Mostar travel guide

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Mostar

Introduction

Mostar is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative centre of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also the historical capital of Herzegovina, the southern region in which it sits.

Before you go

Mostar was once one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country, but today it is divided along ethnic lines, and the city was the most heavily bombed in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia. Air strikes at the start of the war destroyed many important buildings, including the Old Bridge (Stari Most), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city's best-known landmark, an Ottoman-style bridge over the Neretva River in the historic centre. Rebuilding was completed in 2004, almost eleven years after its destruction, using some of the original stones recovered from the river. Keep this recent history in mind as you plan: it shapes how the city is laid out and how its communities live side by side today.

For practical planning, the city's official website, mostar.ba, is available in several languages, including English. As in any busy tourist spot, the bridge and other crowded places attract the occasional pickpocket, so keep an eye on your belongings when you are in tight crowds.

Getting there

Most buses and trains arrive at Mostar's main station on Maršala Tita in the eastern part of the city, near the Carinski bridge and the University of Džemal Bijedić; a second bus station, Mostar-zapad, sits in the northwestern part of town on Vukovarska. From Sarajevo, buses run roughly hourly in both directions and take about two and a half hours. Timetables are published online, though not every connection is listed: frequent services link Mostar with Ploče, Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Podgorica, Jajce, Banja Luka, Belgrade and most cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Note that the stop for the bus from Podgorica continuing to Banja Luka is several kilometres from the centre on an expressway, so you'll need a taxi to reach town.

Trains from Sarajevo run twice daily; the carriages have no air conditioning and are often oversold, so take the bus if you want comfort. In summer, an international train from Ploče in Croatia runs three times a week on weekends. Mostar International Airport lies in the village of Ortiješ, south-southeast of the railway station, with Croatia Airlines flights to Zagreb and seasonal and low-cost connections to Italy, Belgrade, Istanbul and other European destinations; free local buses link the centre with the airport, but only for the Zagreb flights. By car, the easiest approach from Western Europe is through Croatia via the A1 motorway and the Nova Sela–Bijača border crossing, after which the motorway ends near Međugorje and signs lead you along the remaining two-lane road; from Sarajevo it's a two-hour scenic drive through the Neretva river valley. Cyclists can arrive via the Ćiro Trail, a 157-km rail trail from Dubrovnik that follows a decommissioned Austro-Hungarian narrow gauge railway through 19th-century tunnels and bridges.

Getting around

Mostar is compact and built around the Neretva River, with the historic core on the eastern bank and a more modern western side of broader avenues and residential districts. Walking is the most practical way to see the main sights: the old town around Stari Most is dense and walkable, and bridges across the river let you move between the two banks on foot without much difficulty. Wear comfortable shoes, as the old town's lanes are uneven and the terrain slopes.

There is no metro or tram. The train station on Maršala Tita doubles as the main transit terminal for buses and trains; trains to Sarajevo run twice daily, without air conditioning and often oversold, so the bus may suit you better for comfort. A second bus station sits on Vukovarska in the northwest. Buses are the main form of public transport for longer journeys, with frequent services to Sarajevo and connections to Ploče, Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Podgorica, Jajce, Banja Luka, Belgrade and most cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Note that the stop for the Podgorica–Banja Luka bus lies several kilometres from the centre on an expressway, reachable by taxi. Taxis are also useful for outlying stops and the airport area; agree the fare or confirm the meter before setting off. Free local buses link the centre with the airport, but only for the Zagreb flights — otherwise take a taxi. By car, you can reach Mostar from Western Europe via Croatia, and cyclists can arrive on the Ćiro Trail from Dubrovnik.

Where to stay

Most of Mostar's sleeping options cluster within a short walk of the Old Town and the Old Bridge, so you can base yourself centrally and reach the historic core on foot. On the left bank of the Neretva, Hostel Miturno sits close to the fruit market with views toward the Old Bridge, while Hostel Nina is a short stroll from the bridge and offers free pick-up from the bus and train stations. Near the centre, Hostel Majda's Rooms is a friendly, long-established place whose owner will point you toward restaurants, bars, sights and day trips, and which serves a homecooked breakfast with coffee each morning. Hostel Bojo, in the Donja Mahala area on the right bank, has air-conditioned rooms, a shared kitchen and a garden with barbecue facilities. A little further out, Hostel Golden Bridge has a small, family atmosphere, and GuestHouse Taso, a few minutes from the Old Town, arranges tours around Mostar.

