Mostar has a difficult history. It is hard to believe that only 20 years ago people were dying in Mostar, that this beautiful city in Bosnia and Herzegovina became the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the war in the former Yugoslavia. Fortunately, this is a thing of the past. Today, the tourist attractions attract thousands of visitors.

Today, Mostar features beautiful streets, souvenir stalls, numerous tourist pubs and a bridge. The bridge that is the symbol of Mostar. The New Old Bridge as they call it here, because the old one was demolished during the war. I invite you to a guide to Mostar, in which I will tell you what to see, where to go. I will lead you to the less visited tourist attractions. I will also tell you about the difficult history. About how the Bošniaks, Croats and Serbs stopped living peacefully in the city.

Mostar. A beautiful first impression

– Is it possible to get rakija? – I asked in a bar right next to the cemetery and mosque in Mostar. The boy behind the bar nodded and took out a dripping bottle from under the counter. Clearly it was quite chilled, and the porcelain cap with which it was sealed added even more charm. Then, just a quick movement of the hand, a tilt of the head and the characteristic taste of rakija in the mouth. Of course, it was sold for next to nothing, at 2 zlotys (1 KM), and of course, from under the counter and beyond taxes. And then there was another place where the situation repeated itself. You can see that in Mostar, rakija rules and you will get it in every bar. Just ask.

When we arrived in Mostar by the 2-hour late bus from Kotor, we immediately went to the old town after finding accommodation. And surprise, because it is not important that it is just 11 pm, Mostar lives until late hours, as if it was a big city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We were hungry and it was a problem to find a pub where we could try specialities of Balkan cuisine for reasonable money. But before we reached the Old Bridge, we had already managed to fall in love with this quiet town.

Tourist attractions of Mostar

Beautiful old townhouses, hiding stalls where you can buy souvenirs, atmospheric cobblestones on the street and the gentle illumination of the entire surroundings. Finally, after a few minutes of walking it appeared: The Old Bridge. Beautifully and conically curved, connecting the two sides of the Neretva River flowing through Mostar. Connecting two worlds, Christian and Muslim. Two sides that, until 20 years ago, fought each other here and of which it fell victim. Today, the rebuilt bridge again attracts crowds of tourists. The bridge connects again. People and shores. Sightseeing in Mostar often begins and ends here.

The Old Bridge in Mostar

The Old Bridge is the biggest tourist attraction in Mostar. Its calling card, which is on all postcards and which is photographed from all sides. The bridge over the Neretva River was completed by the Turks in 1566 and has served the people of the city ever since. It took its name from the word ‘mostari’, which means bridge keepers. They were the ones who decided who would cross and they collected the toll. And for hundreds of years, merchants’ carts pulled across the bridge, merchants and residents of Mostar drove across. And everything went on its course until 9 November 1993, when the bridge collapsed into the river during the Bosnian War.

It could not withstand the shelling by Croatian tanks – I wonder what the soldier who fired the shell that followed several hundred years of history collapsing into the river felt. Pride? Satisfaction at having carried out an order? I wonder what the commander felt when he gave the order to fire 60 salvos from a tank, because it was a decent Ottoman structure! But in 2004, the bridge reunited the banks. Thanks to the efforts of several European countries, UNESCO and the World Bank, the structure was rebuilt from original parts and using original methods.

It was rebuilt as it had been built several centuries earlier. In memory, an inscription is engraved on the stone: Remember 1993.And the stones lying on the bank under the bridge are a reminder of the past. These are old parts of the structure, the ones that were not used for the reconstruction. Today, the bridge is what it once was 4 metres wide, almost 30 metres long and rises 24 metres above the water level.

Aha, the old town in Mostar is not a place to walk in stilettos. The streets are paved with stones and the bridge is so smooth and polished with millions of feet that I myself have seen a few people twist a leg here! Wear good, comfortable shoes! The perfectly smoothed, adjacent stones do not provide traction. This is what the transverse stone slats are supposed to provide. These once allowed carts full of goods to enter the high arch of the bridge. Today, they provide support for thousands of tourists, who take photos on the bridge, gaze from it into the emerald water of the Neretva or simply admire the panorama of Mostar with its numerous mosques.

