DESTINATION: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES GENERAL DESCRIPTION Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina - Боснa и Херцеговина): is a country in Southeastern Europe located on the Balkan Peninsula. Capital – Sarajevo Population - 3,871,643[ • Sarajevo - 438,443 inhabitants Time • GET (UTC +1) Currency • Convertible mark (BAM) Geography • Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very hilly coutnry with the Dinaric Alps Dominating The landscape. • The highest point, Mt Maglic, rises to 7,831 ft. (2,387m) • Thick forests cover almost 50% of the land, while in the north, along the Sava River valley, a hilly, fertile plain stretches east to west. • The country has limited access to the Adriatic Sea through a small strip of land (about 12 miles) in the far-southwest. • Significant rivers include the Neretua, Sava, Vrbas, and the Bosna - the source of the country's name. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES TRANSPORT Sarajevo International Airporrt Sarajevo's modern but very compact international airport is approximately 12kms from the city centre. Banja Luka International Airport is located 23kms from the city. Rail services now connect Sarajevo, Mostar, Doboj and Banja Luka. The bus network is more extensive and buses run more frequently than trains. Taxis in Sarajevo and the major towns are well-regulated, metered and generally safe to use. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES HOTELS Sarajevo • Hotel Mepas • Kaldera Boutique Hotel • Hotel Europe Sarajevo • Radon Plaza Hotel • Hotel Blanca Resort & Spa Medjugorje • Herceg Etno selo Medjugorje • Medjugorje Hotel & Spa • Hotel Grande Casa • Hotel Quercus Mostar • Eden Villa • City Hotel LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES RESTAURANTS Bosnian cuisine uses many spices, in moderate quantity. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural. Typical ingredients include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, dried beans, fresh beans, plums, milk, paprika and cream called Pavlaka.. Typical meat dishes include primarily beef and lamb. Some local specialties are ćevapi, burek, dolma, sarma, pilav, goulash, ajvar and a whole range of Eastern sweets. Local wines come from Herzegovina where the climate is suitable for growing grapes. Herzegovinian loza (similar to Italian Grappa but less sweet) is very popular. Plum (rakija) or apple (jabukovača) alcohol beverages are produced in the north. In the south, distilleries used to produce vast quantities of brandy. You can can easily found other european restaurants. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES TOURS Sarajevo • National and Historical Museums • Baščaršija is Sarajevo's old bazaar • A Bedestan is a covered market usually for craftsmanship which was built in Ottoman Empire • Sarajevo City Hall, most known as Vijećnica is located in the city of Sarajevo. It was designed in 1891 by Karel Pařík and It was initially the largest and most representative building of the Austro- Hungarian period • Sebilj is a pseudo-Ottoman-style wooden fountain • Yellow Fortress, the small fortress provides a great view of the city • Views from Surrounding Hills: Sarajevo's surrounding hills offer fantastic views over the city LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES TOURS Mostar Mostar is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most visited sites. It is the city of Stari Most is situated. Destroyed in the early 90’s and rebuilt afterward, it hovers above the Neretva River, which is also where you might see divers jumping from the bridge. Surrounded by mountains in the distance, Mostar is both naturally and architecturally magnificent. Medjugorje Since 1981, it has become a popular site of Catholic pilgrimage due to reports of alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary to six local children. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES OTHER ACTIVITIES • Rafting - Rafting on the Neretva river, the Una river and the Tara with the Drina river, with some shorter courses on the Krivaja river, the Vrbas river and the Sana river. • Kayaking and canoeing • Canyoning • Winter sports - Bosnia and Herzegovina was the 1984 host for the Winter Olympics, and it still takes pride of its winter sports potential • Hiking • Fly-fishing • Trekking • Bycicling LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES ENTERTAINMENT Baščaršija Nights is the biggest culture festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Taking place throughout July every year, the festival exhibits various aspects of the nation's culture. This includes performances of classical music, rock and roll, folk music, theatre, various exhibits, folklore, books, film, children programming, opera, ballet, and much more. Demofest is an annual music festival held at the Kastel Fortress in Banja Luka. It was conceived in 2008 with the aim to provide young unsigned bands with an opportunity to develop. Today, it is the biggest festival of unsigned bands in Southeastern Europe. The Sarajevo Film Festival is the largest film festival in Southeast Europe, and is one of the largest in Europe. It was founded in Sarajevo in 1995. It is held in August and showcases an extensive variety of feature and short films from around the world. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES SPECIAL PROGRAMM The Sarajevo Tunnel (Bosnian: Tunel spasa) was an underground tunnel constructed between March and June of 1993 during the Siege of Sarajevo in the midst of the Bosnian War. It was built by the Bosnian Army in order to link the city of Sarajevo, which was entirely cut off by Serbian forces, with Bosnian-held territory on the other side of the Sarajevo Airport, an area controlled by the United Nations. The tunnel linked the Sarajevo neighbourhoods of Dobrinja and Butmir, allowing food, war supplies, and humanitarian aid to come into the city, and allowing people to get out. The tunnel became a major way of bypassing the international arms embargo and providing the city defenders with weaponry. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES .