Visiting Bosnia: How Many Days Are Enough?

Bosnia! Finally a “real” country in Europe without the endless churches, cobbled street and hordes of tourist struggling to get a photo of the city’s main attraction. I have visited Bosnia multiple times and it’s a country I keep coming back to again and again. It’s also one of the most off-the-beaten-path destinations that Europe has to offer and should not be missed if you are into more of the adventure-style travel.

Spending 7 days in Bosnia is enough to get a good understanding of the country. Naturally, everything depends on how much time you have to spend, and I would say its better to go to a place then never going at all. However, with that said Bosnia has a lot more to offer than you might think, so in case you have one week to spend in Bosnia it’s well worth it and you won’t be disappointed or left with nothing to do!

Why one week is ideal in Bosnia

Choosing the right amount of time to spend in Bosnia can be tricky, especially if you’ve never been there before (duh!). Luckily, I have, and as a previously mentioned Bosnia has a lot more to offer than one might think, I mean a lot! Having visited the country multiple times and different amounts of time, one week hits the sweet spot in my opinion. One week is also enough time to see Bosnia’s main attractions without feeling rushed. You get to visit the must-see spots and also have time to relax and soak in the local culture and also get to see some of the more undiscovered parts of the country something I highly recommend you don’t miss out on.

Here are some of the places that i recommend you visit during your week in Bosnia:

• Sarajevo – Capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina and once a proud host to the 1984 Winter Olypmic games (the abandoned bobsleigh track is a must see)
  
  
• Mostar – The old town of Mostar is Unesco World Heritage sight and is most known for its iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge). Heaps of things to do in area surrounding it.
  
  
• Jajce – Located halfway between Banja Luka and Mostar is a charming little town most know for its large waterfall in the city center. The waterfall is ok but the one thing I do recommend is to visit the watermills just a few kilometers from town. Check it out here on the map.
  
  
• Sutjeska National Park – Located in Republika Srpska (The Serbian Republic of Bosnia). Oh boy, this place is really something special, with its towering mountain peaks and lush greenery. It is also here that the highest peak in Bosnia is located, Mt Maglic at 2386m above sea level.
  
  
• Kravice Waterfall – The Kravice waterfall is a beautiful place to explore on an afternoon trip from Mostar, take a taxi or rent a car and explore this waterfall that receives a lot less attention than the waterfalls in the Plitvice National Park in neighbouring Croatia.
  
  
• Visegrad – Located approximately a scenic 2 hour drive from Mostar lies Visegrad. Mainly famous for the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, which is one of Bosnia’s Unesco World Heritage sites.
  
  
• Banja Luka – Capital of Republika Srpska and an interesting place to visit as it, in my opinion, differs a lot from other parts of the country with less islamic influence due to its Serb dominated population.

Spending 2 days in Bosnia

In case you don’t have a full week to spare, I still recommend that you visit Bosnia even if it is for just 2 days. The first time I visited Bosnia, I did it on a 2-day trip to Mostar from neighboring Croatia, and it left me wanting to come back for more!

Depending on where you are located, I recommend that you visit either the capital Sarajevo (flights are available from many European cities) or Mostar from either Dubrovnik or Split (a 2-3 hour bus ride). Many low-cost airlines such as Ryanair or Wizzair fly to other cities within Bosnia, such as Banja Luka and Tuzla. I have visited both, however, I don’t recommend you visit them if you are only spending two full days in the country since they don’t offer the same amount of things to do as both Mostar and Sarajevo. Yet, if you are considering a full week in Bosnia, both Banja Luka and Tuzla are two great locations to start off from.

Check out my travel guide on Mostar to get inspiration for your next trip!

Spending 4-5 days in Bosnia

So if you don’t have a full week to spare but rather an extended weekend of 4-5 days, this will give you enough time to visit both Sarajevo and Mostar, both of which are within a 2-3 hour bus or train ride from one another.

A 4-5 day trip will give you enough time to see all the highlights of both Sarajevo and Mostar without feeling stressed. However, do keep in mind that even though Bosnia is a less-traveled destination compared to other European countries, Sarajevo and Mostar are also the most touristic, meaning you won’t get to visit the more off-the-beaten places in Bosnia.

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