Sam

Latest update: May 2026

Trebinje, a gem in Hercegovina. Not many cities is Bosnia-Hercegovina are very pretty, but Trebinje really is. The climate was also quite different, much more mediterranean. In general, the landscape of Hercegovina is quite different from the rest of the country, less mountains and less green but still very beautiful. There are also many wineries around the region. This is our Trebinje travel guide, the super picturesque city of Hercegovina.

Where to stay in Trebinje

We stayed at City Apartments, central location within walking distance to the center of town. A pretty yard, clean and comfortable with a little kitchen. We were also welcomed by our host with Rakija shots at 10 in the morning.

What to do in Trebinje

Trebinje is not a touristy city so it doesn’t cater to tourists, which we found very nice. But it also means there arean’t loads of places that you should go and see. We do like to visit these kind of places to get a real feel for a place rather than just ticking off attractions.

Walk Around

Just walking around the city and stumble upon random places is the best thing to do in Trebinje. We love doing that wherever we go and Trebinje is perfect for that. There’s not too much traffic and small enough to walk around. Make sure to stroll along the river, there are some great photo spots with beautiful views over the old town and the old bridge.

Visit Arslanagic Bridge

If you walk further along the river you will find the Arslanagic Bridge, a beautiful old bridge. We found this bridge on par with the one in Mostar, but without tourists. Definitely worth a visit.

Visit Hercegovacka Gracanica

This orthodox church is located on a hill overlooking the whole city. It is walkable but a steep walk up. The church is beautiful, but you really want to come here for the views, they are breathtakingly beautiful. You can see the whole city with the mountains as a backdrop. Make sure to head up here if you visit Trebinje. Also stay for a coffee at the cafe next to the church.

Visit the Church of St. Archangel Michael

This is another orthodox church on a hill. The church itself was closed or under construction when we visited, but you can climb up on the stairs on the outside and you get beautiful views over the city and the surrounding area. The walk up is quite steep, but beautiful. You walk through a villa area on a hill, where life happens.

Visit the Pijaca, the central Market

Come on a Saturday before lunch to see this market at its busiest. People come in from all the surrounding villages to sell their local produce. You will find loads of vegetables, but also home made cheese, honey and other products. As it’s a local market, the prices are also very affordable. After strolling through the market, sit down at one of the cafes on the square for some people watching.

Stari Grad

Walk around old town in Trebinje, it’s not as beautiful as other old towns in Bosnia-Hercegovina, but this is where many people meet for drinks or coffee during weekends. Join the locals and sit down at one of the many cafes or bars and just soak in the vibes.

Drink coffee

As everywhere else in Bosnia-Hercegovina, there’s a strong coffee culture in Trebinje. There’s many nice places around the main square and in old town. But our favourite ones was Botanik, with great coffee just outside the centre of town. Kafe bar Jaz was another favourite, a very nice spot for a coffee by the river, close to the old bridge.

Where to Eat in Trebinje

Trebinje was the only place in Bosnia where we had issues finding good food. It seems like people here doesn’t really go out to eat, so evenings were pretty dead (at least when we were there Saturday and Sunday evening in November). It was mainly hotels that served food, but they were overpriced and not great. Other than that mostly pizza places. According to google many good restaurants are located quite a bit outside the city, but as we didn’t have a car we didn’t visit these. But if you do have a car, try them out.

MG’s

We did manage to find one really nice restaurant, Restoran MG. Located close to the main square. The interior looks like it’s coming straight out of a 70s movie, but they served really nice traditional food and the waiter very friendly. The prices was higher than what we were used to in other places in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

We both really enjoyed spending a few days in Travnik. It’s a relaxed small town in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, perfect for slowing down and enjoying local life. With its Ottoman architecture, historic centre and fortress overlooking the town, Travnik feels very different from many other places in the country.

Travnik sits about 90 kilometres west of Sarajevo and was once the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia. Much of that history is still visible today, with old mosques, traditional houses and even two clock towers surviving throughout the town.

One of the more unusual sights is the old steam locomotive displayed in the centre. A spark from a train is said to have caused a devastating fire in 1903 that destroyed much of Travnik, and the locomotive now serves as a reminder of that event.

If you’re planning a visit, here’s our Travnik travel guide covering what to do, where to eat and why we think this underrated town is worth a stop.

Where to stay in Travnik

We stayed at Apartment Aid, a 2 bedroom apartment in the center of Travnik. Modern, clean, great place to stay and the host was lovely, sharing all his recommendations.

