Places / Europe / Bosnia & Herzegovina
Mostar
Visited in July 2014
At a glance
- Country
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Region
- City of Mostar
- Population
- 105,448
- Best time to go
- April to June, September to October
- Main airport
- Mostar (OMO); most travellers fly into Sarajevo (SJJ)
- Coordinates
- 43.34°N, 17.81°E
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Overview
Mostar is the main city of Herzegovina, built around one of the most famous bridges in Europe. The elegant Ottoman arch of Stari Most spans the emerald Neretva, surrounded by stone houses, minarets and the bare limestone hills of the south.
The bridge was destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt a decade later, and signs of the war can still be seen. Day-trippers crowd the old town at midday, so stay overnight to enjoy it in the quiet of the evening and early morning.
Things to see
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Photo: Ramirez, CC BY-SA 4.0 Stari Most
The sixteenth-century Old Bridge, rebuilt with original techniques, at its most beautiful lit up after dark.
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Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque
Climb the minaret of this riverside mosque for the classic view of the bridge.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 4.0 Kujundžiluk
The old bazaar street of cobbles and copperware stalls leading down to the bridge.
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Photo: Martin Brož, CC BY 3.0 Biščević House
A seventeenth-century Ottoman family home with a cool courtyard and carpeted rooms overlooking the river.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 Partisan Memorial Cemetery
A sprawling, overgrown modernist memorial by architect Bogdan Bogdanović, powerful and atmospheric.
Things to do
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Photo: Luigi Torreggiani from Arezzo, Italia, CC BY 2.0 Watch the bridge divers
Local divers leap more than 20 metres into the cold Neretva in a centuries-old tradition, once enough money has been collected.
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Photo: lasserbua, CC BY 2.0 Blagaj Tekke
A dervish house built beneath a cliff at the source of the Buna river, a short drive south-east of town.
Find tours -
Photo: Matěj Baťha, CC BY-SA 2.5 Kravica waterfalls
Swim beneath a wide horseshoe of cascades in a green pool, about 40 minutes away by road.
Find tours -
Photo: Dimitri Gasulla, CC BY 2.0 Počitelj
A fortified Ottoman village climbing a hillside above the Neretva, easily combined with Kravica and Blagaj.
Where to stay
Old town
Stone guesthouses within a few minutes of the bridge; magical at night.
Hotels in Old townWest bank
Just beyond the old town, quieter and often better value, still walkable to the bridge.
Hotels in West bank
Getting around
The old town is pedestrian and compact. Taxis or a hire car are best for Blagaj, Kravica and Počitelj.
The train from Sarajevo follows a beautiful route along the Neretva valley in about two hours; buses run to Sarajevo, Dubrovnik and Split.
When to go
Spring and early autumn are warm and less crowded. July and August are very hot and busy, the time for the diving competitions and swimming at Kravica. Winters are mild but damp.
Plan your trip to Mostar
- HotelsBooking.com
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Airport parking, lounges and transfersHoliday Extras
- Car hireAuto Europe
- Mobile data (eSIM)AiraloCode DAN9406 for money off
- GuidebooksAmazon
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Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.