There are lots of things to see, do, and eat when visiting the charming old city of Mostar – and they are all included in this 24-hour travel guide.
While travelling through Croatia this past summer, I had many recommendations to visit Mostar. At the last minute, we added it onto our Balkan road trip, and I’m so glad we did. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a fascinating country that very few people visit. There are so many amazing things to do in Mostar, but some of my favourites include learning about the 1993 war, to crossing the old Star Most bridge, and hearing the call to prayer while drinking Turkish coffee at a riverside café. Details on all of these things to do are included in this 24-hours in Mostar travel guide. Even though our visit to Mostar was short and sweet, it still left us with plenty of amazing memories.
If you are planning a trip to the Balkans, make sure to fit in a trip to Mostar. Two nights and one day was plenty for us, but if you are short on time, even stopping by for a couple of hours on the way to your next destination, will allow you to appreciate this charming town.
Short on time? Visit Mostar on Full-Day Tour from Dubrovnik!
Another great and easy way to see most of the highlight in this blog post is on this round trip day-tour from Dubrovnik! Embark on a day tour from Dubrovnik to explore the Kravica Waterfalls and the historic city of Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Admire the stunning scenery of the Adriatic coast on your way to Neum before reaching the cascading Kravica Waterfalls, where you can swim in the shallow pools during summer and fall. Discover the old town of Mostar and its famous Old Bridge with a local guide before having some free time to explore.
Things to Know Before You Go to Mostar
Currency:
Bosnia and Herzegovina Konvertible Marks or ‘KM’ (1 mark to 0.77 Canadian OR 1 mark to 0.51 Euros). Pick up your Bosnia and Herzegovina Konvertible Marks at the local ATMs or banks, but make sure to not take too much out. Since this currency is fairly worthless outside the country, you will be forced to convert it, and currency exchanges will charge you a fee to do this. Otherwise, most places will accept Euros or Croatian Kuna, but you risk they will give you a bad currency conversion, so be on top of it.
Overall, life in Bosnia and Herzegovina is inexpensive, so your dollars will go far with food and accommodation.
Language:
Serbo-Croatian and Bosnian
Water:
They don’t advise drinking water from the tap, so buy bottled water.
When to Visit:
I would recommend visiting in the summer months (May- September), as Mostar has a lot of fun outdoor restaurants, cafes, and bars. Since we visited in October it was colder, we had rain, and I was disappointed to find a lot of these places had closed down for the season. Keep in mind, Mostar gets really hot in July and August, so if the heat bothers you, May, June and September would be the best time to visit.
How long to go for:
Since Mostar is a small town one day is plenty of time to see all the highlights. Also, Mostar’s location makes it the perfect day trip or overnight stop from Dubrovnik or Split. We drove from Split through Mostar, stayed for two nights, and then onto Montenegro for the next leg of our trip.
Getting to Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Driving
As I mentioned earlier, Mostar was a stop on our Balkans road trip. We rented a car in Split, Croatia and drove over the border into Bosnia & Herzegovina. Since Ben and I both have European passports, and we had proof we were returning the car in Croatia, we had no issue passing into the country. We also have international driving licences ($25 CAN for a year), and we have auto-insurance by booking with our American Express credit card. We did have to stop and line up at border control for the guards to see our passports.
On the topic of border control, some people encourage you to buy a green pass (25Euros) with your rental car, to pass over borders. We were not offered the pass, and we did not need the green pass when we reached the border. In my opinion, don’t get it, but always check visa requirements for your particular passport.
*Drive Time: It takes 2 to 2.5 hours to drive from Split to Mostar, and the same from Mostar to Dubrovnik. These roads are windy, narrow and can be steep, so it’s best to take your time driving and be careful.
Once you get to Mostar, the main areas of town you will want to see is all-accessible by foot.
Other Ways to Get to Mostar
- Hop on a day-tour from Dubrovnik, and have a tour guide show you all these impressive spots in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Not only will you get to experience everything worth seeing in Mostar, but you will have round-trip transportation taken car of!
- There is also an option to fly into Mostar’s international airport if road trips aren’t your thing, or you are flying from somewhere far away.
- Or you can get an inexpensive bus from Croatia to Mostar
- Lastly, you could use a tour company like Contiki that passes through Mostar on their Balkans trips (try Best of Balkans). If you decide to travel with Contiki, make sure to use my promo code AMBER to save you $150 off any trip 7 days or longer *(Unfortunately, this offer is for Canadian travellers only)*.
Where to Stay in Mostar
Since we only stayed in Mostar for two nights, we opted to book an apartment in the centre of town. We booked this room for only $50 a night. It was brand new and had everything we needed, including parking, a mini-fridge, bottled water, and beer. Normally I try to find an apartment with a kitchen and more style, but since we were only in town for two nights I picked a simpler room to save money for other longer stays. Overall, I found all the accommodation in Mostar to be incredibly inexpensive.