Jumping into the water from the bridge

There is another tourist attraction characteristic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mostar. It is jumping from the bridge into the Neretva River, located 21 metres below. Once a symbol of bravery and courage, today it is a profitable activity for a few guys who, after they have collected a certain amount of money, make the jump. It looks unearthly, because it has to be said that they know how to jump, and the water above their heads closes without splashing. They extinguish the jumps perfectly. Just check out the video to see what it looks like. Once a year there is an extreme water jumping competition/show organised by Red Bull. That’s when a high platform is set up on the highest point of the arch to make it even further to the water table. I’ll have to see it sometime!

Privately, I’ll tell you that what I loved to do every night was to walk under the bridge, gaze at its beautifully lit sharp arch, at the people leaning over the railings and silently contemplate its beauty. Capturing this view with a cold beer or wine or rakija from a nearby pub. Served in special bottles.

Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque

From this mosque is probably the most beautiful view of the city and these photos of Mostar are the most beautiful – in my opinion, of course. The entrance to the minaret is an undoubted attraction, although not one of the cheapest, as it costs about 7 euros. But the view makes up for everything! The mosque itself is, of course, rebuilt, as it did not survive the fighting during the war. Instead, it is a faithful reconstruction of a temple that was built in 1618! Inside, it’s not very beautiful and there’s nothing to compare with those of Uzbekistan or Iran, but that’s not the point here either.
If you have any doubts about whether the view from the minaret is beautiful, I will say that the main photo of this article comes from this place.

Bišćevića kuća or the Bišćevići house

This rather inconspicuous museum is an original house from Ottoman times. Inside, you will see how the family of a wealthy resident of Mostar once lived. There is an exhibition of household utensils, carpets, traditional crucibles for brewing Bosnian-style coffee, intricately carved shelves and cupboards. As the house-museum is located off the main tourist trail, chances are that the tour will be just for you, that you will be here alone, without any competition. This makes it easy to soak up the atmosphere and take your thoughts back a few hundred years. I highly recommend this place to go back to the glory years of Mostar during Ottoman times. This is what part of the old city used to look like.

Old Bridge Museum

Mostar grew because this is where the bridge across the Neretva River was built. This structure is the heart of the city and one cannot talk about the town without mentioning this museum. It is located in a bastion on the east bank of the river. On several floors you will see the history of the crossing, yes! you will even descend to the old fixings in the ground. You will see the entire cross-section and how it was built. There will also be a film about the demolition and reconstruction. And also a sad film of how the bridge was demolished. The icing on the cake is the opportunity to climb to the top level of the east tower and have your photo taken from a height. There are usually no visitors here, so I recommend it all the more!

The Crooked Bridge

Kriva Ćuprija or the Crooked Bridge is the oldest bridge in Mostar. The structure was built in 1558, so it is 8 years older than the most famous bridge. Back then, of course, it was not Bosnia and Herzegovina but part of the Ottoman Empire. But coming back to the Crooked Bridge, of course the structure is intimate, but also the Radobolja River, over which it is spanned, is much smaller. The structure is single-span and is about 8.5 metres long and a little over 4 metres high above the water level.

I like this bridge. It has an incredible charm and airiness about it. Plus, it is not besieged by tourists. Sometimes you can have it all to yourself or just wait a few minutes. And if you add the view of the stone-tiled old houses and the nearby restaurants and pubs, it’s idyllic!

Mostar during the civil war. The fighting left a mark

Mostar shows its less touristy face a few dozen metres away. Just a few steps away from the main road, where crowds of tourists slowly weave their way, you will see something that many would like to forget, but still remember. The streets still bear the unhealed wounds of the past war in the former Yugoslavia. You will still see bullet marks on the facades of the houses here. Because houses are divided into those that were demolished or burnt down and those that survived. And those that survived are divided into renovated and non-renovated. On the renovated ones, the plaster mercifully covers the bullet-riddled walls. However, the damage was too great and we can still see the nightmarishly war-ravaged facades next to the restored houses.

