how to spend two days in mostar, bosnia

our time in mostar was short and sweet – two days here is likely enough, as the city is actually quite small. known for their iconic 16th century bridge [rebuilt after it was destroyed in the war], local alleys full of quaint shops and market stalls, streets filled with cute bars and restaurants, and all around very cozy vibes.

some must do's if you visit this area:

1. koski mehmed-pasha mosque: climb up the [somewhat claustrophobic] windy staircase for some of the best views of the city, bridge and surrounding mountains.
2. see the bridge at night: get dinner [anywhere, really] near the bridge and request a seat outside or the window. seeing it lit up at night, gives an entirely new perspective and beauty. 
3. blagaj tekija: stunning prayer house built above water within the rocks and canyon. and it's over 400 years old... women be sure to bring a scarf to cover your hair to go inside.
4. picnic on the mostar "beach": there is a small beach that you can easily walk to [can't miss it when you're standing on the bridge]. walk down here with a snack and a blanket to enjoy the view + sounds of the water. you might even see a few kayakers charging by! 
5. kravice waterfalls: about a 50 minute drive from the city, these falls are massive and absolutely worth a visit if you have the time. in the summer, it seems like a fun place to cool off from the heat.
6. počitelj & stolac: after kravice, take a different route back through these two historic cities from the ottoman empire. it's the best way to see experience the history and see more of the countryside.

a few favorite photos from our visit ... 
 

^^ on our last night in bosnia we slept in tuzla, a transfer town that our bus to belgrade left from. we stayed with the most loving airbnb family who picked us up at the bus station and welcomed us with coffee, cake and good conversation. their 13 year old daughter translated everything into bosnian so that we could communicate with her parents. we spent the evening watching national geographic together and learning about the war.
it was such a unique and special experience! [all for $19]

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where to sleep, eat & drink in sarajevo, bosnia

our visit to sarajevo lasted for 4 days, which felt like the perfect amount of time to really enjoy the city. read more about why we visited bosnia here. 

WHERE WE STAYED: 
hotel old sarajevo could not have been better. with a unique mix of modern design & traditional bosnian flare, this small boutique hotel is the perfect place to hang your head. located in the heart of the old town, we loved how walkable everything felt and how easy it was to pop into small shops, exhibits or restaurants. the atmosphere is extremely homey, quiet and cozy – yet sits atop one of the most delicious and authentic restaurants we tried. with only 8 rooms, we felt like we were friends with the staff by the time we were checking out. i absolutely recommend staying here about 74 euro/night
 

BOSNIAN FOOD:
is really good. the simple but flavorful meals are almost hard to explain, but something about the meat + onions + mustard just works and is the kind of thing you are left craving.. with influence by both turkey and eastern european cuisine, meat is of course popular, as are cabbage-based dishes. most known for cevapcici, lamb sausages that are often eaten with a flat bread called somun. pastries [sweet and savory] are common; burek and pita [layered cheese or meat pies] and zeljanica [spinach pie] are also served as main dishes. 

WHERE WE ATE:
cevabdžinica petica across the street from the old sarajevo hotel and we admittedly ate here more than once, the cevapcici is not to be missed | karuzo VEGAN restaurant in a town deficient of vegetarian options, this place is a real gem. it’s behind the ‘green market’, where the chef/owner buys ingredients for the day and is leading a health revolution in sarajevo | kibe mahala in the foothills of sarajevo’s oldest neighborhood , walking here is one of our favorite memories – about 25 minutes from the square, the route takes you through quiet neighborhoods giving a true glance into the 'local life' [some of those shots can be seen in this post]. the restaurant itself is set in a large house that is also a bnb, you climb the stairs to a fireplace-anchored dining room surrounded by panoramic views of the town. known for some of the city’s best traditional dishes| dzenita no frills, good food, outdoor seating & in the center of the action. great for lunch on a sunny day | inat kuca cozy atmosphere for dinner, serving traditional bosnian dishes and less than a 5 minute walk from the old town. try bey's soup and the stuffed peppers or onions.  

^^ salep

BOSNIAN BEVERAGES:
kefir, a thin yogurt drink is popular, as is turkish coffee and a kind of tea called salep [a must try!]. homemade brandy, rakija, is a popular alcoholic drink [specifically plum]

WHERE WE DRANK:
cajdžinica džirlo a rustic, wood-planked traditional bosnian coffee and tea shop. served in copper pots, on bascarsija’s eastern edge in old town. the owners here are legends and the ambiance makes it hard to leave | zlatna ribica head here for a nightcap, across the street from the eternal flame honoring WWII victims, this cafe and bar is sarajevo’s kitschiest watering hole | restorant vinoteka fun place to try local bosnian, serbian & croatian wines with more than 100 different winemakers | barhana known for having a huge selection of local rajikas and pairing them with late night wood fired pizzas. their patio is very key on a warm night.

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sarajevo, bosnia | why we loved this reviving town

WHY BOSNIA?
after our time in slovenia we wanted to venture deeper into the balkans and bosnia & herzegovina was first on the list. it made sense geographically, but was also highly recommended by slovenians and a friend who grew up here. sadly we didn't know much about the country other than the war stricken times during our childhood.

sarajevo [the capital] is only 20 years removed from a 4 year war and siege of the city that claimed more than 11,000 lives. only a fraction of the ~100,000 killed in the war - the largest massacre in europe since the holocaust. once known for their religious diversity where muslims, christians and jews worshipped amongst each other; the country was left deeply divided from the persecution and genocide. you can still feel the history and grief here, it's almost inescapable. on a more positive note, sarajevans seem to have embraced what happened here and let it fuel the creativity of the city's spirit today. there is an energetic heartbeat walking through the streets and it's highlighted through their culinary, art, cafe and artisan culture.

SARAJEVO:
set in a valley through the dinaric alps at 1,700 feet, sarajevo's backdrop is beautiful and has an almost mountain town feel to it. surrounded by green hills and split by a river, the natural beauty came as a bit of a surprise to us. we were here in early november, when the first snow of the year hit, following a sunny 50 degree day... it was quite the weather shift. in the nearby mountains, only 30 minutes by car, they have a ski mountain during the winter and a bunch of hiking trails in the summer.

in 1984 they hosted the winter olympics and it was the first time the event was hosted by a communist state. the grounds have been abandoned and are now the target of street artists from the city – the murals are pretty remarkable. locals and tourists alike seem to be re-discovering this local mountain range and it's proximity to city center. with so much to offer, from a troubled and evoking history to the cobblestone streets of the old town to the surrounding outdoors, sarajevo is a beautiful and evolving city that should be experienced.
 

WHAT TO DO IN SARAJEVO:

HISTORY ||  gallery 11/07/95 mixed multimedia gallery & museum, powerful and educational [a must visit] | sarajevo roses keep a look out for these memorials throughout the city | yellow bastion cannon fortress from the 1800's, with great views over the city | vijećnica initially the largest and most representative building of the austro-hungarian period in sarajevo |  

OUTSIDE OF THE CITY ||  sarajevo war tunnel built during the war to connect the city amidst serbian control | trebevic mountain check out the '84 Olympics Bobsled Track & pino nature hotel (15 min drive) | vukon konak rustic mountain house just 18km from the city, book ahead as we tried to late and they no longer had availability | more on where to sleep, eat & drink in our next post. 
 

^^ luckily our trip overlapped with the sarajevo jazz fest

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