MOSTAR – Heart of Herzegovina

On this excursion we will take you to Mostar, another exciting destination in neighboring country Bosnia and Herzegovina. The trip departs from your hotel drive to Herceg Novi through Tivat and ferry across the bay.

Ferry across the Bay of Kotor

Up from Herceg Novi in the hinterland will take us across the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Trebinje, where we make a short break.

Trebinje Castel

Continuing our journey we pass by fruitful plains of Popovo Polje, small towns Ljubinje and Stolac by road which leads us to our destination, Mostar.

Mostar view from direction Stolac

Mostar is the town where the north meets the south and the west meets the east, a town where Neretva river divides a cultures and religions over the centuries, where the differences and contrasts can be seen on each corner…

Mostar - Neretva River

Its Old Town was inscribed by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage Sites in 2005. The town was developed on the basis of a small antique settlement, the bridge, its towers and today’s oldest parts of Mostar were build by the Turks during Ottoman empire.

The oldest part of Mostar

A fortified settlement connected with bridge across the Neretva river was first described and documented in the 15th century. Mostar was named after its bridge (word «most» = bridge) and fortified towers Herzegusa and Tara Towers on the left bank, and the Halebija on the right. They are known as «Bridge keepers» (Mostari).

Mostar - Mostari

The Old bridge («Stari Most») was a true miracle of architecture of its time, today the bridge dominates above Neretva river from a height of twenty four meters, it is a four meters wide and thirty meters long.

The Old bridge - Mostar

It was built during the Ottoman period by the Turkish architect Hajrudin and commissioned by the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. It was completed in 1566 after nine years’ work and it remained so for 427 years – until 1993, when the Old Bridge was collapsed due tank shelling during the Bosnian War.

Old Mostar

There are still poignant reminders of the legacy of that war in the street art and damaged buildings to be found around the city, but you will also be impressed by the wonderful spirit of local people and its dramatic beauty.

dont-forget-mostar

The reconstruction of the Bridge lasted almost ten years and it was truly a notable enterprise for it was decided to use the same antique building techniques, dating back to the 16th century, as well as its original method of assembling the parts and with the stones cut in an approximate manner in order to recreate the imperfections and the uniqueness of the prior structure.

Reconstruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar

The arch of the bridge was made of local stone known as «Tenelija». The Tenelija stone, with its crystal clear and ever-changing tonalities according to the intensity of the sunrays, was extracted from the same quarry as the first time and some of the surviving pieces from the old bridge were used again in its reconstruction.

Crossing over Old bridge Mostar

After the guided tour of the town you will have some free time for strolling around, to enjoy and experience sights of this town of poetry.

Mostar Old Town - Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Mostar you will also admire architecture of Islamic mosques, Catholic and Orthodox churches and Jewish synagogue. While walking through the city centre you will see Turkish houses, bazaar, the Old Ottomans Hammam (Bath) and experience the atmosphere of the past enchanted in stone walls, cobbled streets and old buildings.

Cobbled streets of Mostar

Price: from 50,00 € per person

Price includes: Bus transport, guide, tourist taxes.

Please make sure that for this excursion you have passport or ID card!

Map of excursion Mostar

Map of excursion Mostar