Our Day Trip from Split to Mostar

The Beautiful City of Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Beautiful City of Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

One of the reasons we chose Split for our home base in Croatia is because it is the perfect launch point for tons of day trips! Last week, I posted about our day trip to Dubrovnik. This week, I’m posting about a Day Trip across the border to a country I never thought I’d ever visit – Bosnia. (While most people just call the country Bosnia for short, its full name is technically “Bosnia and Herzegovina”. I’m going to refer to it as Bosnia in this post.)

My love of doors continues. Sometimes wear and tear makes a door even more beautiful. There is so much to look at in Mostar, it is overwhelming.

My love of doors continues. Sometimes wear and tear makes a door even more beautiful. There is so much to look at in Mostar, it is overwhelming.

Our destination was the small city of Mostar, a beautiful little town that still has plenty of very visible scars from the terrible war of the 1990s. I’ve never been somewhere where the scars from a war were still so raw. Buildings were pockmarked from bullets, some high rises still had gaping mortar blast holes, and ruined abandoned buildings seemed to be around every corner.

On our Day Trip from Split to Mostar, we learned a lot about the war, enjoyed some good food, and learned a thing or two about how people from different cultural and religious backgrounds live together peacefully now in Bosnia.

Armed with a self-guided walking tour on my Kindle, we explored Mostar.

Armed with a self-guided walking tour on my Kindle, we explored Mostar.

I hope you enjoy seeing Mostar through our eyes! Happy travels, friends.

Lessons on War

Mostar has been a very diverse city for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to the Ottoman occupation which brought a strong Muslim influence to the area. Leading up to the war in the 1990s, Mostar was home to three main ethnic groups: the “Bosniaks”, the “Croats”, and the Serbs. Bosniaks practice Islam while the Croats are Catholic, but both groups have mostly Slavic ancestors.

For years and years, Mostar took pride in the fact that these three ethnic groups lived together peacefully in their beautiful city. In fact, Mostar had one of the highest rates of mixed-ethnicity marriages in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before the war in the 1990s, Mostar was about 35% Bosniak, 34% Croat, and 19% Serbs, and everyone lived in harmony.

Then everything fell apart. In April of 1992, Bosnia & Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslavia, which threw the country into chaos. The Yugoslav People’s Army, mainly dominated by Serbs, moved to take control of Mostar and began occupying the mostly-Bosniak East side of the city. Bosniaks and Croats took refuge together on the West side. A few weeks later, when the Serb forces withdrew from Mostar, some extreme factions started gathering up the Serbs left in town, torturing and murdering them.

War Ruins in Mostar.

War Ruins in Mostar.

Most Bosniaks moved back to the East side of town, while many of the Croats stayed in the West, sometimes even moving into apartments that used to house Serbs. A tentative calm fell over the city until May 1993, when the Croat military began bombing the city. Any Bosniaks left on the West side of the Neretva river were forced to move to the East side. Bosniak men were sent away and forced to work in concentration camps. The Bosniaks left in Mostar were forcibly confined in what amounted to a ghetto on the east side of the river.

An abandoned, ruined building in Mostar.

An abandoned, ruined building in Mostar.

In a City that previously saw past a person’s ethnicity, it was a drastic change to this place where neighbors were fighting neighbors, friends against friends, even cousins against cousins. Families were torn apart. The Mostar siege of 1993 and 1994 was terrible, and at times strange. The Croats laid heavy siege to the Bosniak side of town, sometimes blaring annoying music and propaganda speeches from loudspeakers. Bosniaks avoided venturing out during the day time, and were in constant fear of sniper fire. If people were killed on the street, their bodies were sometimes left to rot for months for fear that someone would be killed if they tried to recover them.

This fence marks the site that the city donated to Mostar’s Jewish families so they could build a Synagogue. The land was donated in recognition of the courageous work they did during the war as aid workers and intermediaries between the Croats and Bosniaks.

This fence marks the site that the city donated to Mostar’s Jewish families so they could build a Synagogue. The land was donated in recognition of the courageous work they did during the war as aid workers and intermediaries between the Croats and Bosniaks.

