Mostar

Why Mostar works

Stari Most, Mostar's Old Bridge, is one of the most recognisable structures in the Balkans: a single elegant limestone arch commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1566, spanning the emerald-green Neretva River between two medieval stone towers. Destroyed by shelling during the Bosnian War in 1993, it was painstakingly rebuilt using the same quarry stone and Ottoman-era construction techniques, reopening in 2004 and earning UNESCO World Heritage status for both the bridge and the historic quarter around it. Local divers, part of a diving club with roots stretching back over four centuries, still leap from the bridge's parapet into the Neretva's cold water below — a serious sport requiring training and a fee from tourists wanting to try, rather than a casual stunt. The old town's cobbled Kujundžiluk street, once the domain of coppersmiths, now runs a lively trade in Bosnian copperware, war-relic souvenirs, and Turkish coffee sets, with restaurant terraces cantilevered directly over the riverbank for views straight up at the bridge's arch. Above the old town, minarets from several Ottoman-era mosques punctuate the skyline against limestone hills, while the scars of the 1990s conflict remain visible in bullet-pocked facades on the town's outer edges, an unavoidable and important part of Mostar's story. A short drive out, the Kravice Waterfalls' wide travertine cascade offers a natural counterpoint to the town's dense history.

Trip Snapshot

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