After a few relaxing days by the sea, we traded the coast for the mountains and set off for our next destination: Mostar.

Our day started early with a five hour bus ride from Split to Mostar. We arrived in the early afternoon and were dropped off at the bus station. Tommaso insisted we walk to our hotel despite my suggestion to call a taxi. He soon regretted it as he dragged our suitcases through the crowded cobblestoned streets of the Old Town in the heat. I couldn’t help but laugh since it was his idea after all…

Once we finally arrived, we checked into Hotel-Restaurant Kriva Ćuprija which was a beautifully restored heritage hotel located in the Old Town. Built around the small Ottoman era bridge of the same name, the hotel blends history with comfort. The hospitality at this hotel was truly unmatched as every employee we encountered was so friendly and helpful. There was also complimentary breakfast every morning which Tommaso took full advantage of.

Since it was a slightly long travel day, we relaxed in the room for a bit before exploring and going to dinner. Tommaso fell asleep instantly whereas I can never nap on vacations unfortunately…how irritating.

Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, first caught my eye during the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition where athletes leap from the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge). You can enjoy some footage below from their last event which was held in 2023. Their next event in Mostar will be September 2025!

The bridge was originally built in 1566 but it carries a heavier story. In 1993, during the Bosnian War (something that I will touch on later in this blog post), the bridge was destroyed and collapsed into the river. It was reconstructed in 2004 using original Ottoman techniques and local stone where it now has become a symbol of healing and resilience.

That evening we explored the heart of the city. The Old Bazaar with cobblestone alleys and shopfronts had everything imaginable from clothes, copper coffee sets, woven carpets, jewelry, and ceramics.

After wandering around we had one of our favorite dinners of our trip at Ćevabdžinica Tima-Irma, a very cozy and casual grill house. They don’t take reservations but we lucked out and got a table right away.

Their menu is very straight forward and we got the mixed meat platter for two people that comes with vegetables and bread.

The platter was so delicious and came with ćevapi, grilled chicken, beef patties, sausages, grilled vegetables, kajmak (cheese spread), ajvar (red pepper condiment), and fluffy warm bread. Highly recommend if you ever visit!

After a very satisfying dinner, we walked around the Old Town a little more and stumbled upon the Karađoz Bey Mosque, a 16th century Ottoman mosque which is one of the largest mosques in the region.

No night during vacation would be complete without a sweet treat and Ottoman Premium Delight is a fabulous store with a huge array of different baklavas and other sweet goodies.

We shared a few different baklavas: walnut, pistachio, hazelnut, and hazelnut Nutella. Pistachio always wins for me while Tommaso can never resist Nutella.

The following morning started off with the complimentary breakfast at the hotel. They had a large selection of savory and sweet food and of course we sampled a little bit of everything.

After a delightful breakfast we took a taxi to Blagaj Tekija, a serene 16th century Dervish monastery nestled into the cliffside along the Buna River. It truly felt like a hidden sanctuary with the stunning turquoise emerald water emerging from the limestone. We even met the cutest Samoyed!

After a few hours enjoying the tranquility of Blagaj Tekija, we made our way back to Mostar. We walked around and saw Kriva Ćuprija, the smaller Ottoman bridge that inspired the design of Stari Most, and admired the main bridge again from different angles.

We also got a quick snack at a local bakery where we got a meat burek which was warm and crispy stuffed with minced meat.

No visit to Mostar is complete without acknowledging its more difficult past. We visited the Museum of War and Genocide Victims which documents the conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995. For context, Yugoslavia was a country that existed from 1918 to 1992 that consisted of six republics (often confused with seven due to Serbia having two autonomous provinces): Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia (now called North Macedonia), Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

During their war of independence, atrocities including genocide, concentration camps, and crimes against civilians scarred the region. Walking through its exhibits, the personal items and survivor testimonies brought history to life and demanded reflection on how far this country has come. It’s staggering to think that all of this unfolded within our lifetimes and that the six republics gained independence relatively recently.

Later that afternoon, we climbed the Peace Bell Tower which offers sweeping views of Mostar’s hills, minarets, and red-tiled rooftops.

Our final evening was at Restoran Lagero, another restaurant serving traditional Bosnian cuisine where the view of the Stari Most is unmatched.

We got another mixed meat platter like the night before and it hit the spot once again. I needed to get another round of delicious baklava so after dinner we walked to get the first round of sweet treats (yes, there is a second stop).

We walked outside the tourist area after our baklava snack and it was bustling with locals. All the restaurants and parks were filled with people and it was a great lively atmosphere. We trekked all this way to go to a pastry shop, Palma- Sweets & Kebab, that’s open late to try some traditional desserts.

I had been wanting to try tufahija, a traditional dessert of whole poached apples stuffed with a walnut filling topped with whipped cream. The apple was nicely poached, not hard but not mushy either, and the walnut filling added a necessary textural component. The other dessert we tried was boem, a chocolate, walnut, and custard layer cake that was good but I wish we had tried something more unique.

Mostar turned out to be one of our favorite destinations of the trip. Between its rich history, welcoming people, and comforting food, it’s a place that lingers in both memory and heart. I’d return in a heartbeat to explore even more of Bosnia and Herzegovina.