Nowhere in Mostar is damage from the war more evident than the East side of the Neretva river. We wandered past a park-turned-cemetery called the New Muslim Cemetery, where every grave holds someone who was killed during the siege in the 90s. The park was covered by trees, so it was relatively safe to venture out at night-time to bury soldiers and civilians killed by shells or sniper fire.

The New Muslim Cemetery, which used to be a park, now holds graves of soldiers and civilians killed in the war.

The New Muslim Cemetery, which used to be a park, now holds graves of soldiers and civilians killed in the war.

On the Bosniak side of Mostar, we wandered past abandoned buildings pockmarked with holes from bullets. It’s hard to believe the war ended 20 years ago when there are still so many visible scars on buildings. Just uphill from the New Muslim Cemetery stood this abandoned structure:

Further North, we ventured through the town’s hopping cafe scene where lots of young people were out smoking and drinking coffees. Looming high above the cafes was a building that had huge mortar holes in it. Seeing it was like getting kicked in the stomach; it just takes your breath away.

Huge holes from mortar fire. These holes are over 20 years old now.

Huge holes from mortar fire. These holes are over 20 years old now.

Why is there so much damage on the Bosniak side of the river? We learned that there are still so many ruins standing here because of some confusion over who owns what building. The Yugo Bank held mortgages on many of these properties before it went out of business, and no one wants to invest in any construction on these buildings until clear ownership is established. Until ownership gets figured out, many abandoned structures with giant mortar holes gouged in their walls tower above the coffee shops in this side of Mostar.

The juxtaposition of new buildings against old, condemned ones is enough to give a tourist whiplash. Here’s a new construction next to a building that needs demolished:

This building would've been on the front lines of the war. It sits right up against the Neretva River.

This building would’ve been on the front lines of the war. It sits right up against the Neretva River.

It’s hard to wrap your head around what the people of Mostar have been through. But they are rebuilding. New Mosques have been rebuilt all over the city:

A new Catholic Church named the Franciscan Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built in 1997:

Mostar's new Catholic Church

Mostar’s new Catholic Church

It feels like Mostar is slowly healing from the awful year in the 1990s, putting itself back together again.

Graffiti on a new building in Mostar.

Graffiti on a new building in Mostar.

Mostar’s Famous “Old Bridge”

Mostar's Old Bridge, spanning the Neretva River.

Mostar’s Old Bridge, spanning the Neretva River.

In spite of the terrible scars left in Mostar from the war, it is still a beautiful city. It’s situated in the gorgeous green Neretva river valley, surrounded by mountains. No landmark in Mostar is more beautiful or more loved by the city’s residents than the Old Bridge, spanning the Neretva river. Because the East side of Mostar is predominantly Muslim “Bosniak”, and the west side is mostly the Catholic “Croats”, the bridge is considered to be a powerful symbol of the point where East meets West, a metaphor that very different cultures and religions can live in peace together.

The view under the bridge to the cute row of shops on the East side of the river known as Coppersmiths' Street. It gets its name from the many vendors who sell hammered-copper decorations. You can also buy old things from the Yugoslav Army, like spent bullet and shell casings.

The view under the bridge to the cute row of shops on the East side of the river known as Coppersmiths’ Street. It gets its name from the many vendors who sell hammered-copper decorations. You can also buy old things from the Yugoslav Army, like spent bullet and shell casings.

A closer view of Coppersmiths' Street.

A closer view of Coppersmiths’ Street.

Sadly, the bridge did not escape the horrors of the war. It was repeatedly caught in the crossfire, then in November of 1993 the bridge was hit directly by a shell and collapsed into the Neretva river below. The river turned red after the collapse because of the color of the mortar used in between the stones; locals said the bridge was bleeding.

Kevin's out there in the center of the bridge, if you can spot him!

Kevin’s out there in the center of the bridge, if you can spot him!

After fighting ended, the bridge was rebuilt exactly the way it was before. The huge project was funded mostly by private donors (costing over $13 million!) and was overseen by UNESCO. They built the bridge using old-fashioned methods (wooden scaffolding and old iron hooks to fasten blocks together), and even went so far as to hand carve blocks from the same exact quarry used for the original bridge.

Beautiful buildings next to the Old Bridge.

Beautiful buildings next to the Old Bridge.

