When people ask me, “where is your favorite place you’ve traveled?”, Bosnia is always at the top of my list.
I accidentally stumbled upon Bosnia when I found out I only had a day to vacate the Schengen Area…
When I arrived at the bus station in Mostar, Bosnia at 1 AM, I knew absolutely nothing about the country.
I stayed in a hostel ran by a local family and went on a few history tours… between the family and tours, I felt very connected to Bosnia.
The picture below is me on the historic Stari Most Bridge which you can learn more about below.
Is it safe to hike in Bosnia?
While on a day tour I said to some fellow visitors “I didn’t realize Bosnia had so many mountains. Anyone want to go hiking tomorrow?”
Quickly chiming in, the tour guide said, “there are still a bunch of active landmines up there. Don’t get too adventurous.”
It was recommended to me to go with someone who had experience and knowledge of where the landmines are located
If you go hiking, DO NOT take a step off the trail!
How much money do you need in Bosnia?
It is very budget friendly!!
Accommodation
I stayed in a hostel my first week or so for 8 USD per night (home cooked breakfast included!).
I then decided I wanted some peace and quiet so I upgraded to an Airbnb right in the heart of the city. I had a king size bed, couch, patio with a hammock, free coffee and tea, and my own bathroom for 12 USD per night.
Food
I ate out at all the popular restaurants and never paid for then 6 USD for a meal.
If you want to get really cheap, get your food from one of their local markets called Mercator. I actually just got back from Mercator… I got a protein shake, smoothie, 5 protein bars, and a big bag of popcorn for 5 USD.
What is the sniper tower in Mostar Bosnia?
Sniper Tower was one of my favorite experiences and I highly recommend going!
I learned about it on my tour and was told “the gate has a lock on it but you can take it off and get in.”
I really wanted to go but was kind of nervous as I wasn’t sure if it was “go at your own risk” or what. When a local offered to take us, I was all over it!
I found out you are not supposed to go in but if you don’t go in a huge group or cause any trouble, there won’t be any problems.
Prewar, sniper tower was a bank. When the war started, it was used as something else… the name speaks for itself.
Today, the bullet hole covered tower is filled with art, graffiti, and quotes. Some very very deep, some inspirational, some loving, and some were in languages I was unable to read.
What are the two sides of Mostar Bosnia?
There is still tension between the east side and west side. (I felt very safe my whole time in Bosnia and was told that there are no problems with visitors.)
However, let me give you some background on Mostar. The east side is made up of Bosniacs and the west side is made up of Croats.
The Bosniacs are mainly muslims and the Croats are mainly catholics. Although the war ended in 1995, my tour guide said “we are still fighting for this country, just without machine guns.”
The west side has more Croatian flags than Bosnian and refuses to sell Bosnian products at their stores.
He told us if we end up on the west side, not to order a Bosnian beer or you will be kicked out.
If a local crosses the line wearing a jersey or shirt representing their side, he said there would be a fight.
I was in Bosnia for almost 2 weeks and saw zero problems! It is a beautiful country with tons of history and I highly recommend going.
Just be aware and careful of what you said in certain areas.
Why is there a statue of Bruce Lee in Mostar Bosnia?
Bruce lee is the unofficial mayor of Mostar.
There are three Bruce Lee statues in the world and you can find one of them in Mostar at Zrinjevac Park.
I asked why and the tour guide said “he is neutral, always wins, and is loyal.” I was informed that the statue points neither east or west but north as he represents the east and west as one.
Stari Most or “Old Bridge”
Stari Most or “Old Bridge” is the historical image of Mostar.
The original was built in 1566!
Why was the Stari Most bridge rebuilt?
In 1993, the bridge was destroyed by the Croats during the war. The bridge was rebuilt and opened in 2004.
What is the tradition of jumping off the bridge in Mostar?
The 25 meter (82 foot) bridge is now a place for jumping into the Neretva River.
This is where the boys jump to become men and the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place. Between the height, shockingly cold water temps, and strong current, not anyone can just jump off the Stari Most.
It takes years of training for the locals to take the leap. If you do have experience or want to try it, you have to talk with the local dive club and train on the lower boards down the river.
If you happen to be in Mostar the last weekend in July, the local dive competition will be taking place. However, you can see people jumping everyday if you wait long enough.
The shorter training boards down the river are a perfect place to hang out, catch some sun, jump in the river, and watch people jump off the bridge.
There is a 10 meter (33 foot) and 8 meter (26 foot) board that you can jump off or if you are scared of heights, you can jump off the rock down below like I did!
