BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ( EUROPE )

15 PLACES YOU CAN VISIT TO IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TRAVELED















15 Best Places to Visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina would have not been a good place to visit during the mid-1990’s at the height of the Bosnian War conflict. Fortunately, tensions have subsided greatly, enough so that the area is considered as safe to visit as other places in Europe. Thanks to a long and interesting cultural history, world-renowned cuisine, and exquisite natural beauty, there are plenty of excellent places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The following list includes our top 15 choices for Bosnia and Herzegovina tourism.






1. Old Town Sarajevo

Perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in the country, Thanks to a long history of religious and cultural variety, it’s often called the “European Jerusalem.” Walking the narrow, bustling streets of the Old Town area is a treat for the senses: bazaars, mosques, sweet shops, old houses, restaurants, and always the hint of excitement in the air. Consider this number one among the places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With tourists wandering Old Town at all hours of the day or night, it’s one the most memorable things to do in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For most of its history this region has thrived as a cultural and religious crossroads. Unfortunately, two world wars, various dictators, and a brutal civil war have made it difficult to recommend places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina until recently. Tourists are beginning to find the region, and that will only increase as time goes on and political stability reigns. There’s no time like present to plan a trip.






2. Bosnian Pyramids

Author Semir Osmanagic believes that the largest human-made pyramids on earth are located in a cluster of hills in the central part of the country. In 2005, Osmanagic claimed he uncovered tunnels, stone blocks, and ancient mortar, all of which prove his allegation. Whether he’s right or not, who knows? One thing is for sure. It’s great fun to think about. Most geologists believe that the hills are actually a natural formation known as flatirons.






3. Sutjeska National Park

Situated along the border with Montenegro, this park lays claim to one of the two remaining primeval forests in all of Europe. The oldest park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sutjeska is also the home to the country’s highest peak, the almost 8,000 foot high Maglic. Originally declared a national park to honor a well-known World War II battle, officials only later realized the area was perfect for conservation as well.






4. Tuzla’s Salt Lake

The only city in Europe with a salt lake at its center, the Pannonian Lakes were created on the spot where an ancient sea existed. Clever researchers figured out how to resurrect a pool of water and stabilize its saline water. The first lake opened in 2003, with a second following in 2008, and a third in 2012. An archeological park, complete with replica neolithic dwellings draws in about 5,000 tourists a day during the busy season. One of the truly mind-blowing places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.






5. Watermills of Jajce

One of the many tourist draws to the town of Jajce, the watermills are a collection of 20 windowless huts that have been grinding local farmers’ wheat into flour since the days of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Early farmers realized that, due to the broad flow of the water, it made more sense to build a series of small huts rather than a single large waterwheel. No longer used for the purpose they were created, the watermills still draw a crowd.






6. Zeljava Airbase

An underground airport? Sounds outlandish but that’s exactly what the Yugoslavs constructed in the years between 1957 and 1965 at a cost of $6 billion, a mind-boggling sum at the time. Constructed in secrecy, this subterranean military airport incorporated four separate entrances which could launch jet fighters. Designed to be sealed up and withstand a direct hit from a 20-kiloton warhead, the base was blown up from the inside during the Yugoslav army’s retreat during the 1990’s civil war.






7. War Tunnel Museum

The decade of the 1990’s was not a fun time in Sarajevo. Besieged by the Serbian army, only a small portion of the city remained under Bosnian control. The desperate and creative Bosnians hand-dug a tunnel beneath a Serb-controlled airstrip, connecting the neighborhoods of Butmir and Dobrinja. The workers were paid in cigarettes and worked under almost constant threat of flooding and collapse. Visitors can reflect on the war at a museum that occupies the Dobrinja entrance and even journey a short distance into the tunnel itself.






8. Kravica Waterfalls

This 80-ft tall, multi-cascade water feature on the Trebizat River draws in a healthy crowd of tourists and locals alike. The lake created at the base of the waterfalls is a popular picnic and swimming area. Spring is the best time to visit the Kravica falls. That’s when the water downpour is at its fullest and the normally arid surrounding countryside at its greenest. During the busy season, nearby restaurants offer a succulent menu of grilled fish and other local delicacies. Highly recommended among places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.






9. The Old Bridge at Mostar

Mostar is the fifth-largest city in the country and perhaps the most important cultural population center in the Herzegovina region. Without question, the biggest tourist draw is the Old Bridge. Built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, the bridge spans the Neretva River. It is one of the most recognized landmarks in the entire country and stands as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s premiere example of of Islamic architecture.






10. Herceg-Stjepan Fortress

This ancient fort, referred to locally as Duke Stjepan City, retains its outer walls and majestic view of the surrounding mountains. Inside almost nothing remains. Though entrance to the castle is free any time of the day or night, keep in mind there are no facilities (toilets, cafes, restaurants, or guides) either, so plan accordingly. This unique polygon-shaped castle lost its strategic importance in 1835 and has been withering away ever since.






11. Modrac Lake

A fisherman’s paradise, Modrac Lake, located near Lukavac, is the largest man-made lake in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Initially a huge tourist attraction, by 2005 it was almost ruined by locals dumping trash around the edges. Thankfully, the city realized it was messing up a good thing. With more oversight in place now, Modrac Lake is once again suitable for fishing and other water recreation activities.






12. Tito’s Underground Bunker

The city of Konjic boasts a history that goes back 4,000 years. Though one of the oldest permanent settlements in Bosnia, the area is probably better known today for the 611 square meter atomic bunker built between 1953 and 1979 and intended to house Yugoslavian president Tito and 350 of his closest government cronies in the event of a Cold War nuclear incident. Since 2011, the bunker has played host to the D-O ARK Underground, a contemporary art celebration.






13. Our Lady of Medjugorje

In 1981, six children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary in the vicinity of Medjugorje. As the tale goes, the children, now grown, continue to see visions and receive messages on a regular basis. As one might imagine, the town, and especially the statue of Mary that marks the spot where the visions first occurred, have become something of an unofficial pilgrimage for those of the Catholic faith. In fact, Medjugorje is one of the most popular religious destinations in the world for Catholics.






14. The Jajce Fortress

For those who might have fallen asleep in high school history, Bosnia and Herzegovina were formerly known as Yugoslavia, and before that the Kingdom of Bosnia. In the countryside near the small city of Jajce, lies one of the most unique places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina – a 14th century fortress. The structure sits atop a hill overlooking what was probably the original Jajce location. It was partially built by the Hungarians and later added onto by the Ottomans. Thanks to the Black Death in the middle ages, the town relocated to its present location.






15. Winter Olympic Facilities

Perhaps an offbeat choice on a list of things to do in Bosnia, the buildings and facilities built for the 1984 international spectacle have come to resemble a ghost town in the mountains above the capital city of Sarajevo. For example, the luge track is graffiti-covered and half overgrown with bushes. Consider it a cultural experience. Millions of dollars were spent to put on a bright face to the world for one shining moment. The lasting result? Questionable.