What to do in Travnik

There aren’t loads of tourist attractions in Travnik, but that was part of the city’s charm for us. Rather than rushing between sights, we found ourselves enjoying the slower pace of life, wandering around town and stopping for coffee.

That said, there are still a handful of interesting places worth visiting during your stay, which we’ve listed below.

Stari Grad Castle

Travnik Castle dates back to the period before the Ottoman Empire ruled Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fortress has been well preserved over the years and remains one of the town’s most impressive landmarks.

We particularly enjoyed the views from the top, which stretch across Travnik and the surrounding hills. If you’re visiting the town, it’s definitely worth making the climb, if only for the scenery and a few good photos.

Plava Voda

Plava Voda, or ‘blue water’ trickles along the stream to the east of Travnik Castle. Wooden bridges crisscross over the water and restaurants and bars line the water’s edge, it’s a popular spot to relax and enjoy a coffee. The Lutvina Kahva Coffeehouse is of historical significance after the Hapsburg Prince dropped in here in 1887 and left a gold coin to keep the place open. Grab a Lutvina Kaffe (basically a Bosnian coffee with a Turkish Delight, a cigarette and a box of matches) and listen to the clear blue water gurgle past you.

Stari Grad

Stari Grad means old town. Travnik’s old town is situated on the hillside of the city, and it is the perfect place to just walk around and get lost in small alleys.

Where to eat in Travnik

Hari ćevabdžinica

After traveling around Bosnia, there’s one thing that everyone agrees upon. The best Ćevapi is from Travnik and the best restaurant to get it at is at Hari. It is without doubt the best we’ve ever tasted. The bread is fresh with a light dusting of sesame seeds. The meat is perfectly cooked with no lumps or gristle. Grab a seat round the back outside next to the river, it’s the perfect accompliment to this national dish. Of course any place serving the best Ćevapi in Bosnia will be a little busy, but went there twice and didn’t have to wait at all. The staff are super friendly and speak very good English.

Kod Seje

If Burek is your bag, drop into Kod Seje just opposite the ‘Colorful Mosque’. The burek is cooked over an open fire and is very fresh. The menu is tiny, they serve three types of burek, but when something is this good who needs choice. Inside is stone walls decorated with old Bosnian paraphenalia.

Jajce is a charming little town in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. With its mix of Ottoman architecture, stone streets and historic buildings, parts of it almost feel like a small Italian hill town. At the same time, reminders of the Bosnian War are still visible, with bullet holes remaining on some buildings throughout the town.

We loved the slower pace of life in Jajce. It felt like the kind of place where you could spend a few days wandering around, drinking coffee and getting pleasantly lost in the old town.

In this Jajce travel guide, we’ll share our favourite things to do, where to eat and why we think this underrated town is worth adding to your Bosnia itinerary.

Where to stay in Jajce

We stayed at Jajce Youth Hostel, which was the cheapest accommodation we found at the time. Location was great, just outside one of the gates to old town and within walking distance to the waterfall, as well as bus station.

What to do in Jajce

There isn’t a huge amount to do in Jajce, but there are enough sights and attractions to fill a couple of days. The real highlight, however, is simply slowing down and enjoying the town itself. Grab a coffee at one of the many cafés, wander the old streets and soak up the relaxed atmosphere.

Jajce Waterfalls

The main attraction in Jajce is the famous waterfall right in the centre of town. It’s definitely worth seeing and one of the most unusual landmarks in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

There is an entrance fee if you want to walk down to the base of the waterfall, but personally we didn’t think it was necessary. The views from above were already excellent and gave us a great perspective of the falls.

There is also a viewpoint on the opposite side of the river that many visitors miss. You can see it from the town side, a small open area with a picnic table overlooking the waterfall. To get there, simply cross the bridge and follow the road. There isn’t a pavement on that side and traffic can move quite quickly, so take care and stay as far to the side as possible.

In our opinion, this viewpoint offered one of the best views of the waterfall and was well worth the short walk.

Visit Jajce Fort

One place you shouldn’t miss is Jajce Fortress. Sitting on top of the hill above town, it offers fantastic views over Jajce and the surrounding countryside. If we’re being honest, we found the views far more impressive than the fortress itself, the panoramic views alone made the climb worthwhile. Entry is inexpensive (October 2018), making it a great stop if you’re travelling on a budget.

Get Lost on Purpose

Jajce isn’t the kind of place where you’ll get lost for hours, but it’s still worth taking the time to wander around the small streets surrounding the fortress and old town.

Once you step away from the main street, you’ll get a glimpse of everyday life in Jajce. The winding alleys, old houses and quiet corners give the town an almost village-like feel. It’s the perfect place for a slow stroll and a chance to enjoy the relaxed pace of life.

