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    From Sarajevo to Mostar

    Bosnia Herzegovina is a Balkan country which was formally part of Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic. Today it is an independent country with a population of 4.5 million. It is a treasure waiting to be discovered with all its natural beauties, history and culture. Due to traces of the Ottoman Empire it has always been pleasant for the visitors.

    Elif Değirmenci (Engineer)
    Elif Değirmenci (Engineer)
    She was born in Ankara in 1988. She received her undergraduate, graduate and doctorate education on Industrial Engineering. Joining THY in 2009, Değirmenci is currently working in the Flight Planning unit. Değirmenci had the opportunity to see more than 40 countries and more than 100 cities. Having made discovering new places and meeting new people a lifestyle, Değirmenci shares what she has seen with everyone in her travel articles published in various magazines. She also teaches Strategic Management, Project Management and Aviation Management at various universities. Değirmenci, mother of 3 children, speaks English and French.

    Bosnia Herzegovina houses three ethnicities: Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs, and thus, there are three languages spoken in the country. Bosnia Herzegovina neighbors Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro; it also has 21 km of coastline on the Adriatic Sea.

    It’s very easy to travel in Bosnia Herzegovina. The area of the country is small, the distances between the cities are short, and compared to other European countries the cost of living is low. In Bosnia Turkish tourists are very valuable, they’re treated with respect and the services given to them are fairly special and in abundance. During the winter season Bosnia offers winter tourism, and during the summer and spring the country’s beautiful nature and its richness culturally and historically appeals to tourists.

    Turkish citizens do not require a visa to enter Bosnia Herzegovina; a valid passport is enough. Turkish Airlines have a flight to the capital city, Sarajevo, every day. The flight from Istanbul to Sarajevo takes 1 hour and 50 minutes, and it’s very easy to go to the city center from the airport, which is only 6 km away. There are trams and cabs at the airport ready to transport you to the city center. The tram is the first tram in Europe, so it’s also a great experience that should be on your ‘to do list’.

    I can guarantee that Turkish visitors won’t have any problems with the local food in Bosnia as Bosnian cuisine is very close to Turkish cuisine; I’m sure that non-Turkish visitors will also have no problems finding delicious food that suits their pallets. The most famous of all the food is Cevapi. (It’s also called Cevapcici.) It’s very similar to our (Turkish) Tekirdag meatballs. It’s served on a metal plate inside of bread which has been oiled. The portions are big and very satisfying. Bosniak Burek (pastry) is also very famous. It is usually filled with potato, spinach or ground meat and is ideal for breakfast. It’s very easy to get your fill for a very fair price in Bosnia Herzegovina. Also the Beg Soup is one of the delicacies you should try. In the evenings you can try a Bosnian Coffee in one of the cafes, its presentation is very nice, and it is served on a copper plate with Turkish delight and a glass of water. Copper handwork is very common in Bosnia.

    In Bosnia Herzegovina you should especially see the capital city Sarajevo. Many of the buildings in Sarajevo still have the traces of bullets and air guns. If you plan carefully, you can easily see all the main tourist attractions in two days.

    Besides being in the heart of Europe, still preserving the remains of Ottoman Empire, makes Sarajevo a very appealing and historical place for visitors.

    There are lots of places to see in Sarajevo, one of which is the Tunnel of Hope. During the civil war of 1992-1995 the tunnel was the only connection between the world and Bosnia Herzegovina, and now 20 meters of it is open to visitors. The Latin Bridge is also a sight not to be missed. The incident that sparkled the First World War, the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia, took place on this bridge. Just beside the bridge there is a museum which charts the history of these events. The War Graveyard, where the first president of Bosnia Herzegovina, Alija Izzetbegoviç, is buried, and the Ottoman heritage sites Bascarjiya, Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque, Sultan Mosque and Bedesten are also places you should absolutely try to see. The Ferhadija Street reflects the modern face of the town.

    One of the cities you should also visit in Bosnia is Mostar. The city, which is listed amongst UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, is full of Ottoman traces that are easily visible. With its historical houses, mosques, mansions and The Mostar Bridge, which was rebuilt afterbeing destroyed, Mostar is an unforgettable city.

    The Mostar Bridge, which is on the emerald green Neretva River, was built during the Ottoman era, by the architect Mimar Hayrettin, the apprentice of Mimar (architect) Sinan, and it is 21 meters high. During the Bosnian War, it was destroyed by Croatian artillery. In place of the demolished bridge, a cable iron bridge was erected by the British. Many years later, the authorities from a few countries, one of which is Türkiye, came together and gathered a fund to rebuild the bridge while remaining royal to the original design. Hungarian army divers recovered stones from the original bridge in the river below but they weren’t used because they were too worn out. The local quarries were reopened to produce Tenelia stone for the bridge. Rebuilt remaining loyal to its original style, the Mostar bridge was re-opened in 2003 and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2005. There are 99 ridges on the bridge, which is said to be representative of the 99 names of Allah.

    In the past, the young men used to jump from the Mostar bridge to show how brave they were to their fiancées. But today it has become a touristic attraction, for 25 Euros you can watch this show. I recommend you wear proper shoes with non-slip soles because it’s very hard to walk on this bridge.

    During the day there are lots of buses from Sarajevo to Mostar and the journey takes around 2.5 hours; with a rental car you can reach Mostar from Sarajevo in a much shorter time.

    Konjic, which is on the route from Sarajevo to Mostar, is also a very pleasant place to see. This cute village, located on both sides of the Neretva River, with its beautiful nature and the Ottoman built Konjic Bridge, is very appealing. If you can get official permission from the authorities, you can also see the atomic banker that Tito commissioned to be built for protection from chemical weapons. Plus the traces of the war between the Nazi army and the partisans of the former Yugoslavian leader Tito can be seen. The railway which was blown up during the war has been preserved and is waiting for visitors.

    One of the places to see in Bosnia is Travnik. It is also known as “the city of vizier” because around 70 of the Ottoman viziers were from Travnik. It’s worth seeing for its coffee and waterfalls.

    Another place to see is Ahmici village and Srebrenica. These are the places where there were a lot of casualties during the war era. If you go especially on the anniversary of the massacre, you can attend the official ceremonies held to commemorate and remember these days and those who lost their lives.

    If you’d like a holiday by the seaside your only option is the Neum region. To get to Neum, you pass the border of Croatia. Because between Neum and Bosnia Herzegovina there is Croatian soil. Prices are lower than Croatia.

    *The date of this blog post may have been updated due to additional content. Please be aware that information on fees and transportation is subject to change. The content of this post reflects the author's opinion and views.

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