Highlights of Mostar

Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

After Sarajevo, we continued our journey through the Balkans by visiting the old town of Mostar. We opted to take a bus (rather than hitchhiking), and the views we saw as we snaked through the mountains were just incredible. The landscapes of the Bosnian countryside were so stunning – full of snow-capped mountains, crystal clear rivers, and lush green forests. While we definitely got our fair share of highlights of Mostar, this was one bus ride I wish had gone slower and made more stops along the way!!

Eventually we arrived in the city and quickly set out to do some exploring. Mostar is most well-known for its Stari Most (literally, Old Bridge) that spans across the Neretva River. While we did spend the most of our time in and around the Old Bridge, we explored not only other parts of the town, but a nearby natural wonder as well!

Highlights of Mostar

Stari Most

This pedestrian bridge was originally constructed in 1566 and stood 427 years before being tragically destroyed by the Croats in 1993 in the Croat-Bosniak War. Though the Croat paramilitary forces claimed the bridge had “strategic importance”, many historians refute this and instead state that it was ‘deliberate cultural property destruction’. Eventually the bridge was rebuilt in 2004 using traditional techniques and local materials.

The bridge is such an iconic part of the city and can be seen prominently from many different vantage points. Our first visit to the bridge was mid-day and we were the opposite of alone. It seemed as though the entire Mostar population was with us on and around the bridge! The small beach along the river that has a great view of Stari Most was unsurprisingly crowded as well.

We made our way down to said beach and soon saw that many people had their cameras hoisted above their heads and were pointed at a commotion on the bridge. We followed their gaze and saw that a diver was getting ready to jump into the river! The excitement continued to build as his partner passed around a hat to collect ‘donations’ on the bridge, and soon the diver was moving into position. There was a gasp and a collective silence as he threw himself off the bridge, and mere moments later he emerged from the frigid and gushing waters to adoring fans on the beach. I like swimming as much as the next fellow, but I can’t see myself ever doing a stunt like that! (Especially with my history of terribly executed cliff jumps as many of my family members will remember while laughing hysterically.)

Can you spot the diver mid-jump?

While it was neat to see the bridge positively brimming with people, I tend to prefer fewer crowds. So the next morning I hauled myself out of bed at the crack of dawn and made my way down to the Old Town for a bit of quiet photography and sketching. I was one of maybe 10 people out at that hour and for me, it was absolutely wonderful.

Old Town

Even though we were only in Mostar for a short time (just two nights), we made sure to venture out and see more of the area than just Stari Most. We walked around the cobbled streets of Old Town and made our way across the river to check out some other, more built up parts of the city. Similar to Sarajevo, there were still some stark reminders of the war, more than 25 years later. Some buildings remained boarded up and in complete states of disrepair, while other buildings practically glowed from their recent construction and a fresh coat of paint.

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The narrow streets of the Old Town were full of souvenir and art shops selling trinkets, paintings, and traditional tchotchkes found in tourist areas. This area was also one I loved experiencing in the early morning hours with virtually no other people. It was fascinating to contrast the mid-day chaos with the dawn quietness. The shops and restaurants were boarded up, just waiting for the town to come alive.

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Kravica Waterfalls

Visiting the Kravica Waterfalls (Kravica Slapovi) was our main activity outside the city of Mostar. We joined two of our fellow hostel-mates in their rental car and the four of us made our way half an hour south of the city to this natural attraction. At 28m high with a total span of 120m, the Kravica Waterfalls are truly a sight to behold. The falls are accessed via a gently sloping walkway that goes down several meters from the parking lot and entrance gates. You get your first look of the falls while on the ramp making for an exciting journey down to their base.

There is a large beach area beside the falls, and when we were there the whole area was covered in a wonderfully cool mist. There are restaurants and shops on the beach and visitors also have an opportunity to ride in a small boat which gets up close and personal to the falls.

Practical Information

Location: Kravica Slap is 40km south of Mostar

Price: 8KM per person (4€, ~$6CAD) [Prices may change based on the season. We went in May.] Parking fees range from 2KM – 10KM.

Hours: 8am – 8pm, every day

*****

Exploring the Old Town and Stari Most were certainly some of my main highlights of Mostar, but I’m glad we were able to see a few other parts of the city and surrounding area as well. Kravica Slap is something I’d definitely recommend to folks heading to Mostar and there were plenty of quaint small towns en route as well that I would have loved to visit if we had had more time.

Tell me, are you an early riser? Do you prefer the hustle bustle of mid-day, or the quiet hours of the early morning?

*****

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