Balkan Trip from Germany to Albania - From Makarska to Mostar

From Makarska to Mostar: A Journey Full of Surprises

After the last sip of wake-up coffee, we waved goodbye to Makarska and headed towards Mostar. We consciously chose the country road instead of the highway to see more of the landscape – after all, we had time until the key handover at 2 PM. And what can I say? We experienced more than we expected!

Even on the Croatian country road, things became really exciting: A greenish snake approximately 1.5 meters long was slowly slithering across the road. In Germany, it's hedgehogs; here it's snakes – an unusual but fascinating sight! Shortly after, I thought Croatia had recreated a miniature version of the Carpathians: The road wound down the mountain for miles, with some curves that could only be navigated at 20-30 km/h. A true adventure!

The closer we got to the Bosnian border, the bigger the potholes became and the more reckless the driving of other road users. I quickly adapted because being careful like the Germans won't get you far here. The border control between Croatia and Bosnia was surprisingly smooth, and the customs officers were notably friendly.

Arrival in Mostar: A City Full of Contrasts

The last kilometers before Mostar were particularly beautiful. Coming down from the mountain, we had a stunning view of the city sprawling below us. The drive through Mostar to our accommodation was surprising. I was amazed at how many beautifully landscaped parks there were, and how modern new buildings harmoniously nestled against charming old ones. Of course, there were also some ruins – whether they were war relics or simply abandoned to decay, I couldn't tell.

A Culinary Highlight by the Buna River

The next pleasant surprise awaited us right upon our arrival at the accommodation. Since we arrived about two and a half hours early, we decided to take a seat at the adjacent restaurant. The location was fantastic, right by the Buna River! And since we were really hungry, we ordered a Balkan platter, fitting for our Balkan trip. What can I say? That was the absolutely best decision! Taste-wise it was unmatched, the meat perfectly grilled and superbly seasoned. We were stuffed, but I absolutely had to order a baklava and two Bosnian moccas! Unfortunately, the baklava didn't fully convince me – I prefer the Turkish one. But the mocha was on par with the Turkish one! To remain objective, I must give the Bosnian baklava another chance... I will have to sacrifice myself tomorrow and try it again!

During this feast, the two and a half hours flew by, and we almost arrived late for the key handover, even though the apartment was directly across the street. The bill for the meal including drinks (homemade lemonade!) was a remarkable 42 Euros. Just the ambiance would have been worth that price!

Our Dream Accommodation and a Well-Deserved Dip in Cool Water

For the key handover, Moni, a nice older lady who lives in the neighboring building and has worked in Germany for 50 years, came to meet us. Communication was therefore no problem at all. She showed us our vacation apartment and explained everything. Meanwhile, we had a lovely chat with her. The apartment is beautifully and modernly furnished, with a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom featuring a shower, bathtub, and jacuzzi function! And the balcony! Not a small seating area, but a huge balcony – the photos speak volumes.

What did we, of course, do right after bringing our things to the car? With 29 degrees Celsius and a pool? Right: We jumped right in! I still can't believe that we only have to pay 72 Euros for this dream apartment for two nights and two people. Sometimes you just have to be lucky!

Now, after this eventful and beautiful day, I sit here writing this report while my lovely wife Bianca is doing her fitness training – she just can't help it! 😉 Let's see what tomorrow brings in Mostar. Stay tuned and read tomorrow about everything we experienced in Mostar!

Türkce

From Makarska to Mostar: A Journey Full of Surprises

After the last sip of waking coffee, we said goodbye to Makarska and set off for Mostar. We deliberately chose a country road to see more of the countryside instead of the highway - after all, we had time until the key handover at 2:00 PM. And what can I say? We experienced more than we expected!

Things got really exciting right from the Croatian countryside: A greenish snake about 1.5 meters long was slowly sliding across the road. In Germany, it's hedgehogs; here it's snakes - an unusual but fascinating sight! Soon after, I thought Croatia had created a miniature version of the Carpathians: The road wound down the mountain for miles, with some curves that could only be taken at 20-30 km/h. A true adventure!

As we approached the Bosnian border, the potholes grew larger and other drivers got increasingly reckless. I quickly adapted because being cautious like a German doesn't get you very far here. The border control between Croatia and Bosnia went surprisingly smoothly, and the customs officers were very friendly.

Arrival in Mostar: A City Full of Contrasts

The last few kilometers before Mostar were particularly beautiful. Coming down from the mountain, we had a fantastic view of the city sprawling below us. The journey through Mostar to our accommodation was surprising. I was astonished at how many beautifully arranged parks there were, and how modern new buildings harmoniously nestled alongside charming old buildings. Of course, there are a few ruins – whether war relics or simply abandoned to decay, I couldn’t tell.

A Culinary Highlight on the Buna River

Upon our arrival at the accommodation, a next pleasant surprise was waiting for us. Since we arrived about two and a half hours early, we decided to sit at the adjacent restaurant. The location was fantastic, right by the bank of the Buna River! And since we were already very hungry, we ordered a Balkan platter, fitting for our Balkan trip. What can I say? That was absolutely the best decision! Taste-wise it was unbeatable, the meat perfectly grilled and wonderfully seasoned. We were stuffed, but I definitely had to order one baklava and two Bosnian moccas. Unfortunately, the baklava didn't convince me much – I prefer the Turkish one. But the mocha was just as good as the Turkish one! To remain objective, I will have to give the Bosnian baklava a second chance... I will have to sacrifice myself tomorrow and try again!

During this feast, the two and a half hours flew by, and even though the apartment was right in front of us, we almost arrived late for the key handover. The bill for the meal, including drinks (homemade lemonade!) came to a remarkable 42 Euros. Just the atmosphere alone would have been worth that price!

Our Dream Accommodation and a Well-Deserved Dive into Refreshing Water

For the key handover, Moni, a nice elderly lady who lives in the next building and has worked in Germany for 50 years, came to meet us. So communication was not a problem at all. She showed us our vacation apartment and explained everything. We also had a lovely chat with her. The apartment is beautifully furnished and modern, with a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom with a shower, bath, and jacuzzi function! And the balcony! Not a small seating area, but a huge balcony – the photos tell a thousand words.

What did we naturally do immediately after bringing our things to the car? With 29 degrees Celsius and a pool? That's right: We jumped right in! I still can't believe we only have to pay 72 Euros for this dream apartment for two nights and two people. Sometimes you just have to be lucky!

Now, after this eventful and wonderful day, I’m sitting here writing this report while my lovely wife Bianca is doing her fitness training – she just can't help it! 😉 Let's see what tomorrow brings in Mostar. Stay tuned and read tomorrow about everything we experienced in Mostar!