Explore these East European wonders
Abundant natural beauty, amazing monuments, UNESCO sites, rich culture and scrumptious food — find it all here
Though it’s not on the list of the top touristy places in the world, Bosnia’s rich culture, historic heritage and beautiful landscape make it a must visit place for those who seek to explore something different. One witnesses a lot of ongoing post-war reconstruction work as they enter Bosnia — home for close to four million people — but the beauty and uniqueness of the place will divert your attention to other facets of the country. Food is an important aspect of Bosnian culture, as they are known for their non-vegetarian dishes, mainly Cevabi and Börek. Their local Bosanska Coffee, locally called Kahva, is also a must try.
SARAJEVO
If you are planning a trip to Bosnia, start from Sarajevo, the Capital and the largest city with close to three lakh people. Surrounded by mountains such as Jahorina, Bjelašnica, Igman and Trebevic, this place has an old-world charm with cobbled streets, narrow alleys, souvenir shops, Cevabi places, shops selling baklava (popular local dessert), sheesha joints and kahva shops.
The popular landmark of Sarajevo are the old town of Bascarsija, Gazi HusrevBeg’s Mosque, Sebilj — a pseudo-Ottoman-style wooden fountain, Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Orthodox Church, and not to forget, the Clock Tower, which shows time according to the lunar calendar.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO BOSNIA, START FROM SARAJEVO, WHICH IS THE CAPITAL AND THE LARGEST CITY WITH CLOSE TO THREE LAKH PEOPLE
BOSANSKA KRUPA
At Bosanska Krupa, you will witness the confluence of a catholic church, an orthodox church and a mosque. This mingling of faiths is quite a common sight across the country. Once here, you must travel to Bihac to see the picturesque waterfall of Štrbacki Buk. Located in the middle of a nature reserve, the water here falls over several large and small cascades, creating beautiful formations.
BJELAŠNICA
Bjelašnica is a mountain situated 25km away to the south-west of Sarajevo. Beside that is Mt Igman, on which most of the mountain Alpine skiing disciplines of the XIV Olympic Games were held. Here one can see snow drifts of a couple of metres in height from November to May.
JAHORINA
Jahorina mountain is a part of Dinaric Alps. The highest peak here is Ogorjelica at 1,916 metres. Summer in Jahorina attracts picnickers, hikers, athletes and nature lovers. Jogging, walking and picking wild fruits and herbs are certainly what motivates nature lovers to come here.
MOSTAR
The history of Mostar begins with the Neolithic Age as attested by various archaeological sites. The Old Bridge, built in 1566, is today a UNESCO world cultural heritage. It was constructed by the order of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. The bridge is surrounded by the old town and its markets attract thousands of visitors almost every day.