Best Things to Do in Mostar
Visit the Stari Most
The most iconic symbol of Mostar is the Stari Most, which translates to ‘Old Bridge’. The Stari Most is also commonly referred to as the Mostar Bridge. This beautiful bridge connects the town over their raging river and was sadly once the front line for the war of 1993. Unfortunately, the original bridge was destroyed in the recent war in November 1993 but was rebuilt with many of the original stones and original design – flaws and all. One of its flaws is the stones used to build the bridge are super slippery, especially when it rains! So make sure to hold onto the railings or walk slowly when you cross over.
For my photographers out there, I found it fun to get creative when taking photos of the Old Bridge. I recommend taking pictures from all different angles. However, some of my best photos came from the river platforms near Luft Cafe, and right across the river from there.
Watch for Bridge Divers
If you visit the bridge during the busiest time of the day (11-3pm), you may see locals diving from the peak of the bridge into the cold river below. We talked to a local who told us they typically wait until they have collected a total of €50 from tourists before they jump in. The bridge is 24 meters from the water, making the jump super high. In the past, Redbull has hosted dive competitions here, and tourists have joined in on the fun. Would you jump from the top?
Carsija Market for Shopping
Located along the main street, in the Turkish Quarter leading up to the Old Bridge, you will see tons of shops and stalls. Shopping is plentiful in Mostar with little shops selling a range of souvenirs. Typically you will find beautiful Turkish lamps, copper goods, jewelry, scarves, and ornate Turkish coffee sets. Most shops only accept cash for items, not credit cards.
Climb the Mosque
Something we missed out on was visiting and climbing the main mosque tower. Normally you have to be Muslim to enter a mosque, but in this case, you can pay to go in, even if you are not Muslim; however, you must cover your shoulders and knees to be respectful. The top of the tower offers beautiful views of the bridge and the town.
Price: 4 KM to enter the Mosque, and 8 KM to climb to the top
Learn about the 1993 War
When visiting Mostar, something everyone should do is learn about the recent Yugoslavia war of 1993. It still shocks me that this war happened during my lifetime, and yet I hardly knew anything about it before this visit. With this being said, make sure to be sensitive to any locals older than 30 years old, as they probably have memories of the war, or had family directly involved. You can learn about the war in the next two locations.
War wounds are all around Bosnia & Herzegovina. When walking around Mostar keep your eyes out for bullet holes in buildings, street art, signs, plaques or memorials that say “Don’t Forget 1993”. The city has built back up after the war, but their rocky history is still evident everywhere you look.
War Photo Exhibition
A photo exhibition that shares what times were like, and how people lived and survived during the war. Most of the volunteers that work here lived through the war, and are open to answering any questions. We happened to meet a 29-year-old girl who was a war survivor and was working in the Exhibition on the day of our visit. She was kind enough to share her experience, what she remembered and answered our questions about the war. These people are so strong, and commonly said to us, “we must remember, so we don’t repeat this history.”
Upstairs you will also see photos of when the bridge was destroyed and how they rebuilt it. This exhibition is located in one of the pillars ON the bridge. I was confused by this at first, so the best way I can describe it is to cross over the bridge from the Turkish Quarter side, and then go up the stairs and into the pillar attached to the bridge.
War & Genocide Museum
This had to be one of the most eye-opening things we did in Mostar. The museum was extremely graphic and it was horrifying to learn about what happened only a few decades ago. For me, it was shocking that this war happened during my lifetime, and yet I never knew anything about any of it. I don’t remember this current history taught in our schools or talked about in my household. Not only was the war of 1993 a war about country independence and religion, but it was also a horrible genocide. Over 62,000 people died or disappeared during the war, and many of the people who survived are still alive today to share their stories. Although learning about this war is sad and disturbing, it is our job as travellers to learn the history to truly understand the country and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
*Note: Although you could go through the museum quickly, I recommend leaving about 1-1.5 hours to view the museum, read the plaques and watch the videos. Since there are many War Museums in town, I’ve included a picture of what the door looked like to the one we visited below. It was about a 7-minute walk from the bridge.
Cross the Crooked Bridge
This is a mini version of the Stari Most and is tucked away in the western part of the city. Around it, you will find little river-side restaurants and bars. Although it isn’t as spectacular as the Stari Most, it is still a beautiful bridge to visit.
Kravica Waterfall
If you are visiting Mostar as a day or overnight trip, Kravica Waterfall is a lovely driving break for lunch. And if you are staying in Mostar for longer than a day, I definitely recommend stopping by for a couple of hours to enjoy the natural beauty of this park.
They say Kravica is Bosnia’s version of Plitvice Lakes. Although Plitvice Lakes is ten times the size and, in my opinion, more beautiful, the biggest difference is you can swim in these waterfalls! Since it was October, we found it too cold to swim, but other brave souls were taking the plunge. I imagine it would be quite refreshing in the summertime heat. For those too nervous to swim, there are also boat trips around the lake to get you closer to the waterfalls. Instead of swimming, we shared an inexpensive meat platter for lunch, right beside the lake. All in all, this is a great place to stop for a swim, some pictures and lunch.