There are traces of bullets of various calibres, rifle bullets and cannon bullets, the holes of which are either chipped or bricked up with new mortar. Artificial, like filling a hole in a tooth. Apparently it no longer hurts, but it is still a foreign body. A walk down Hrvatski Branitjelja Street, along which the front line ran, is particularly impressive. Stumps of burnt-out houses, without roofs, windows or anything but stone, still haunt here today. All that remains is what could not burn down. But since more than 20 years have passed since the end of hostilities, the walls have mercifully begun to be covered by ivy. Trees have taken over the empty spaces. Only the plastered cells and the remaining walls are still haunted by bullet marks.

And it is impossible to pass by indifferently the successive cemeteries that cut into Mostar. Cemeteries that hammer into the ground with consistent dates, repeated on all the tombstones. He died 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992, 1992…. To then take on another chorus of 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993, 1993 elsewhere in the city and end the fatal enumeration with 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994.

When there was no longer any need to hide from a sniper’s bullet, from armed troops killing everyone they thought was not with them. And when, once again, the neighbour was slowly becoming a neighbour and not an enemy who will rape, maim, shoot. He will hurt. Or the neighbour was no longer there because he had been displaced, fled or lay in one of the graves marked with a date. Although the resentment between Bosniaks and Croats was still alive, and for some time there were still killings and smaller conflicts. It has to be said here that before the war it was a cultural melting pot and in Mostar there were 35% Bosniaks, 34% Croats and 19% Serbs. An explosive mix.

On the west bank of the river

But tourists rarely venture beyond the beaten path anyway, so few see the old traces as well as the everyday life of Mostar. And this is a pity, because the city is alive with its own life and even from afar you can see that the old divisions have not yet ceased and there is still something burning underneath. As I walked more than a kilometre away from the Old Bridge and sat down in one of the many cafés, I first heard honking, then wild shouts, and then an engine. From passing cars, young people were leaning out of the windows and roaring, while waving Croatian flags. But this is not the only example of the still tense relations.

Just look around the surrounding balconies, Croatian flags in windows are not isolated here. Of course, as a counterbalance, Bosnians hang their own in their windows. Officials go even further, as the flags of Bosnia and Herzegovina hang above the streets like in American films. And where we are, what nationality the locals feel, is easiest to tell by what kind of beer is in the pub. If we see Karlovaćko, we are most likely in the Croatian (or tourist) part.

Bruce Lee statue

And if we’re already in the area, it’s worth taking a look at Spanish Square, specifically the park that lies here. It is there that we will see an unusual monument and an unusual tourist attraction. Here stands the world’s first statue of Bruce Lee. When I once bought a tour of the area from one of the local travel agencies, the guide took us up the hill above the town. There he told the story that there had been a long thought about whose statue should be built. Names of war heroes and historical figures were mentioned. They were all controversial, so when someone threw out the slogan: how about Bruce Lee! A candidacy that was beyond divisions.

The tallest tower in the city

And if you have already arrived here, it is worth climbing the tall tower of the localCatholic church. Believe me you won’t mistake it for anything, because it’s impossible! The tallest building in the whole of Mostar! You take a lift for part of the way and walk the rest. Unfortunately, I haven’t made it there myself yet, but I will definitely do so next time!

Mostar also has a more interesting side. When I was looking at the Old Bridge just next door in the shop in the late afternoon, I saw a young woman in a Muslim headscarf walk up to her husband, place a plate in front of him and then pour some soup. She poured for herself at the end and only started eating when he started. I also saw tradition and respect in another place, when I happened to be drinking coffee in Bosnian style. A gentleman of decidedly retirement age was meticulously putting the finishing touches to yet another metal ornament for the tourists, and a young girl, probably his granddaughter, was bustling around next to him. Respect for the elderly was evident in her every gesture, every word.

Križ na Humu – viewing point

While in Mostar, you must have noticed that there is a huge cross above the city. It is impossible not to notice it, although it is not visible from everywhere. But if, for example, you are at the bus station, you can see it perfectly. You cannot see it directly from, for example, the Old Bridge. Which is perhaps also an advantage, as it is not some fascinating building.

The cross is 33 metres high, a reference to the fact that Christ was crucified at 33. Anyway, the cross is also symbolic, and is also called the Millennium Cross, because it was built to commemorate the 2000 year jubilee.

From the cross on the Hum Hill, you can see the whole city as if on your hand, except for the most interesting old part. To see the Old Bridge you have to go down quite a lot and walk along the path towards the town.

