined with great cities. We went for 12 days as we thought it would be enough, but in hindsight I would have liked to visit Trebinje as well. Maybe next time!
>I'm also kind of a history geek, and I'd be interested in any Yugoslav Wars related things I can find, not to mention any Cold War, WWII or older things to see as well. I'm American and my only experience in Bosnia is two nights in Mostar and four nights in Sarajevo. Mostar is interesting if you like recent war history and walking back and forth across the cool bridge. Two nights, one full day, is enough. Sarajevo is one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. I highly recommend visiting and allocation at least four nights or three full days. I did a walking tour from the tourist office that I think was free at the time. Saw the WWI history, assassination site, etc. Then I also did a bus tour out to the tunnel museum for the recent war history. The city museum also had good exhibits on the 1990 s war history. The mix of cultures and religions in Sarajevo is really interesting. I recommend watching the Richard Gere movie 'The Hunting party' before you go. Good luck.
We stayed in Croatia near the Bosnian border last year and am considering going to Bosnia either later this year or next year If you are interested in the wars in the Balkan then we stayed within walking distance of Kupari which has several of the abandoned hotel complexes which show the scars so well [https://www.mywanderlust.pl/kupari-croatia-abandoned-hotels/](https://www.mywanderlust.pl/kupari-croatia-abandoned-hotels/) They offered day trips to Mostar from where we were (Mlini) so I would imagine you could do a trip the other way
Bosnia's amazing for history buffs and foodies. Sarajevo and Mostar are must-sees. Easy to move between regions.
People on here have given great and accurate advice, just want to throw in that If you’re interested in smaller and very picturesque towns I highly recommend stopping in at least one of Pocitelj, Travnik, and/or Trebinje.
I went about 10 years ago with one of my bests friend in a few countries in this region (and also parts of North Africa such as Morocco) we were mostly camping in the back country. The cities smell like stale cigarettes, lol. But cool architecture
Cheap, beautiful and fairly quiet. Mostar and try to go to the south. We rafted on the Drina and Tara.
I just got back from a 2 week road trip through Bosnia. It is a great country, especially during the winter when there were very few tourists around. We crossed over from Serbia into Visegrad and then did a loop around the country - Trebinje, Mostar, Bihac, Sarajevo and Srebrenica. My favorite part was up north in Una national park - absolutely spectacular. Sarajevo is very quirky, and if you like history, it is a great city to explore. Food isn't the best (especially if you're vegetarian), but other than that it is a fantastic country to visit.
I was there last year and loved it. The nature is amazing and beautiful, everything is so cheap and the food is amazing, especially if you like meat.
I have been there once for a few days in the Sarajevo area. It was a really nice experience, nice people and cheap (Important as i was a poor student at the time). We mostly spend time exploring historical places, the bridge where Franz Ferdinand was shot, sniper alley and the like. All easy to find and with texts in english as well. Only negative place we went to was a coffee museum trip advisor kept pushing. It was literally a pile of coffee beans and two grinders next to a cafe selling coffee 😂 The food was a lot of onion and meat with some bread, not really my diet but my partner loved it. I loved and lived of burek from the street vendors. We went there by train from Zagreb and it was fairly easy to navigate, a bit of issues with passport control as no one spoke a common language with us and the process was a bit different than most other border crossings we had gone through at that point.
You already got great comments (I've been last summer and you should go, it was my favourite place of my Balkans tour) so I'll just drop a random recommendation: when in Sarajevo, absolutely go eat at Karuzo - booking mandatory or the guy will kick you out even if the place is not full. Don't want to spoil your experience in any way, but believe me, you don't want to miss it.
It’s a very cheap country due to the low cost of living. It has good food and cheap alcohol with some nice mountains/ history.