10 Places in Bosnia & Herzegovina known only to locals

Stari Most is a 16th century Ottoman Empire bridge which is located in the city of Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina. This tourist attraction is the most famous place on this list. I am putting this bridge on the list of the places known only to locals only because this landmark must be included in every tourist attraction list that is made for Bosnia. The original bridge stayed over river Neretva for more than 400 years until it was destroyed during the Croatian-Bosnian War in 1993. Later in 2004, it was fully rebuild and since that it became a symbol for the Bosnians. Stari Most is perfect for wedding proposals, personally I have friends from Bosnia who proposed to their girlfriends on the top of the bridge. This beautiful Islamic architecture deserves the attention of all the tourists that visit Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The war in Yugoslavia is one of the deadliest events in the history. The Neretva hotel had been built around 1892 in the middle of the city of Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina. During the Yugoslavian war in the 1990s the place was demolished and now it is only a ruin. There are many places in Bosnia in which you can feel the horror of the war and Neretva is a perfect example of the terrific conflict. This “Call of Duty” looking building can be seen in the Trg Musala area of the city of Mostar.

Trebinje is a small town located in East Bosnia & Herzegovina. The local river (Trebisnjica) goes through the middle of the town, which makes the place even more beautiful. The interesting thing in the village is the old town of Trebinje. The old town was build during the 18th century when Bosnia was still part of the Ottoman Empire. The best landmark of the old town is the Arslanagic Bridge. The fans of the Ottoman Empire architecture should visit Trebinje as soon as they come in Bosnia & Herzegovina

Foca is a small town in Bosnia & Herzegovina, which is located on the Drina river. The best tourist attraction around this town are the Sand Pyramids. These natural pyramids are probably the most spectacular place in Bosnia. These sand blocks are made of sandy clay produced by the erosion of the soil. Locals call this place the Bosnian Grand Canyon. There are plenty of things to see in Bosnia & Herzegovina, but if you do not go to these pyramids you cannot say that you have been in Bosnia.

The town of Medjugorje is located in south Bosnia & Herzegovina. Medjugorje in Bosnian means “between the mountains”. Another significant fact about the location is that the town is really close to the Bosnian-Croatia border. For this reason, there are many native Croatians that live in here. Locals believe that the place is sacred, because of the reports of alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary to six local children. The best place in this small town is the St. James Church. MUST destination for every Christian believer that goes around Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Bijambarske Caves are on the most famous local attractions in Bosnia & Herzegovina. There are five caves and each of them has its own name. The main cave is called Glavna and is more than 400 meters long. The fascinating coridors are more than 30 meters tall. The caves can be a really interesting place to visit for every science lover.  The effort to get inside the caves might be a bit hard, but is definitely worthy.

The Bliha Waterfall is a waterfall on the river of Bliha. This wonderful place is located near the region of Fajtovci, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Vodopad Blihe (local name), is one of the tallest waterfalls in the Balkans. The water is falling from the amazing 56 meters. Visit this destination if you are interested in natural landmarks and beautiful views. Bliha Waterfall is a must if you are visiting beautiful Bosnia.

Buna Spring is a natural ensemble situated in the Buna River near the town of Blagaj, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The mix of the historical heritage of Bosnia and the natural vibe of the place, transform this spring into a spectacular tourist destination. You can always see professional photographers around Vrelo Bune (the Bosnian name of the place), because the views are amazing. The place is so beautiful, that every picture that you take looks like a drawing of Van Gogh.

Just next to the town of Bijeljina, Bosnia & Herzegovina you can find the Stanisci Ethno Village. The village take us back in time and shows us how the Bosnians used to live. After spending a day in Stanisici, I was so relaxed and full with energy that I wanted to stay forever. This place made me think about the important things in our life. When you stay in a hotel/place similar to this Ethno Village you can see that we do not need too much items to live happy. If you want to relax for few days and forget about the busy society than you should go to the Stanisici Ethno Village.

Tavna Monastery is a typical Serbian Orthodox monastery that is located in north Bosnia & Herzegovina. Locals believe that this holy place was built by Vladislav Dragutin around the 13th century. Unfortunately this 13th century original monastery was destroyed during the bombings of the World War II. Before few years the monastery was fully rebuild and now everyone can visit this historic place.