By the way, from here you can also see the other vantage point at Mostar, ideally on the other side of the city a viewing platform has been erected. However, if you want a good view from there, go there in the morning, as the sun will be shining in your face in the afternoon. To get there, head towards Vidokoviać Fortica.

The entertainment face of Mostar

But Mostar also has another face that is alive in the here and now, just like, for example, Sarajevo, which doesn’t seem to sleep. As I was walking back one evening from near the Old Bridge, I could already hear music from afar. It was here next to the bridge, on a small square, that a concert was going on. A gentleman dressed in a white shirt was entertaining the crowds. The sound system was fine, he could be heard from a distance, but the audience could be heard just as well, as they knew the words and sang along to his lyrical ballads and very melodious songs.

But it wasn’t turbo folk, it was something between disco and ballad. Although a concert at this venue is not a frequent occurrence. There is better fun on the other side of the bridge, right next to the Croatian House, where smaller and bigger clubs line up. In the morning it’s a great place for a coffee, in the evening there’s a party going on.

Mostar – the most important thing you should know

Before going to Mostar, it is useful to know the answer to a few questions that may not be answered in tourist forums.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the European Union. But even so, you do not need a passport to come to Mostar. All you need is an identity card. Yes, here they are really geared towards tourists!
• In Mostar, you can pay in euros everywhere in restaurants, pubs, stalls and markets. You do not need to exchange money. The official currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the convertible mark, which has the abbreviation KM. 2 marks is rounded up to one euro.
• You will need at least one day to explore Mostar. Therefore, tours from nearby Croatia, e.g. from Dubrovnik, Makarska, etc., are frequent.

Getting to Mostar

Mostar has a railway station, but there are only two long-distance trains to Sarajevo. Early morning and evening. The train station and the bus station are next to each other. You can leave your luggage at the station.

Several international buses travel from the station on the Mostar – Croatia route. They go to Dubrovnik and Split. But they will also depart from here to Montenegro.

Mostar has an international airport, but there are no direct flights to Poland. It is mainly flown by charters and seasonal connections. Until the pandemic, the regular connection was that to Zagreb in Croatia. The airport lies about 6km from the old bridge and there is no public transport connection to the city. So you are condemned to taxis. Alternatively, you can walk up to the road where the bus to Blagaj runs.

Accommodation in Mostar

Finding accommodation is not the slightest problem, and prices here are low and quality is high. In the past, the first offers of accommodation could already be obtained at the bus station, but today this is rather unheard of. It is therefore advisable to book accommodation in advance through a booking system. You can also walk along the streets and look in houses with signs offering room rental. There is a lot of this and you will easily find something.

If you are looking for good value for money, I recommend staying at the Villa Nadin Hotel , located a few hundred metres from the tourist centre and the bridge. It is a clean, modern hotel which is located about 500 metres from the Old Bridge. A distance just right for a nice quiet walk.

I also slept twice and really enjoyed the Apartments & Rooms Little Rock. A room with its own bathroom, beautifully finished and a comfortable bed.

However, if you are looking for something very cheap, hostel accommodation remains I would recommend staying here at Taso’s House Hostel , located a few hundred metres from the tourist centre including the bridge.

What to bring from Mostar

The area around the bridge and the old part of Mostar is basically one big bazaar and trade is booming. You can buy literally everything here, although the shops have a rather similar assortment. The most characteristic souvenirs of Mostar are pens made from cartridge casings. This used to be a waste product of the war, which the ingenious Bosnians put to good use. You can also buy brass coffee pots, and Bosnian coffee is really good and strong!

There are also brass decorative artists’ wares, where some panoramas and patterns are stamped on the metal. But of course there are also fridge magnets, colourful lamps, bags, fabric purses. And coffee grinders! Let’s not forget the coffee grinders, because Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the entire Balkans, is all about coffee!

Attractions around Mostar

Mostar is an excellent base for the surrounding tourist attractions. From here, you can get to Pocitelj, Medjugorie or Blagaj and the Kravice Waterfalls. There are two bus stations in the town. The main one is located right next to the railway station, the second one is in the depth of the town. From the main station you have to cross the bridge and after about 10 minutes’ walk turn right when you see the EUROHERC sign on one of the buildings. 200 metres further inland behind the hotel is the bus station. Short distance buses depart from it.