Travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina — everything you need to know
When to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- June – September — Balkan summer : Ideal for Mostar and the Herzegovinian countryside (25–30°C), with pleasant weather in Sarajevo (20–25°C) and waterfalls and canyons at their best. July and August are hot in Mostar but stunning.
- December – March — Olympic skiing : Skiing in Jahorina and Bjelašnica (the 1984 Olympic resorts). Sarajevo under snow has a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Temperatures range from -5 to -10°C in the mountains.
Weather in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Check the weather city by city, starting with Sarajevo.
- Sarajevo: daytime highs from 8 to 29 °C depending on the season, 79 mm of rain per month on average.
- Mostar: daytime highs from 12 to 33 °C depending on the season, 120 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a unique crossroads of civilisations in Europe: Sarajevo, where East meets West (the only European capital with a mosque, an Orthodox cathedral, a Catholic church and a synagogue all within 500 metres of one another), Mostar and its Ottoman bridge (Stari Most, UNESCO), the Kravice waterfalls and the Neretva canyons.
Sarajevo — Crossroads of Civilisations
Sarajevo is the only city in Europe where you can hear the call to prayer from an Ottoman mosque and the bells of a Catholic cathedral at the same time: from the Ottoman quarter of Baščaršija (bazaars, fountains and copper craftsmen) to the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated (1914 — the spark that set off World War I) and the National Library burned in 1992, Sarajevo carries the history of Europe as a whole.
Highlights : Baščaršija — great 15th-century Ottoman bazaar, Latin Bridge — site of Franz Ferdinand's assassination (28 June 1914), Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (1531) — the most important mosque in the Balkans.
Mostar — Stari Most (UNESCO)
Mostar is the jewel of Herzegovina: Stari Most ('Old Bridge', UNESCO) is an Ottoman stone arch from 1566 — destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt stone by stone in 2004 — that has become a symbol of Bosnian reconciliation. Dives from the bridge (24 metres high) by the Mostari, the local divers, are a ritual. The old Ottoman quarter of Kujundžiluk is beautifully preserved.
Highlights : Stari Most (Old Bridge, UNESCO) — 1566 Ottoman arch rebuilt in 2004, The Mostari's bridge dives (24m, regular spectacle), Kujundžiluk — Ottoman bazaar, artisans and cafés overlooking the Neretva, Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque — minaret with a view over the bridge.
Kravice and the Herzegovina canyons
The Kravice waterfalls are the most impressive falls in the western Balkans: a 25-metre-high crescent stretching 120 metres wide, with a turquoise natural pool at the base that is perfect for swimming. Nearby are Lake Jablanica, the Neretva canyons, and Počitelj — an Ottoman fortified village perched on a hill above the river.
Highlights : Kravice waterfalls — a 25-metre-high turquoise semicircle, Počitelj — 15th-century Ottoman fortified village, Neretva Canyon — kayaking and rafting from Konjic, Blagaj — the Buna spring beneath a cliff, with a 16th-century dervish tekke.
Olympic resorts — Jahorina and Bjelašnica
Jahorina and Bjelašnica are the two ski resorts from the 1984 Winter Olympics — the only Olympics ever held in a country that no longer exists (Yugoslavia). Some Olympic infrastructure is still visible, including the Trebević bobsleigh track, now reached by cable car. In summer, the mountains around Sarajevo offer hikes through alpine meadows.
Highlights : 1984 Olympic bobsleigh track on Trebević (now a graffiti-covered trail), Skiing in Jahorina (1,900m) — a former Olympic slope still in use, Bjelašnica (2,067m) — views over Sarajevo and Herzegovina, Trebević cable car from Sarajevo (renovated in 2018).
Travel budget for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the cheapest countries in Europe: Sarajevo and Mostar remain very affordable despite the post-COVID rise in tourism. The convertible mark is pegged to the euro (1€ = 1.96 BAM). Euros are generally not accepted, so you need to exchange money.
- Backpacker : 35–60 €/j — Guesthouse + ćevapi + tram
- Comfort : 65–120 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + excursions
Practical tips for travelling to Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Flight from Paris : About 2h30 nonstop (Wizz Air Beauvais–Sarajevo). Otherwise via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) or Vienna (Austrian Airlines).
- Visa : No visa required for French citizens (90 days). Passport or national ID card accepted. Not in the EU (candidate country).
- Currency : Convertible mark (BAM, pegged to the euro at 1.96). Euros are generally not accepted, so exchange money on arrival. Bank cards are accepted in towns and cities.
- Language : Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian (mutually intelligible). English is spoken by many younger people. Tourist guides often speak French.
- Electricity : Type C/F (European) — 230V. No adapter needed.
- Health : No special precautions required. Travel insurance is recommended (outside the EU). Medical care is decent in Sarajevo.
- Religions : Sarajevo is a city of three religions: Muslim (Bosniaks), Orthodox (Serbs) and Catholic (Croats). Respect local customs in mosques (cover your shoulders and remove your shoes).
- Landmines : Some isolated rural areas (especially mountain forests) are still mined because of the 1992–1995 war. Stay on marked trails and do not venture outside tourist areas without a local guide.
Compare Bosnia and Herzegovina with other destinations