Mostar

Mostar. A very popular travel destination for travelers who are exploring this corner of Croatia and its neighboring countries. In Dubrovnik, I thought a lot about where my journey would go next. I had hoped that I could somehow take the ferry to Italy and then continue on to Greece. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out so spontaneously. So, I was left with the option to either go back to Zagreb or travel through Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, even though there’s no good or even existing train network there. Well, ultimately, I decided on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I will take you along on my journey through this country.

I arrived in Mostar and was a bit at a loss at first. A new country where my usual mobile plan didn’t work. So I first searched for a cafe with WiFi and got an e-sim. Then I booked a hostel room and headed to the hostel.

Upon arrival, I received an upgrade from an eight-bed dorm to a six-bed dorm where I was all alone.

On my first afternoon, I explored the old town.

Arriving properly in the old town, I initially experienced a little culture shock, but not in a negative way. I was simply surprised at how oriental life is conducted there.

The old town consisted of a long stretch of bazaar on both sides of the river. This was a completely new world for me.

In terms of religion, Mostar is very diverse. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are all represented. This is also clearly reflected in the architecture of the city.

But above all, Mostar is famous for its bridge. 'Stari Most', translated into English as 'Old Bridge'. It was destroyed in the Bosnian War in 1993 and then rebuilt from 1996 onwards. The new bridge was opened in 2004 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2005.

The bridge connects both sides of the bazaar.

On warmer days, there are also professional bridge divers. They jump from the highest point of the bridge into the river.

Around the bridge, you can also discover some street art, although you sometimes have to look very closely to find it.

I continued on the bazaar and finished with a typical Bosnian meal.

Cabbage rolls filled with minced meat served in traditional dishes. Eating is very cheap in Bosnia and Herzegovina, at least by our standards. Here you can have a good meal for around 10 euros.

On my last day, I enjoyed the sun at the hostel and the fact that I was all alone.

And then I set off into the city once more. I explored the residential neighborhoods a bit and said goodbye to Mostar.

In the residential areas, there was again everything from old and dilapidated to new and well-maintained.

With beautiful warm weather, I was able to say goodbye to the city and set off on the train to the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.