Drink Coffee

Like everywhere else we visited in Bosnia, Jajce has no shortage of cafés serving traditional Bosnian coffee.

Our favourite was a small café next to the catacombs, where we had some of the best Bosnian coffee of our entire month travelling through the country. There wasn’t any sun on the outdoor terrace when we visited, so we sat on the stone wall outside instead. The owner noticed this and kindly brought us cushions to sit on, before serving our coffee alongside Turkish delight.

It was a small gesture, but one that perfectly summed up the friendliness and hospitality we experienced throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. The coffee was excellent and very reasonably priced too. Not sure if it’s there anymore, but if it is sit down and enjoy a coffee.

Visit the Catacombs

The catacombs are another of the few attractions in Jajce, but we thought they were worth a visit. Having never visited any other catacombs, we don’t really have anything to compare them to, but they were larger than we expected and even have two levels to explore.

They won’t be the highlight of your trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but if you’re already heading up to the fortress they’re well worth a quick stop. They’re also nice and cool inside, making it a good escape from the summer heat.

If you have a little time to spare while exploring Jajce, we’d recommend taking a look.

Where to Eat in Jajce

Kod Asim

This place is really nice, a little touristy but definitely worth a visit. A must try is the Lonac, a specialty for the region. It is served in a claypot and it is divine!

Update May 2026: We can no longer find this restaurant on Google Maps and are unsure whether it is still operating. We’re leaving it in this guide as we really enjoyed eating here during our visit. It is possibly called “Restoran Omerbegova kuća” now.

Kristal Grill

Good place for lunch on the main street. They serve grill dishes and some cooked meals too. The food is good and affordable.

We spent a week in a small village on the banks of the Pliva River and it ended up being one of our favourite experiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Surrounded by forests, crystal-clear water and fresh mountain air, Pliva was exactly what we needed after weeks of travelling. It was a place to slow down, clear our heads, catch up on some work and simply enjoy being somewhere peaceful for a while.

Staying by the River

We stayed at the Vacation Home Pliva, Brđani, a simple but beautiful riverside house with everything we needed. The family owning the property immediately made us feel welcome and treated us more like family than customers. The family dog tended to come out with us on walks around the countryside, which was lovely. They also took us with them when they went mushroom picking in the forest.

Life in Pliva

Life moves slowly here. There are a few small local shops selling basic groceries like eggs, milk, butter and of course beer if you need it. Do any bigger shopping before arriving here. The local restaurant charges about double what you’d expect to pay in the city, but the food is well prepared any very tasty.

Instead, you come for the river, the nature and the peace and quiet.

Fly Fishing on the Pliva River

The Pliva River is famous for fly fishing.  Groups coming from all over the world to spend time wading up and down the river perfecting their cast. It’s common to see fishing tourists relaxing in the local “bar” (a kiosk with some tables outside) telling their stories of ‘the one that got away’.

During our stay we met Paul Arden from sexyloops.com (world renowned fly fisherman) who was great fun to chat with, not only about Fly fishing, but also about life in general.

Walk to the Source of the River

One of our favourite walks was following the river upstream to its source. In fact, there are two sources, where the water emerges from caves and beneath the rocks. Seeing such a beautiful river begin as a small trickle of water was surprisingly fascinating.

Along the way we stumbled across a group of locals making homemade rakija. Before we knew it, we had been invited over to see what they were doing and were handed a glass to try. Politely declining wasn’t really an option. As a woman, Livia managed to get away with a single shot. Sam wasn’t so lucky and had to drink three before they were willing to let us continue our walk.

After a chat, a few laughs and a rather strong taste of homemade rakija, we continued on towards the source of the river, only to discover it was about five minutes away. The problem, of course, was that we also had to walk back the same way. Sure enough, we were spotted immediately and invited over for another round. By the time we finally escaped, Sam was relying on a walking stick for balance during the hour-long walk back along the river.

Moments like this ended up becoming some of our favourite memories from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How to Get to Pliva

We took a taxi from Banja Luka directly to Pliva which cost us €38 (October 2018). You can also catch a bus to the nearest town of Šipovo and take a short 10 minute taxi ride for about €7,50 (October 2018).

Update May 2026: Transport prices have likely changed since our visit in 2018.

Final Thoughts

Pliva isn’t somewhere most tourists visit, and that’s exactly why we loved it.

If you’re looking for a few days of nature, fresh air and slow travel in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we’d happily recommend spending some time by the Pliva River.