Mostar & The Neretva Gorge – An Emerald Dream
Table of Contents
Sarajevo to Mostar:
I had meant to take the train to Mostar from Sarajevo, so I was disappointed when I found out that I would not be able to do so. The train ride, hugging the Neretva River George, is supposed to be one of the finest, most scenic rides in the world. Unfortunately the train was out of order, due to the need for repairs on the aging track. I had only found out the day before when I tried my luck at the Sarajevo train station. Luckily for me the bus takes a similar route though the gorge, only at a different elevation. I booked a ticket and was on my way to Mostar, the city famed for its stunning Ottoman bridge.
Although the skies were cloudy, the roads south of Sarajevo offered a sublime view of the countryside with its endless green rolling hills and snow-capped mountains, not yet cleared from the spring melt. We had one funny incident on the road when the bus came to a halt. It could not make it through the tunnel ahead due to the height of the bus exceeding that of the tunnel in our lane. The driver had to exit the vehicle, stop oncoming traffic on the other side and proceed through the middle of the tunnel.
Bearing south towards Mostar, we began our decent from the mountains. We were now in the land of lush mountain valleys. One of our river crossings in such a valley happened in the town of Konjic where we were greeted by the sight of a beautiful old Ottoman bridge crossing the turquoise Neretva river. If you choose to visit here please note that this is a popular stop for river rafting!
Finally, nearing the end of our journey we entered the Neretva river gorge. This stretch of the river is its most stunning and I plan to visit it again. Here the mountains surround the river and old arch rail bridges dot the landscape.
As we approached Mostar the mountains gave way to a large valley full of vineyards. Mostar awaited us!
Mostar:
A Brief Description:
Mostar is the largest city of Herzegovina, serving as the administrative center of the region. As such it is sometimes considered the second city of Bosnia. The beautiful historic core was greatly damaged during the Bosnian War (1992-1995) and the bridge, the one that stands at the very center of the city, was destroyed during the war, its arch collapsing into the river below. The destruction of the bridge was a major blow, even to a city grappling though civil unrest, the bridge called Stari Most is the symbol of the city. Completed in 1567 it connected the Croat to the Bosniak side of the city uniting both communities. Today, the bridge has been reconstructed and the city has regained its pre-war vitality.
A Brief History:
The name Mostar derives from the word Mostari, the medieval gatekeepers to the bridge. The bridge marks an important crossing of the Neretva river, central to trade routes between the Adriatic Sea and the mineral rich regions of central Bosnia. The original town featured a wooden suspension bridge that had become so worn over time that it became hazardous. The area was originally under Serb control but fell to the Ottomans in 1468. The first task the Sublime Porte (Ottoman administration) set its sights on after the conquest was the creation of civic works. The town was reinforced and a new bridge was eventually constructed, it was conceived under the guidance of a disciple of Mimar Sinan, the great Ottoman builder.
The limestone structure with a soaring arch became the sight to behold and after the city’s conquest by the Austro-Hungarians in 1878 it became the object of tourism. It was incorporated in Yugoslavia after the First World War.
The Second World War brought trouble to the peaceful city. Hitler and Mussolini installed a fascist government in Croatia and the region fell to this regime. After the war it was incorporated into socialist Yugoslavia under Tito. During this time the city grew fast, the river was harnessed for hydroelectric power and factories were opened.
In 1992 the Bosnian republic declared independence from Yugoslavia and the region became a bloodbath between the warring factions. At first the city was shelled by the Serbs, the Croats and Bosniaks fought back and drove the Serbs out. The town suffered massive damage and many of its structures were leveled causing civilians to flee. The city then entered a second phase of conflict, where Croats and Bosniaks divided the city into two sides and began to fight. The Croatian militia blew up the Stari Most bridge and the fighting was not resolved until 1994 with the Washington Agreement that settled the dispute between Croats and Bosniaks. The bridge was not rebuilt till 2004.
Where to stay?
Mostar is a dynamic city with friendly people. If you are staying in the old town and are someone who enjoys the hostel life, consider staying at Hostel Miran. The owner and his family are wonderful people and their establishment is close to the train and bus station. The hostel also offers a great tour of the area, if you stay here don’t ask questions just take it. For more information see the day trips section.
What to do?
Since the city revolves around the bridge we may as well start here. If you are interested come for the bridge diving competition held from the top of the the Stari Most bridge in August. It is sponsored by redbull and is a major draw. It is not recommenced to dive of the bridge unless you are an experienced diver. Many tourists have injured themselves and required medical attention. Inside the bridge tower on the west side is a museum explaining the history of the structure along with a floor dedicated to photographs of the city.
After you have had your fill of the bridge I would then recommend taking a walk about town. Start by exploring the old town, on the west side of the bridge there are colorful shops lining the bank of the river along with the historic Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque and the genocide museum. On the other bank you have a host of great riverfront restaurants and the Kriva ćuprija bridge (or crooked bridge). On either bank walk south towards the Lučki Most bridge for a great view of the old town.
One of the most heartbreaking things about the city is how much of the war damage is still left. It also makes for some interesting urban exploration at your own risk. Many buildings can be scaled or at least entered without any oversight. One building in particular, a half-destroyed bank can be climbed to reveal one of the prime sniper positions in the city.
