I used to hear alot about Bosnia & Herzegovina in the news when I was a teenager growing up in the 90s, but I was too young at that time to understand about the Bosnian War.
When I visited the Balkans last year, I decided to make a stop at Mostar, a city in Bosnia & Herzegovina because of my memories of the 90s and mainly because I wanted to visit Medjugorje which you can read about here.
I did not have any expectations before visiting Mostar but the city certainly left me charmed.
Here are the reasons why you must visit Mostar.
Reason #1: The Old Bridge a.k.a. Stari Most is gorgeous
The gem of Mostar is definitely The Old Bridge or Stari Most as the locals call it.
Built in 1566 by the Ottomons, the bridge stood for 427 years until it was destroyed on 9 November 1993 during the Bosnian War. However through efforts by UNESCO, the bridge was rebuilt and opened on 23 July 2004 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I love this paragraph from the UNESCO World Heritage Site website that describes the Old Bridge area so beautifully:
The Old Bridge Area, with its pre-Ottomon, Eastern Ottomon, Mediterranean and Western European archtectural features, is an outstanding example of multicultural urban settlement. The reconstructed Old Bridge and Old City of Mostar are symbols of reconciliation, international cooperation and the coexistence of diverse, cultural, ethnic and religious communities.
I snapped this photo with my mobile phone and sent it to a friend. She asked me which website did I take it from. Initially I was annoyed but in the end I considered it as a compliment on my photography skills :-)
Reason #2: The seige of Mostar and the Bosnian War
The modern history of Bosnia & Herzegovina is a sad one because of the seige of Mostar that was fought during the Bosnian War that took place between 1992 and 1995.
If you look carefully, some of the buildings in the Old Bridge Area have bullet holes in its walls. Sorry I didn't take any photos of the bullet riddled buildings, but I did take this photo of a Muslim graveyard that I stumbled upon while walking from the bus station to Hostel Nina:
From the year of death written on the graves, I gather that they must have died in the Bosnian War that took place from 1992 till 1995.
I converted the photo to black & white because I thought it's appropriate for the sombre mood.
The Bosnian War lead to the breakup of Yugoslavia into 6 republics, i.e. Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.
In the Old Bridge area there are tour agencies which organises tours on the breakup of Yugoslavia:
Too bad I didn't have enough time, otherwise I would have signed up for the tour.
If you like history, especially war history, Mostar would be a place right up your alley.
The capital city of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Sarajevo is another city to visit if you like war history. I missed it this round and regretted it after a group of Italian travellers whom I met in Mostar told me that I should not have missed Sarajevo.
Reason #3: Beautiful Neretva River
The Old City in Mostar and the Stari Most is situated along the Neretva River. The charming river is like an artery that runs through Mostar, pumping life into it.
A charming river should be complemented with equally charming houses along its banks and the houses in Mostar certainly lived up to this expectation. Here, take a look at the houses along the Neretva River:
So peaceful.
I love the turquoise coloured waters of the Neretva River:
Reason #4: Prices in Mostar are relatively cheaper
If you're coming into Mostar from other parts of the Balkans, you would notice that the price of things are relatively cheaper in Mostar. Shops and eateries accept the Euro or Bosnian Mark (BAM).
To give you an idea of prices in Mostar, here are the prices of food that I had in that lovely little town:
Grilled chicken, salad, fries and one glass house wine (not in photo). Price: 15.00 BAM
Sis cevapi with salad and fries. Price: 8.00 BAM
Typical fridge magnet of the infamous Stari Most:
Price: 1 Euro
Price: Flag (EURO 1.00), Map (2.00 EURO)
Are you convinced now that prices in Mostar are relatively cheaper compared to other parts of the Balkans?
(Note: All prices are correct as of September 2017)
Reason #5: Less tourist in Mostar
If you're travelling into Mostar from tourist hotspots in Croatia like Split and Dubrovnik, Mostar is a breathe of relief as the number of tourist here does not rival the neverending number of tourist in other parts of the Balkans.
To give you an idea of how quiet Mostar is, here's a photo of the main street on a Monday morning when I was walking from Hostel Nina to the bus station to take the bus to Dubrovnik.
No rush hour traffic like in bigger cities.
Although the Old Bridge area may get crowded at times, there'll be times when it's quiet and peaceful, and you'll find yourself having the whole place to yourself.
