Since long time, Bosnia was in my travel list, but I never found the way organize a “serious” trip there. The reason was simple: it’s not possible to plan a 2 or 3 days trip to visit Bosnia, because you need more time. And so I did. I spent one week, travelling by bus, and moving from one city to another, living like local people, and trying to follow their lifestyle.
Banja Luka
It’s a checkpoint between West and East: Romans, Slavics and Ottomans left their sign here. I spent half day here, so I had a walk to the Fortress and the city center.
Mostar
Mostar is unique in the world, because the old town develops along the river, so the bridges (that give the name to the city: Most = bridge) offer an amazing landscape.
Let’s begin with the smart choice of my accommodation, with a balcony with the view on the river.
The symbol of the city is the Stari Most (old bridge), destroyed during the war and then rebuilt, which connects the west and east side of the old town, and gives an amazing view, expecially at sunset and at night.
Another must see is the Kriva Cuprija (crooked bridge), in a very picturesque zone of the city.
A photo exhibition explains the history of the city, destroyed during the war, and the signs “don’t forget”, written on the stones on both sides of the old bridge, invite us to don’t make the same mistakes in the future…
There are a lot of mosques and a big Bazaar in the old town.
Bišćevića Ćošak is a typical ottoman house in the city center.
Sarajevo
Sarajevo is a mix of races, cultures and emotions. You need to live the city with calm and see the signs of the recent history: you still can see holes in the old buildings, made by bullets during the war.
Religious buildings are orthodox Christian….
…and muslim
The historical center (Bašcaršija) looks like an Arabic town, with a lot of Bazaars and local food restaurants
The Tunnel Spasa was built in the hardest days during the war, when Sarajevo was attacked by serbian army and the way between the airport (UN base) and the city got stuck.
The bars in the center are always full of people at night, when the lights on the bridges give a magical atmosphere.
EX-YU rock centar tells the story of the Yugoslavian rock scene during years 80’, that saw a huge production here in Sarajevo: I confess, I listened many Yugoslavian groups I knew here, when I came back home.
You can reach the top of the hill with a cable car, where you can see the old Bob Track, built during Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympic Games, that survived to the bombs during the war.
I also had the chance to make friendship in my B&B (after that video I found her inside my house and I have no idea how she did it, because all the windows were closed…) 😊
Tuzla
My last destination was Tuzla. The center is quite nice, and shows the multi-cultural soul of the city.
Food
A gallery with local food I tried
Bosnia surprised me, because the recent history leads you to different reflections, because I couldn’t imagine such a mix of different races, because culture and music productions are very active here.
What can I say… Bosnia will take your heart with different emotions 🙂