For more comfort, the mid-range choices spread across the city. Hotel Bristol, on the right side of the Musala bridge, puts you beside the Musala square and Korzo Street, two of the busiest spots in town. Hotel Bevanda occupies a quiet, green setting at Balinovac with the river Radobolja running beneath it, still only a short walk from the historical centre. Several smaller guesthouses and motels sit right in or near the Old Town, some with balconies looking out over the old town and the bridge, and apartments with terraces above the Neretva are available for those who want a view of the Old Bridge. If you prefer to be close to the bus station, Villa Sann is a short walk from the main east Mostar stop, with the Old Bridge about ten minutes away on foot.

Food & drink

Mostar's eating is built around the grill, and the Old Town around the bridge is where you'll find the densest cluster of budget spots. Look for ćevabdžinica serving ćevapčići, the local grilled minced-meat dish, at places like National Restaurant Ćevabdžinica Tima and Ćevabdžinica kod Bahre near the Musala bridge. Konoba Taurus, Behar and Rota are all packed into the streets of the Old Town, while Moon Star Caffe & Pizzeria and Grill Bruno offer alternatives if you want a break from grilled meat. Near the Karađoz Bey Mosque, Aščinica Saray is a reliable stop for cheap, filling home-style dishes.

For something more comfortable, head to the mid-range places with views of the Stari Most: Kulluk and Labirint both overlook the bridge, and Hindin Han in Jusovina is well regarded, though service can be slow. Nacionalni Restoran M&M serves a decent mixed grill, and Roma near the Mercator shopping centre is known for its pizza. Veranda, in the Biosphere Shopping Centre, is the splurge option. When it comes to drinking, the Old Town is full of bars and cafés. Black Dog Pub, tucked beside the Radobolja river, draws plenty of locals and has a terrace with the occasional live band, while Studio Lounge is an open-air rooftop bar with jazzy and world music and a view over town. Ali Baba's Cave, built into a cavern in the bazaar, serves drinks and hookah, and OKC Abrašević is a bar hosting alternative concerts and art events.

What to see and do

The Old Bridge is the centre of any visit to Mostar: a rebuilt Ottoman span over the Neretva, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the place where you'll most often see members of the Mostar Diving Club leap into the emerald water below. Watch from the shore beneath the bridge, and follow local custom by giving the divers a few marks once they've jumped; don't attempt the dive yourself. Next to the bridge, the Old Bridge Museum covers its history, offers a panoramic view from the top and takes you into the excavations below, with a video on the reconstruction. Elsewhere in the old town, the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque and the Karađoz Bey Mosque are both rebuilt Ottoman mosques where you can climb the minaret for views over the town — the climb at Koski Mehmed Pasha is long and not for those who dislike confined spaces. Near the Karađoz Bey Mosque you'll find a park that became a cemetery during the war, and the Muslibegovića House, a preserved Ottoman-period home with separate courtyards for women and men, where you can take a traditional drink and biscuits or even spend the night. The Museum of Herzegovina holds photographs from across Mostar's history and a video on the Old Bridge, and the Bišćevića House lets you see a few rooms of another Ottoman home.

When to go

Mostar has a humid subtropical climate, and it is the sunniest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Summers are hot and drier, and these are the sunniest months of the year; occasional temperatures climbing very high are not uncommon, so expect real heat if you visit then. Winters are cool and humid, with January the coldest month. Snow is relatively rare and usually melts within hours or days, though freezing nights do occur.

Outside summer and the coldest winter months the weather is wet and mild. Expect rain rather than heat or snow during these stretches, so plan accordingly if you travel in the shoulder seasons.

Three days in Mostar

Day one: Start in Mostar itself, getting your bearings in the Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Old Bridge, Stari Most, is the obvious anchor, and the surrounding Ottoman streets reward a slow wander. The Neretva River runs through the heart of it all, and the rebuilt bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so give yourself time to take it in rather than rushing across. Keep an eye out for English signage and information as you go.

Day two: Use Mostar as your base for the wider Herzegovina region. From Sarajevo you can reach the city easily, and timetables connect it onward toward Ploče, Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Podgorica, Jajce, Banja Luka and Belgrade, so a day trip or a change of scene is straightforward. Note that trains also serve Sarajevo, and Mostar International Airport sits nearby for arrivals by air.

Day three: Spend your last day on the city's everyday streets and institutions. Maršala Tita, Carinski and Vukovarska are useful names to know as you move around, and the University Džemal Bijedi gives a sense of Mostar beyond the bridge. Rebuilding has shaped the modern city, and the Federation and Yugoslavia's legacy are part of its story. If you are heading onward into Croatia, connections are close at hand.

About this place