Traveling to Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina became my 39th country, a brief stop on the Balkans road trip. Even a short visit reveals layers of history - Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Yugoslav, and the scars of the 1990s war.

Bosnia is a country of 3.3 million people with one of the world's most complicated political systems - a federation within a federation, with three presidents representing three ethnic groups. The 1992-1995 war, including the Siege of Sarajevo, left marks that are still visible and felt today.

What I Experienced

Mostar was our main destination, and the famous Stari Most (Old Bridge) is as photogenic as advertised. The Ottoman-era stone arch, rebuilt after its destruction in the 1993 war, spans the emerald-green Neretva River. Local divers plunge from the bridge for tourist donations, a tradition dating back centuries.

The old town is beautiful but conflicted. Ottoman architecture has been lovingly restored, while bullet holes and war damage remain visible just blocks away. A memorial to the bridge's reconstruction sits near the original rubble. It's impossible to visit Mostar without thinking about the war.

We also briefly passed through Sarajevo, where the siege is everywhere in memory - roses painted on spots where mortars killed civilians, the tunnel museum, the hillside cemeteries. Yet the city feels alive and forward-looking. The mix of minarets, church spires, and synagogues gives it a unique character.

Practical Notes

• Bosnian Convertible Mark is the currency (pegged to the Euro)
• Driving between entities (Federation vs. Republika Srpska) is seamless
• Ćevapi (grilled meat in bread) is the national dish - try it everywhere
• War memorials and museums are sobering but important
• The country is cheaper than Croatia but tourism is growing

Bosnia deserves more than a quick stop. The history is heavy, but the people are warm and the landscapes are stunning.

High-resolution aerial panoramas from Bosnia are available for purchase with commercial license - ideal for Balkan travel marketing, historic bridge destination content, or dramatic river valley wall art.