Things to Do in Mostar

Running 225 km (140.5 miles) from Lebrsnik in the Dinaric Alps to Ploce on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, the Neretva is Bosnia’s longest river. The waterway is fed by five tributary rivers, including the Buna (overlooked at its source by the Blagaj Tekija monastery) and Trebižat (home of the awesome mini-Niagara at Kravice Falls), before flowing through Lake Jablanicko and turning southwest toward Mostar. The icy upper reaches of the emerald-green river near Glavaticevo flow through dramatic canyons and limestone gorges, but lower down the current is managed by four large hydroelectric dams.

On its way into Croatia, the Neretva flows underneath the historic Stari Most (Old Bridge) in Mostar, which has come to symbolize reconciliation between the Christian and Muslim communities since the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. From there it meanders past the historic town of Pocitelj, which sits high above the river amid the ruins of a medieval fortress and the Ottoman Hajji Alija mosque. Once into Croatia, the Neretva broadens out into a delta fringed with reeds and lilies and covering more than 260 square kilometers (100 square miles).

Constructed in 1566 during the Ottoman occupation on the sight of an earlier wooden bridge, the Old Bridge (Stari Most) in multi-cultural Mostar straddles the Neretva River; it was designed in a single stone span by Turkish architect Kodja Mimar Sinan and built by Mimar Hayruddin, who was threatened with execution by the Sultan if the bridge should collapse. Thankfully it stood the test of time until its destruction by shells during the Balkan Wars, but now once again soars over the river, 30 meters (98.5 feet) in length and standing 21 meters (69 feet) at its highest point. Today the Old Bridge is world famous for several reasons: it unites the city’s Muslim and Christian residents between the Ottoman left bank and the largely 19th-century Austro-Hungarian enclave on the right bank; it was blown apart in 1993 when the two communities of Mostar turned on each other; and yet has come to symbolize peace and reconciliation since its restoration – using the original white limestone dredged from the river – and reopening in 2004 with a reinforced metal framework. In summer the youth of Mostar use the UNESCO World Heritage-listed bridge as a diving platform in a spectacular display of foolhardy bravery; an annual diving competition is held in mid-August, watched by up to 15,000 spectators.

Located southwest of Mostar close to the Croatian border, Apparition Hill is a popular Catholic pilgrimage site and the famous home to sightings of apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Officially called Podbrdo Hill, it now draws more than a million visitors each year, making it the third most popular apparition site in Europe.

The Statue of Our Lady was built on top of the hill to mark the 20th anniversary of the first apparitions, which occurred in 1981. There are also 15 bronze reliefs representing the rosary that line the rocky path leading up the hill. In addition to its religious importance, the hill offers panoramic views around the valley below.

Apparition Hill is often visited on a day tour of Medjugorje from Dubrovnik or Split in Croatia. Choose a tour that includes time for a mass at St. James Church or a visit to the Kravice Waterfalls for a more tailored experience.

Just a few steps away from Mostar’s landmark Stari Most, the historic bridge that was destroyed in the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, lies the Stari Grad, the oldest part of town. The historic and commercial heart of this district is the Kujundziluk (Old Bazaar) overlooking the left bank of the River Neretva, which in Ottoman times was where all the trading and bartering took place. In the 16th century, Turks and Bosnians alike congregated here daily to do business; today the Kujundziluk is just as crowded with international visitors keen to seek out traditional crafts and street snacks from the tiny stalls and artisan shops of this cobbled warren of alleyways backed by pink-painted houses. Colorful geometric-patterned rugs, intricate handmade jewelry and gaudy beads, embroidered scarves, bags and shisha pipes are some of the treasures to be unearthed here; be prepared to bargain for discounts off the initial prices.

A ‘tekija’ is a Muslim Dervish monastery and the one found near the rural settlement of Blagaj near Mostar has probably the most spectacular location of any religious building in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Built between 1446 and 1520 while the country was under Ottoman rule, Blagaj Tekija is tucked in under a sheer, 200-m (656-ft) limestone cliff face overlooking the emerald-green source of the River Buna. It was constructed for a sect of soldier-monks somewhat akin to the Christian Knights Templar called the ‘bektašije’, and is a striking mixture of Bosnian and Oriental architecture, a whitewashed, half-timbered four-story structure leaning over the water’s edge. Today monks from the Naqshbandi order inhabit the monastery and Dervish ceremonies still take place there; the remains of two 15th-century Dervishes are interred under ornately carved wooden roofs and are the subject of Muslim pilgrimages. This lovely spot is backed by spectacular rock formations and a complex of caverns that lead well underground; boat trips make the journey to explore the subterranean  passageways. During snowmelt in spring, 43,000 gallons of water per second shoot over the weir in front of the monastery, sending spray high into the air; several open-air restaurants linked by wooden bridges peer over the river from under colorful awnings.

Spectacular Kravice Falls 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.

The falls are a sheer pleasure to experience. Rope swings are poised over the river and several fish restaurants, picnic areas, and camping facilities are dotted on the shore. During the late spring and hot summer months, an amazing natural phenomenon occurs at around noon: The heat causes some of the lake water to rise and create a mist at the top of the valley. A small grotto full of stalactites is nearby, as is an old mill and sailing ship. Visit the falls as part of a day tour from Mostar, including stops in Pocitelj, Blagaj, and/or Medugorje, or as a day trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia, including a stop in Mostar. Day tours from Sarajevo are also possible.

The Kravice Falls are 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Mostar by car along the M6 Capljina-Ljubuski road; turn left down the dirt track at the brown sign marked “Kravice Falls” and follow it for almost two miles (about three kilometers). If you’d rather not drive yourself, book a taxi or join a tour from Mostar, Dubrovnik, or Sarajevo.

It is possible to visit Kravice Falls only from May to October. The best time to go is during the spring snow melt, when the falls are at their fullest and the surrounding landscape is a luscious green. The falls are tamer in summer, when several small sandy beaches appear underneath the cascades from which to swim in the icy, emerald waters.

You can combine a visit to Kravice Falls with one or more nearby towns or villages. Stop in the medieval town of Blagaj, once the capital of Herzegovina, or visit the fortified Pocitelj old town, built into the rocky cliffs above the Neretva River. You might also stop at Medjugorje, one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world.