Lastly, there are some great hikes that can be done in Mostar, it may be tempting to explore the surrounding hills but under no circumstances should you do so without doing research first. Only walk on marked trails as landmines still exist from the war and it would be a shame to lose a limb on vacation. One hike that is worth doing is to climb up to the Millennium cross atop Mostar. Erected by the Croat community in 2002 as a symbol of 2000 years of Christianity in the region, it offers a great view of the valley bellow. It is a source of irritation to the local Muslim community so be sure not to bring it up with them.
Day Trips:
There are so many places to visit in the area but I will only list a few to keep it simple.
Trebinje
Located 2hrs south of Mostar, this Serb town makes for an idyllic getaway. Click here to learn more.
Hostel Miran’s Tour
I have included the stops on this tour as part of the day trips section. I had planned on doing most of these by car and when I found that most of my planned day trips were offered though the hostel I reconsidered renting a car. I recommend doing the hostel tour but you are more than welcome to rent a car and do it on your own, but I warn that you will be missing one hell of an adventure. Miran gives the tour himself, he is energetic and entertaining. He is an old soccer star and knows everyone about town. For lunch he will offer to stop at a local restaurant and he will help you order some local food. He participated in the Bosnian war and has many stories and things he would like to teach visitors to his country. He can also be found under “crazy bosnian” guy in google, so that’s cool. You can find a link to his hostel here.
War Tour
The hostel Miran’s war tour takes you across the city to see the destruction wrought upon the city and it’s people. The tours takes you just outside the city to artillery and sniper positions as well as the old front line in the city itself. This front line, only a streets width apart saw the fiercest fighting. The buildings on both sides lay in ruins and shots rang out at all hours. Today the buildings still have an uncountable number of bullet holes in them and only a few units have been restored and turned into micro apartments.
Yugoslav Airbase
This Yugoslav era airfield is located near the Mostar airport in Gnojnice south of Mostar. It is one of many secret airbases built during the Tito era for defensive purposes. These expensive facilities were built into the mountains and the runways were camouflaged to prevent their detection from other world powers. Miran worked at the facility in Yugoslav times and will guide you though the maze of dark tunnels under the mountains. As a joke he made the young Americans kids with us run though the compound military style.
Blagaj
This village, host to an Illyrian fortress and, in byzantine times, named after the Buna river, contains an Ottoman Dervish house by a karst spring that feeds the Buna river. As you make your way to the spring the Stjepan grad fort can be seen overlooking the town. The fort, a ducal residence, is named after Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, a Christian Bosnian ruler of the Duchy of Saint Sava (for more info see my post on Herceg Novi).
The Dervish house came about during the Ottoman years. Dervishes are a Sufi Muslim sect known for their wild dancing. It was founded as a place for Sufi’s to have quiet reflection and discussions about a variety of issues. The idyllic karst spring proved to be an attractive local for this.
Počitelj
This small town by the Neretva river played host to some nasty fighting during the Bosian War, the Bosniak majority was driven out with most of them not returning to their old homes. Pocitelj was originally fortified in the medieval ages by the Hungarians in order to resist the Ottoman advance though the Balkans. During Ottoman rule, the town developed as a trading center with the Adriatic region, this made the inhabitants relatively wealthy. Under Austrian rule the town fell into disrepair having lost its regional importance. As such no major construction works were undertaken in this period. This ensured that the core of the city still consist mostly of medieval and Ottoman era structures. Today the town is one of the most important cultural monuments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although it is still mostly abandoned. I strongly recommend a visit!
Miran left us to explore the steep hillside town, built into a natural karst amphitheater. The town’s residential structures consists of stone buildings with slate roofs in typical ottoman fashion much like Gjirokaster, Albania. The mosque, boathouse, the clock-tower, an inn as well as two forts, one on each side of the town, can still be found. The lack of modern structures and the emptiness of the place gives the town an open air museum feel, walking the steep streets one can understand what Ottoman life was like in the town. When we returned to the bottom of the hill Miran was striking up a conversation with some locals and we bought some delicious local strawberries from them.
Kravica Waterfall
The last stop on the tour was the Kravica Waterfall, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Kravice Falls (Oops I am one of those people!). It was not ideal for swimming the day I was there but in better weather it is worth going for a swim. Miran is a great tour guide and you can tell he loves his country as he wants you to love it as well!
Beer and Nightlife:
What to drink
Depending on what bar you enter you will have the choice of beers corresponding to the ethnicity of the bar owner and the customers attending the establishment. If you are in a Croatian establishment, I would consider drinking Ožujsko and in a Bosnian establishment Sarajevsko for more information on great Balkans beers click here
Nightlife
Mostar is not a great town for clubbing but it has a host of great pubs to choose from. If looking for good food the riverfront has a host of restaurants to choose from. Later in the evening I would recommend a visit to the Black Dog Pub. It is located a short walk from the Stari Most in an old stone building by the radobolja stream. The area is home to many pretty old buildings, mosques and a small stone bridge crossing the stream. It has a varied selection of great beers and live music on many nights. It is by far the best place to have a drink in Mostar.
Conclusion:
Mostar may not be the biggest city but it is a great place to lounge about and explore the surrounding countryside for a few days. Unfortunately most tourists come in on big buses, walk across the bridge, take their pictures and leave for Sarajevo. **** that! Mostar is well worth a few days visit.