Park Entrance Fee: 10KM or €5
Where to Eat & Drink in Mostar
For breakfast in Mostar, we went to a small bakery and bought a savoury pastry called a burek. Some bureks were filled with cheese and spinach, others were filled with meat, and all of them cost less than a dollar. We then would wander and find a cafe for juice and coffee.
Warning to vegetarians, food in Bosnia is mostly made up of meat; however, there are some seafood and veggie options available. Here are some of the other incredible restaurants we ate at for lunches and dinners.
Tima-Irma
If you only have one meal in Mostar, make sure to have it at Tima-Irma. Their servings are massive, but the food is fresh and delicious. Words of warning, the ‘meat platters for 1’ will 110% feed 2 people (see photo below), so I definitely recommend to under order, and then order more if you are still hungry. This restaurant was so good that every time we passed by it was packed, with a lineup out the door. This might mean you may have to wait for a table, but I promise you it’s worth the wait.
*This is also one of the few restaurants that had vegetarian options!*
Sadrvan Restaurant
Sadrvan is another great choice if you want to try authentic Bosnian food. Although it was busy with mostly tourists, we did enjoy their food and good service. We ordered their National Plate, which was a sample platter of meats, cheeses and meat stuffed vegetables. We then finished our meal with a Turkish coffee, which came with a Turkish delight candy.
* Turkish coffee tip: Turkish coffee is essentially hot water mixed with the ground coffee beans. So when you order one make sure to mix it, let the grounds settle to the bottom, and then drink slowly making sure not to drink the ground beans. It is strong and delicious, and might take a couple tries to get used to. *
Moon Star Caffe & Pizzeria
If meat and Bosnian food isn’t your thing, try this pizza place out. To be honest, we were originally drawn to it due to its cute decor and strong wifi. To my fellow digital nomads and bloggers out there, if you need a quite but clean place to work for the day, this is a great option!
Pomegranate Juice Stand
In this region, pomegranates grow everywhere, and because of this, we saw stands pressing fresh juice around town. I tried a fresh pomegranate juice near the War & Genocide Museum and it was delicious! Pomegranate juice is known to be full of anti-oxidants, so it’s really good for you. One thing that I found strange about the juice is how dry the flavour is. Have you tried fresh pomegranate juice before?
Bridge Café
While visiting the War Photo Exhibition, we stumbled upon the smallest café on the Mostar bridge tower. To be honest, I don’t know if this place even has a name. I hadn’t heard of it in any travel guides or blogs, so I felt like we had found ourselves a hidden gem. The guy that ran the place was a bit of a kook and offered us either coffee or fresh lemonade. We took him up on the offer, while he shared some of the famous people and celebrities who had come to this cafe. He also shared his memories of the war, and facts about the bridge divers. The fresh lemonade was totally overpriced by Bosnia standards (3 euros each), but we had a memorable experience and enjoyed incredible views of the bridge from our tower seats. Sometimes experiences like this are worth the rip off the price tag.
Šećerlook – Caffe Terasa
Another lovely riverside cafe that offers coffees, teas, fresh juices, and beers. They also have a stunning view of the bridge, that is a bit further back, so isn’t as crowded with tourists.
Things to Do in Mostar: Bars & Hookah
Unfortunately, we visited Bosnia at the beginning of October, which is when it starts to get cold. Because of this, a lot of the fun rooftop bars, and outdoor cafes had closed down. However, here is a list of the ones we visited and some that were on our list to go to. Hopefully, they will be open for you if you visit in the summer months.
Luft Hookah Bar
A funky outdoor cafe, located beside the river, with a beautiful, up-close view of the bridge. If you are not interested in Hookah they also have tea and coffees.
Oscar Summer Garden
An outdoor cafe, equipped with big comfy pillows, hammocks and hookahs to relax with while you enjoy a drink. Known for its lovely outside ambience and a great vibe.
Ali Baba Rooftop Bar
When walking around town you will see tons of riverside cafes with great views of the bridge. This one is located on the Turkish side and is famous for its cave bar that plays great tunes into the evening. They also have a stunning rooftop bar and cafe, that offers beautiful views of the bridge and the Turkish Quarter (see photos below). I imagine this would be a lovely place to grab a morning coffee or a sunset cocktail. This rooftop bar and cafe also goes by the name Bjeli Bar Terasa.
Want to visit Mostar, but short on time?
Another great and easy way to see most of the highlight in this blog post is on this round trip day-tour from Dubrovnik! This day tour from Dubrovnik takes you to the Kravica Waterfalls in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where you can witness the stunning tufa cascades of the River Trebižat. You’ll also visit the historic city of Mostar, explore the old town, see the famous Old Bridge over the Neretva River, and learn about the region’s history with a professional guide.
Have you been to Mostar, Bosnia before? Share your favourite memories, restaurants or things to do in Mostar below. Also, has anyone explored anywhere else in Bosnia Herzegovina? I’m so interested to hear what the rest of the countries are like and if there are any must-see areas, other than Mostar?
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