Bosnia & Hercegovina
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© Lonely Planet Publications 71 Bosnia & Hercegovina Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH) describes itself as the ‘heart-shaped land’. Geographically the allusion is surprisingly anatomically accurate. Emotionally too, the deep yet unimposing BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA human warmth of this craggily beautiful land fits the bill. And despite some lingering scars, the heartbreaking societal haemorrhaging of the 1990s has been completely stemmed (if not forgotten). The BiH of today has regained its once-famed religious tolerance. Rebuilt churches, mosques and synagogues huddle closely, rekindling that intriguing East-meets-West at- mosphere born of Bosnia’s fascinatingly blended Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian histories. Socialist urban planning and war damage still combine to give certain post-industrial city- scapes all the charm of a Molvanian nightmare. But such scenes are surprisingly rare blots on a beautiful, largely rural landscape. Meanwhile the reincarnated Austro-Ottoman centres of Sarajevo and especially Mostar are unexpected delights. And the majority of Bosnian towns are lovably small, wrapped around medieval castles and surrounded by mountain ridges, verdant hills or merrily cascading river canyons. Few places in Europe offer better rafting or such accessible and excellent-value skiing. Fashionable bars and wi-fi-equipped cafes abound but employment concerns remain as the fledgling state finally comes to terms with postcommunist realities that were masked for years by more pressing war worries. Roads remain slow and winding but they’re extremely scenic, mostly well surfaced and relatively quiet, making for delightful random adventures, especially if you’re driving. Indeed, however you travel, BiH offers a great sense of discovery, of real personal interaction and of very fair value for money that’s all too rare in the heart of 21st-century Europe. FAST FACTS Area 51,129 sq km Capital Sarajevo Currency convertible mark (KM, BAM); €1 = 1.96KM; US$1= 1.43KM; UK£1 = 2.08KM; A$1 = 0.99KM; ¥100 = 1.50KM; NZ$1 = 0.80KM Famous for 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, the bridge at Mostar Official languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Phrases zdravo (hello); hvala (thanks); molim (please) Population 4 million (estimate) Telephone codes country code %387; international access code %00 Visas not required for most visitors, see p110 72 BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA •• Highlights lonelyplanet.com 0 80 km BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA 0 40 miles Novska Nova Dakovo Vukovar Hrvatska Lon Gradiška Vinkovci Kostajnica ja CROATIA Baøka Vel Kladuša Ka Slavonski Palanka Bosanska nal Brod Strizivojna- Kostajnica Davor Vrpolje Novi Grad Bosanska Kozara Otok Šid Dubica Bosanska S Erdevik (Bosanski Novi) National r av Æupanja e R a Švarmac Sremska Park Gradiška v i Otoka i v Prijedor er Mitrovica Bosanska Kozarac R Orašje Batrovci OstraÅac s Derventa Modriøa Cazin Lamovita a isa b M17 ol r Bosnanska Klokot E661 r T ve Bosanska River V Ri Brøko Gunja Raøa Kostela Omarska Slavi™ka Gradaøac Krupa Eko-Centar Biha™ er Sana Bronzani Banja Luka Srebrenik iv Sokolac Orlijani Srebrenik R Sanski Most Majdan Doboj Castle Bijeljina Golubi™ vac Sabac Gomionica S o E761 Tomina Karanovac pr k Monastery e u Plitvice Kotor c Bosanski Krupa Tešanj a L Lakes Štrcaøki Kulen- Petrovac Varoš National Buk Vakuf Maglaj Tuzla Kljuø Trbusnica Loznica Park U n Tito's a E761 Mrkonjic- Cave Grad River Zelenkovac Guøa River SERBIA Eco-village Jezero Gora a Æepøe n Banovi™i Zvornik Gracac Podmiladøje s Drvar Podrašnica o M17 Pliva Jajce Vlašiø B Bara™i Lakes Vranduk Pogar Bosansko Švipovo Kladanj Grahovo Travnik Zenica Kraljeva Ljubovija BOSNIA & Donji Novi Sutjeska Vareš Vlasenica Vakuf Travnik E661 Bratunac HERCEGOVINA Olovo Prusac Bugojno Lisac Kakanj Bobovac Bijambarsk Srebrenica Knin Glamoø Ste™ci Caves Rostovo Kupres M17 R D i r Visoko v Fojnica e in Mokra Sarajevo r a Šuica IlidÅa Dobrun Gora BOSNIA & HERCEGOVINA Livno Pale Rogatica Vodice Višegrad Kotroman CROATIA Letka Jahorina Šibenik E73 Bjelašnica (1913m) M19.3 Sinj (2067m) Tomislav Jablanica Umoljani Ustipraøa N GoraÅde Šabi™i Ruda Primošten Grad e Konjic r Lukomir e Priboj t M18 Co v Glavatiøevo Foøa Solin ti a Omiš na Posušje Split Imotski River Mt Široki VeleÅ Šolka Supetar Brela Brijeg Tjentište Tara Gorica- Riv Pljevlja Braø Vinjani Smajki™i Š™epan er Makarska Mostar Bol Donji (PodveleÅ) Sutjeska Š™epan Tara Øitluk Blagaj National Polje Canyon Nevesinje Park Stari Grad Ljubuški Me‹ugorje Mt Magliø Æabljak Daorson Hvar Hvar Kravice Waterfalls Poøitelj (2387m) Ður‹evica Archaeological Gacko Tara Øapljina Park Durmitor Bobotov Vis Ploøe Stolac National Kuk M20 (2523m) Orebi™ Metkovi™ Hutovo Blato Radimlja Park Vela Luka Wetlands Necropolis Mojkovac Korøula Ljubinje Korøula Neum Ravno Kotezi Bile™a MONTENEGRO CROATIA M6 Zavala Tvrdoš Nikši™ Tr Mljet NP eb Monastery išn Sobra ji ca Trebinje Dubrovnik ADRIATIC SEA Ivanica Cavtat Sitnica Herceg Kotor Podgorica Novi Cetinje ALBANIA HIGHLIGHTS lages behind the ski resort of Bjelašnica Nose about Mostar’s delightful Old Town ( p91 ). seeking ever-new angles from which to Potter around the timeless Turkish- and photograph young men throwing them- Austrian-era pedestrian lanes of Sarajevo selves off the magnificently rebuilt Stari ( p78 ), sample its fashionable cafes and Most (Old Bridge; p94 ). eclectic nightlife or gaze down on the Explore waterfall-fronted Jajce ( p103 ), mosque-dotted, red-roofed cityscape one of BiH’s most appealing fortress from the Park Prinčeva restaurant. towns, which hides some compelling historical curiosities and makes an ideal ITINERARIES base for visiting the stunning mountain Six days Arriving from Dubrovnik (coastal lakes nearby. Croatia), roam Mostar’s Old Town and Raft dramatic canyons down one of the join a day-tour visiting Počitelj, Blagaj county’s fast-flowing rivers – whether and Kravice Waterfalls. After two days in from Foča ( p101 ), Bihać ( p106 ) or Banja Sarajevo head for Jajce then bus down to Luka ( p105 ) – or even start with a quad- Split (Croatia). Or visit Višegrad en route bike ‘safari’ through the wild upland vil- to Mokra Gora and Belgrade (Serbia)..