Finally, in July of 2004, the reconstruction of the Old Bridge was finished and opened to foot traffic once again.

Here's Kevin on the pedestrian-only bridge. Interestingly, we met a guy on the bridge from Missouri who was currently stationed over here in Sarajevo for the U.S. Army! Small world.

Here’s Kevin on the pedestrian-only bridge. Interestingly, we met a guy on the bridge from Missouri who was currently stationed over here in Sarajevo for the U.S. Army! Small world.

Fun fact: there is a Mostar diver’s club of folks who daringly jump from the bridge into the Neretva river 75 feet below! There was no one diving when we were in town because it was February, but it’s a big thing in the Summertime. Divers will solicit money from passersby until they get about 30 euro, then they’ll make the jump!

Eating and Drinking in Mostar

Hindin Han

Hindin Han Restaurant in Mostar.

Hindin Han Restaurant in Mostar.

By the time we reached Mostar, I was at hunger emergency level Orange. That is near crisis level, and comes with grumpiness, mood swings, and a big fat frown. Luckily, we wandered past Hindin Han, one of Mostar’s top reviewed restaurants. It’s located a very short walk from the Old Bridge and has a fun outdoor deck that looks down on the Neretva River. We lucked out with a warm, sunny February day and sat outside

Enjoying some warm February weather on the deck at Hindin Han!

Enjoying some warm February weather on the deck at Hindin Han!

We ordered a Balkan specialty that we’ve seen on menus in Croatia and Bosnia – Ćevapčići. It’s sort of like kebab, but the minced meat is instead shaped into small sausages then grilled. It was only like $3, but it came with TEN little sausages, all hiding under a delicious somun flatbread. It also came with fries which were sprinkled with what I’m prrrrrretty sure is knock-off Red Robin seasoning. Delicious.

Ćevapčići at Hindin Han. DELICIOUS.

Ćevapčići at Hindin Han. DELICIOUS.

We also ordered the dish recommended by our waiter called Sarajevsko Točendo. It was a veal cutlet stuffed with smoked meat and cheese, covered in a mushroom sauce. Because every steak deserves to be stuffed with cheese and more meat, right?

Sarajevsko Točendo at Hindin Han

Sarajevsko Točendo at Hindin Han

Bosnian Coffee

When in Bosnia, one must try Bosnian coffee. Sure, it might feel like you’re drinking battery acid. The bitterness of the incredibly strong coffee is only made worse if you oversweeten it with a whole sugar cube.

So what is Bosnian coffee, anyway? Similar to Turkish coffee (though definitely different – never call it Turkish coffee unless you want your barista to hate you), it’s unfiltered and strong. It’s made by pouring hot water over coffee grounds, and is served in a cute metal cup. The metal cup has a handle so you can pour it into your ceramic drinking cup once the grounds start to settle!

Bosnian Coffee!

Bosnian Coffee!

If you take your coffee with sugar, you’re supposed to put the sugar cube in your cup before pouring the coffee over it. As a bonus, it usually comes with a piece of Turkish delight!

Bosnian Coffee 101

Bosnian Coffee 101

We didn’t know it came with turkish delight, which is the sweetest thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. Had we known that, we might have skipped the Baklava:

Baklava with our Bosnian Coffee. TOO MUCH SUGAR.

Baklava with our Bosnian Coffee. TOO MUCH SUGAR.

I was so hopped up on sugar and caffeine that I couldn’t stand still! Luckily, Bosnia has a cute little bar known as the…

Black Dog Pub

Nothing helps you come down from a sugar/caffeine induced high like a pint of beer. We wandered over to Black Dog Pub, a little dive bar that serves locally-brewed Mostar beer. We enjoyed a couple beers:

A Hefeweisen and a Red Ale at Black Dog Pub, brewed locally in Mostar.

A Hefeweisen and a Red Ale at Black Dog Pub, brewed locally in Mostar.

The beers weren’t that great, but you go for the scenery. The pub sits right on the small Radobolja River, with a view of the Crooked Bridge.

The view of Mostar's Crooked Bridge from Black Dog Pub.

The view of Mostar’s Crooked Bridge from Black Dog Pub.

