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Bosnia and Herzegovina ended up being one of our favourite countries during our Balkan trip in 2018. We entered from Croatia expecting to spend a week or so exploring the country, but ended up staying for a month.
What we found was a country full of friendly people, incredible food, strong coffee culture, beautiful scenery and fascinating history. From lively cities to quiet riverside villages, Bosnia offered a perfect mix of culture and slow travel.
Our Bosnia and Herzegovina route
We travelled almost entirely by bus, with a couple of taxi journeys in more rural areas. This route took us from northern Bosnia all the way south to the border with Montenegro.
Our route looked like this:
Banja Luka → Pliva → Jajce → Travnik → Sarajevo → Mostar → Trebinje
Banja Luka (3 Nights)
Banja Luka was our first stop in Bosnia and Herzegovina after arriving by bus from Croatia.
At first glance, it might not seem like an obvious tourist destination. There are relatively few major attractions compared to Sarajevo or Mostar, but we ended up loving the city. It felt relaxed, affordable and incredibly liveable, with a strong café culture and some of the best food we had anywhere in Bosnia.
If you enjoy people-watching from a café terrace and discovering places that aren’t overrun with tourists, Banja Luka is well worth a stop.
Read our full Banka Luka guide here.
Pliva River (5 Nights)
Our stay on the Pliva River was one of the highlights of the entire trip. We spent five nights in a small riverside village, slowing down and enjoying nature. The days were spent walking along the river, visiting the source of the water and chatting with locals.
We stayed at the Vacation Home Pliva, Brđani and had the best experience, the family running this place are lovely, and it’s situated just on the river.
One memorable afternoon we stumbled across a group making homemade rakija. Several shots later, we eventually made it to the river source before having to pass them again on the way back.
If you’re looking for a quieter side of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a few days by the Pliva River is hard to beat, read about our full experience here.
Jajce (3 Nights)
Jajce is best known for its dramatic waterfall located right in the centre of town.
While the waterfall is certainly worth seeing, what we enjoyed most was the relaxed atmosphere and charming old town. We spent our time wandering the streets, drinking coffee and enjoying the slower pace of life.
We stayed at Jajce Youth Hostel, which was a great base for exploring the town on foot.
Jajce is a great place to spend a few days and works well as a stop between northern Bosnia and Sarajevo.
Read our full Jajce travel guide here.
Travnik (3 Nights)
Travnik quickly became one of our favourite towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The town is home to an impressive fortress, beautiful Ottoman architecture and what many locals claim are the best ćevapi in the country.
We loved its relaxed atmosphere and found it to be one of the easiest places in Bosnia to simply slow down and enjoy everyday life.
We stayed at Apartment Aid, a 2 bedroom apartment in the center of Travnik. It was the perfect location as well as a very friendly and helpful host.
Read our full Travnik guide here.
Sarajevo (13 Nights)
Sarajevo was by far our longest stop. After moving around quite a bit, we decided to slow down and spend nearly two weeks in the capital. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.
Sarajevo has enough history, culture, cafés and restaurants to keep you busy for much longer than a few days. We spent our time exploring different neighbourhoods, learning about the city’s complex history and eating our way through countless local restaurants.
If you’re visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo deserves several days at a minimum, read our full Sarajevo guide here.
Mostar (2 Nights)
Mostar is one of the country’s most famous destinations and home to the iconic Stari Most bridge.
The old town is beautiful, if a little more touristy than other places we visited. Even so, it is easy to understand why people love it. The historic centre, river views and excellent food make it well worth visiting.
Two nights was enough for us to explore the town and enjoy its atmosphere, although it could easily be done in less time if you’re short on days. That said, we would still recommend spending at least one night in Mostar to experience the old town after the day-trippers have left.
We stayed at Nina hostel, which was a great base for exploring the city and within easy walking distance of the main sights.
Read our full Mostar guide here.
Trebinje (2 Nights)
Trebinje was our final stop before crossing into Montenegro.
Often overlooked by travellers, we found it to be a charming town with a lovely old centre, excellent restaurants and a relaxed atmosphere. It also felt noticeably different from the rest of Bosnia, partly due to its proximity to both Croatia and Montenegro.
Travelling Bosnia by Bus
We travelled almost entirely by bus and found it to be an easy and affordable way to get around.
The routes between major cities were straightforward, tickets were inexpensive and the scenery along the way was often spectacular. While having a car would provide more flexibility for exploring remote areas, we never felt limited travelling independently by public transport.
For this route, we don’t think a car is necessary.
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina Safe?
We felt extremely safe throughout our month in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
People were friendly, welcoming and often went out of their way to help. Like anywhere, it’s worth using common sense, but we never experienced any problems while travelling around the country by bus or on foot.
In fact, one of the things we remember most about Bosnia is the warmth and hospitality of the people we met.
What We’d Change
Honestly, not very much.
This route worked incredibly well and gave us a great mix of cities, small towns and nature. If we were to do it again, we’d probably explore some of the national parks and more remote parts of the country.
We’d also happily return to the Pliva River for another few days of doing very little.
Final Thoughts
Bosnia and Herzegovina became one of our favourite countries in the Balkans.
We came expecting beautiful scenery and interesting history, but what really stood out were the people, the food and the slower pace of life. It’s a country that still feels authentic, affordable and surprisingly under-visited.
If you’re planning a trip through the Balkans, don’t rush through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Give it time, order another coffee and stay a little longer than you planned.