Mostar's Old Bridge arching over the green Neretva between stone towers
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Bosnia and Herzegovina

From Mostar's Old Bridge over the Neretva, an easy day from Dubrovnik, to Sarajevo, its film festival and its National Museum: Bosnia and Herzegovina, chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

The Old Bridge, MostarPhotograph: Faruk Kaymak

Kultura

Where East meets West

Bosnia and Herzegovina reaches the Adriatic only at Neum, a few kilometres of coast between Croatian shores, but it lies within easy reach of Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian coast.

In Mostar, the Old Bridge, Stari Most, arches over the green Neretva as it has since the Ottomans built it in 1566. Destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt stone by stone, it reopened in 2004, and the bridge and the old town around it are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sarajevo, the capital, where mosques, churches and synagogues stand within a few streets of one another, hosts one of Europe's leading film festivals each summer.

This guide brings together only the first class: the places, the festival and the museum that meet our standard. No hotel or restaurant yet meets it, and we say so plainly.

A few words of Bosnian
EnglishBosnianSay it
HelloZdravoZDRAH-voh
PleaseMolimMOH-leem
Thank youHvalaHVAH-lah
Good eveningDobro večeDOH-broh VEH-cheh
The bill, pleaseRačun, molimRAH-choon, MOH-leem

Where to go

The best places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar: the best time to visit and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Mostar

Best time to visitMay, June and September are best for walking Mostar's Ottoman old town and the Old Bridge over the Neretva, without the 32°C+ (90°F+) heat of July and August.

  • Stay
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Mostar Airport (OMO / LQMO), about 15 minutes by car to the old town. Dubrovnik Airport (DBV / LDDU) in Croatia is the usual alternative, about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours by car including the border crossing.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
Not applicable: Mostar is inland. Yachts berth on the coast at Dubrovnik, about 2 hours 30 minutes by car.
Good to know
Mostar is often visited as a day trip from Dubrovnik; the drive crosses the border, so carry passports.

Experience

Events and things to do in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Bosnian year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina?

May, June and September are best for walking Mostar's Ottoman old town and the Old Bridge over the Neretva, without the 32°C+ (90°F+) heat of July and August.

How do you arrive in Bosnia and Herzegovina by private jet?

Mostar Airport (OMO / LQMO), about 15 minutes by car to the old town.

Do you tip in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Tipping is common but not mandatory. If no service charge is included, around 10% is a good guide in restaurants and for tour guides. Taxi and private drivers do not expect a tip, but rounding up is usual. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in convertible marks (KM); euros are not widely accepted.

What should you wear in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The country is home to Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic communities, and churches and mosques sit side by side. Dress conservatively at all of them, with shoulders and knees covered. Women should bring a scarf to cover their hair in mosques, and everyone removes their shoes before going in. Smart-casual is right for fine dining.

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Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Bosnia and Herzegovina

How Bosnia and Herzegovina does things.

Language
Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian are all official; both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets are used. English is widely spoken in the better hotels and restaurants in Sarajevo and Mostar, and by younger people generally.
Greetings
A firm handshake with eye contact is standard on meeting. Friends and family often greet with cheek kisses. Use surnames with gospodin (Mr) or gospođa (Mrs) until invited to use first names.
Dress
The country is home to Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic communities, and churches and mosques sit side by side. Dress conservatively at all of them, with shoulders and knees covered. Women should bring a scarf to cover their hair in mosques, and everyone removes their shoes before going in. Smart-casual is right for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch is often the main meal of the day, and dinner starts from about 7–8 pm. Booking ahead is wise at the best tables in Sarajevo. Bosnian coffee, served in a copper džezva and drunk slowly, is a social ritual worth taking time over.
Tipping
Tipping is common but not mandatory. If no service charge is included, around 10% is a good guide in restaurants and for tour guides. Taxi and private drivers do not expect a tip, but rounding up is usual. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in convertible marks (KM); euros are not widely accepted.
Good to know
The 1990s war is still within living memory. Let your hosts raise it first if they wish to. Many Bosniaks observe Ramadan, but restaurants in Sarajevo stay open throughout.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

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