The Crooked Bridge is a miniature version of the much bigger Old Bridge. It was supposedly built to practice for the construction of the big bridge! It was damaged in the war, but wasn’t destroyed. It wasn’t until severe flooding in the late 90s that the bridge was destroyed and swept away. So the bridge in the photo above is a newer reconstruction. Hard times for bridges in Mostar.

A Stopover in Počitelj

Počitelj, a fun stopover en route to Mostar.

Počitelj, a fun stopover en route to Mostar.

If you’re driving to Mostar, it’s fun to make a quick stop in the tiny town of Počitelj. Since we were making our day trip in February, Počitelj was nearly deserted, but we hear that it’s a popular stop for tourist buses in the Summer. If it looks crowded, it’s skippable. But if you have the town all to yourself, it’s amazing.

A quick hike in Počitelj.

A quick hike in Počitelj.

The cute, nearly-vertical town of Počitelj is built right into the hillside. Getting to its most worth-visiting sight, the fortress on the top of the hill, is a bit of a hike up uneven cobblestone paths. Fair warning: these cobblestone paths would be deadly in the rain. We hiked up, passing an old hammam:

An old hammam (bathhouse) in Počitelj.

An old hammam (bathhouse) in Počitelj.

The fortress that looms high above Počitelj was built by a Hungarian King in the 15th Century, and used to help push the Ottomans out of the area for a brief time.

Here's the fortress behind Kevin.

Here’s the fortress behind Kevin.

There’s not a whole lot to see inside the Fortress – I think it’s used mostly as a hangout spot for teens in Počitelj now. But it’s worth the hike for the gorgeous views of the Neretva river valley.

The other sight in Počitelj is its Mosque. Unlike most Mosques in Mostar, this one is free to enter.

The view of Počitelj's Mosque from a window high up in the Fortress.

The view of Počitelj’s Mosque from a window high up in the Fortress.

How to Get to Mostar from Split

I would never make this trip without renting a car. It’s especially worth it if you’re not a solo traveler. Buses to Mostar run about $17/person each way, so you’re looking at round trip bus fees of almost $70 for two people. The buses also take 3-4 hours depending on the route, while driving takes less than 2.5 hours. If you take a bus to Mostar, it’s not worth making the trip unless you spend the night because it involves 6-8 hours round trip on a bus. If you drive, you can leave in the morning, have lunch in Mostar, and easily be back in Split in time for dinner.

Here we are in our Renault Compact Rental Car!

Here we are in our Renault Compact Rental Car!

We rented our car (an automatic) from Oryx. We recommend them because they don’t charge a fee to take the car across the border into another country. Many companies really ding you for this! Their rates were the lowest we could find; we booked directly through them, not a third-party website like Priceline/Expedia.

Look out for tractors on the road.

Look out for tractors on the road.

Here’s how our rental car costs broke down:

Cost (USD)
Compact Automatic Car with full insurance coverage $48/day*
Gas $30
Toll Roads $15
Parking in Mostar $5
Grand Total $98

*Manual cars are MUCH cheaper!

Beautiful views on the drive to Mostar.

Beautiful views on the drive to Mostar.

Ok, so we clearly spent a little more than the bus fees would’ve cost us, but we saved $25 by not staying in a hotel. Also, we rented the car for a second day (extra $48 plus $12 more dollars in gas) to visit nearby Krka national park. It’s damn near impossible to bus to Krka, especially in the winter. Save yourself some heartache and just rent a car while you’re in Croatia. Better yet, learn to drive a stick shift on hills before coming over. If you can parallel park a manual on a hill, you can handle Croatia and it’ll save you a ton of cash.

The sunset view on our drive back to Split.

The sunset view on our drive back to Split.

Traveler Tip: You’re legally required to have an International Driver’s License to drive in Bosnia. (There is currently no requirement for one in Croatia.) It’s easy to get an International License, just contact AAA to obtain one, it only costs $15. We did not have an International Driver’s License, which prrrrrobably would’ve been bad news if we’d been in an accident or had trouble at the border crossing.

We Want to Hear From You!

Beautiful Mostar

Beautiful Mostar

Have you visited any cities that have been through a major war? Which ones? I remember watching footage of the war in Bosnia in Middle School. Did walking around a place you had seen so much on the news seem as surreal to you as Mostar did to us?

34 thoughts on “Our Day Trip from Split to Mostar

  1. Pingback: Krka National Park

  2. Hi, Thank you very much for the wonderful info. I will be flying from London to Split . I could have my passport stamped at Split right?
    What about in Mostar and later to Bosnia , i could stamp my passport on these two places too?
    Please kindly advice. Thank you

    • Hi Taha,

      Your passport should be stamped in Split when you arrive to the airport. I haven’t flown in there, but I got a stamp when I arrived on boat from Italy, so I’m sure you’ll get one at the airport when flying in from London.

      Mostar is in Bosnia, so you’ll get one stamp when you cross the border into Bosnia.

      Happy Travels!
      -Melanie

      • Hi Melanie! Thanks for the great article! I’m planning on doing this day trip from Split as well! How was parking while in Bosnia? We plan to drive from Split in the morning, spend most of the day in Bosnia and depart after seeing the Mostar bridge lit up the evening. Then driving on to Dubrovnik. Just worried parking is a bit difficult. Going in late September!
        Thanks!!

        • Hi Liz,

          Parking in Mostar was a piece of cake. We were glad we had small Euro bills with us. I can’t recall how much parking was, maybe 5 Euro? I vaguely remember that only euro currency was accepted and you had to have exact change. But the parking lot we found was nice and safe, we had no issues. It has been years now, though (we traveled in 2015), so things may now be a lot different. If you have time, leave us a note after your trip so others can know what to expect.

          Safe & Happy travels!
          Melanie

    • Hi there! Gosh, I wish I could remember better at this point. We had Euros with us which we used for parking in Mostar, and I can’t remember if we used them also at restaurants. I think that restaurants accepted Croatian Kuna and euros, but I vaguely remember that it was a terrible euro exchange rate that was offered. Does anyone reading have better info on this?

  3. Thank you so much for you great summary of Mostar! I went there two years ago and I am coming back with my boyfriend again this year just because I loved it! do you know by any chance there is public transport in the evening to Dubrovnik, we are doing Split-Dubrovnik with a stopover in Mostar but I couldn’t find any late (ish) buses to Dubrovnik, many thanks!!

  4. Hi Melanie,

    What a great blog with lots of useful information.

    We are going to Split at the end of the month and will be travelling (driving) to Mostar.

    Apart from Počitelj, is there any other sights that we can stop to spend some time?

    Best Regards,
    Sarito

    • Hi Sarito! Sorry I am just now responding! I ignored my blog for almost 2 years because of having a baby. :) Did you end up taking any other side trips on your drive to Mostar? I’d love to hear if you found anything you’d recommend! We take most of our travel tips from Rick Steves. His recommendations are sometimes categorized as being popular with an older crowd, but I am an 80-year-old-woman at heart so they are perfect for me and my husband tolerates them. :)

    • Hi Aneela – all the roads we traveled were major motorways, a lot nicer than many of the highways I drive regularly now in the US.

  5. Hi Melanie, what was the border crossing like and was it easy to find parking in Mostar? Did you feel safe making the drive? My sister and I are planning a trip, to drive from Split to Mostar, to Dubrovnik.

    • Hi Christine! The border crossing was easy and straightforward, and we easily found a parking lot. Oddly enough, they preferred to take euros for our parking in Mostar, so it’s a good idea to have some small Euro bills/coins on hand. I felt a bit on edge during the whole drive, probably because of the war stories I had heard in middle school. But I think that was totally irrational – everyone we ran into in Mostar was more than friendly.

      How was your trip? Did you find the border crossing to be ok?

      One thing that would’ve made me feel safer is if we had an international driver’s license. Next time around I’d be sure to have that before traveling.

  6. Hi Melanie, Loved your info. We’ll be in Split for two nts on the way to Dubrovnik (coming from Plitvice and Zagreb. We are having trouble deciding whether to go to Mostar, stay 1 nt, then to Dubrovnik or stay in Split one more nite to visit Trogir, or 3rd option, go to Hvar or another island for 1 nt. It’s a difficult trip to plan. I’ve read Mostar is much more magical at night so thought, if we go, we stay overnight. Any thoughts on these choices?
    Thanks,
    Robyn

    • Hi Robyn! I’m sorry I’m only just now responding! Took a blog break to start a family. What did you end up choosing to do for your travels?

      Honestly, I would stay in Dubrovnik one night, especially if you’re traveling during the crazy busy high season. That way you can experience the city in the evening a little bit after the tourists go home from the day trips. We didn’t get to visit any of the islands because they effectively close down in the low winter season, but I wish we could’ve. I don’t wish we had stayed in Mostar for 1 night, though. It is a very charming, small town that I think you can experience pretty fully with a long day trip.

  7. Hi, just curious about the border crossing — is it easy? fast? We drove from Poland to Lviv, Ukraine and the lines at the border crossing are notoriously long! Thanks for any insight!

    • Hi Meg! I know my response comes way too late to help you, but I’ll comment just in case it’ll help other travelers. The lines were so short! In fact, the major motorway we were on for most of our trip was nearly deserted. I think that it has to do with the relatively expensive tolls. Border crossings always make me nervous for some reason, but this one was no sweat.

  8. This piece is fabulous. The storytelling is enhanced with interspersed photos. Feels like I’ve already visited Mostar, even though I’m visiting Slovenia, Croatia, BiH in September. Thanks for this!

  9. Hi, Terrific information. Would you recommend a ond-day self-drive for a solo (older, female) traveler? I’m pretty savvy, but I’m thinking it may be best to take an organized tour from Split.

    • Hi there! My response may be coming too late – but yes, if you’re travel savvy, I’d say you could definitely handle the trip on your own! The roads were really wonderful and clearly marked – we had no trouble. Border crossings always make me nervous for some odd reason, but that was the only thing that ruffled my feathers at all.

  10. Hi! Wonderful blog. Flights to mostar or any part of Bosnia current so pricey from london so looking to drive from Croatia. How was the weather like during your visit?

    • It was surprisingly sunny and gorgeous on our trip! I couldn’t believe our luck – a light jacket was all we needed.

  11. Hi Melanie.Thank you for great information. We are going to Mostar from SpIit this October. I wonder about paying at gas station in BiH. Did you pay in Euro cash or did you have to exchange euro to BEM ( their local money)?If so, where do you recommend for exchange ? Thanks.

    • Hi Chamaree,

      We didn’t get gas in Bosnia since we just did a day trip. If I had to guess, I’d think you would need to pay with Euros, though. But they also probably take credit cards.

      Cheers,
      Melanie

    • Hi Juliet,

      We did not pay a border crossing fee with our rental car company, Oryx. We specifically chose that company because at that time they did not charge a fee. (I don’t know if they charge one now or not – it’s been a few years.)

      Cheers!
      Melanie

    • Hi Katie!

      Gosh, great question. We didn’t have kids yet when we traveled to Europe, so I didn’t even notice things like changing tables. I will say that having a stroller in Mostar would be a nightmare because of the cobblestone streets. So if you travel there with your 8mo old, bring a carrier to schlep them around in. I would travel there with my daughter – we felt very safe while we were there. If you’re renting a car, I recommend calling to ask about car seats, or just bringing your own.

      I should also note we didn’t stay overnight in Mostar, so we weren’t there after dark. But I’d happily go there nowadays during the daytime with my 3 year old.

      Cheers!
      Melanie

  12. Hi, Melanie. Great informative blog here. Just want to ask if the Mostar city centre is accessible by foot when checking scenes around or do you have to take some kind of transpo to see the nice locations? Also, what’s the level of English that people speak in Bosnia?

    Planning to visit together with Croatian cities on Sept this year. Needed to make more commitment to my own travel blog where I want to complete visiting 30 countries before I turn 30 — http://www.WhereToVisitNext.com

    • Hi Allen,

      We walked throughout all of the places in Mostar we wanted to see, and I don’t recall it being tricky. One note for travelers with small children, though – the cobblestone streets would make it very unpleasant to bring a stroller. Also, we do have a higher tolerance for walking than some people – we’ve been known to walk 10+ miles a day while traveling just because we enjoy seeing the cities we visit by foot. However, Mostar has a fairly compact tourist area so it was one of the easiest to view by foot.

      Safe & Happy travels to you!
      Melanie

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