This excursion gives you the opportunity to visit Trebinje one of the most beautiful cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina – picturesque town in shade of plane tree, city of wine, poets, sunshine and monasteries.
Excursion departs from your hotel by driving to Herceg Novi through Tivat and ferry across the bay.
A short drive inland from Herceg Novi will take you across the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the town of Trebinje.
Located less then 40 km from Herceg Novi, it is a world of its own, completely different than the coastal area of Montenegro. Limestone hills, small fertile pockets of land following the river flows, flocks of sheep and goats grazing and endless fields of vineyards will capture your imagination instantaneously.
Trebinje is situated in the very south of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), on the crossroads between the towns under the protection of UNESCO (Kotor, Mostar and Dubrovnik), and only 25 kilometers away from the Adriatic coast.
It is situated in the valley of the Trebisnjica River, at the borders of three countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia.
The city area is very rich in natural resources (mild climate, water, sun, wind, medicinal herbs, etc.) which have not been fully exploited yet.
Fertile soil of this part of the country has contributed a lot to Trebinje’s good reputation. Widely recognised wines, honey, tobacco, aromatic and medicinal herbs are something you must try and take home with you.
Trebinje is very proud of its wine cellars with long standing experience in producing diferent sorts of wine,or tobacco used in the presidential premises all over the world, and healing properties of more than 2000 medicinal herbs.
Economy of the City of Trebinje mainly relies on the electricity and partly on manufacturing sector. Hydropotential represents the fondation of Trebinjeˈs economy, i.e. Trebinje is an important producer of electricity for the entire Republic of Srpska due to the system of «Hydro Power Plant on the Trebisnjica River» which was built in the late 1960s and into which has been invested ever since.
For start we will drive up to the top of the hill above Trebinje for great panoramic views and visit Orthodox monastery Herzegovinian Gracanica which standing at the top of the Crkvina hill.
The Hercegovinian Gracanica is endowment of Branko Tupanjac, founder and executor of last will of Jovan Ducic, a famous poet who was born in Trebinje.
Jovan Ducic (1871-1943) died in the USA and in his last will, the poet expressed a wish to be buried in Trebinje on the top of the one of nearby hills wherefrom the whole city is seen. His remains were transferred from the USA to Trebinje in 2000, when the monastery was built on the model of the Gracanica monastery in Kosovo and Metohija.
Within the complex there are: a beautiful church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, a bell tower, bishop’s palace, fountain, amphitheatre, church library, summer garden and a restaurant with a breathtaking panorama of Trebinje.
We will continue our tour visiting City’s centre. Here we will make free time for individual exploration of the city.
Rich cultural and historical heritage, climate and favourable geographical position significantly influenced tourism to become a strategic point in the development of Trebinje.
Trebinje has always been a cultural centre in what is today known as Eastern Herzegovina. Rich cultural heritage, numerous cultural and historical monuments, widespread cultural tradition and modern cultural tendencies are connected in the unique ambient of Trebinje, in an increasingly known Jovan Ducic’s legacy: «Trebinje – the city of culture».
Special attention of numerous tourists, besides the City’s centre built in the Mediterranean building style, is drawn to a specific botanical and catering complex, formed out of 160 years old plane trees. It is a summer patio, unique in the whole area of the former Yugoslavia.
In the very centre of the town, in Ducic’s Street, there is a well known sidewalk cafe «Platani».
A unique picturesque green market is located near the sidewalk cafe, on the main town square, offering indigenous agricultural and other products of this region.
There is also a military fortress built in the early 18th century on the bank of the river Trebisnjica, today’s Old Town or «Castel», with its narrow lanes, arches, gates and antique stone buildings, Osman Pasha’s Mosque, the Museum of Herzegovina, numerous cafės and boutiques.
Formerly it was a trade and crafts center and this old atmosphere can be felt during the walk through narrow paved streets, tunnels, squares…
It is surrounded by walls sparks visitors’ curiosity by reviving the spirit of past times.
The Cathedral Church of St Transfiguration of our Lord is located in the city park, in the very heart of the City there is a Catholic Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary built in the early 20th century and in Old town (Kastel) Osman Pasha’s Mosque (from the beginning of the 18th century).
Тrebinje is divided into two parts by the Trebisnjica River, the longest sinking river in Europe. It is a river of unusual beauty and purity.
The City river banks are connected by three bridges – two stone bridges and a concrete one.
The oldest bridge is Arslanagic bridge – a piece of unusual architectural skill and beauty. Arslanagic bridge is built in the second half of the 16th century, during Ottoman Empire rule in 1574 by Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic. It was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the past, there were many wooden waterwheels called «dolap» along Trebisnjica river. They were used for irrigation of cultivable land. Their replicas have been set recently so visitors can enjoy the spirit of the past times.
The Tvrdos Monastery which is located 5 km from Trebinje on the road to Mostar, is dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin.
It was built by the Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena on the foundations of the old church in the 4th century. Tvrdos was destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout its centuries-long history and today produces the highest quality wines.
Wine making tradition in Tvrdos goes back to the 15th century. Indeed, throughout the times monastery had to rely on wine sales to local population but over last decade Tvrdos wines made its way abroad.
About 15 years ago, the monastery’s monks started a new tradition of taking care of the grapevine fields Trebinje’s and Popovo. The world’s award-winning wines «Zilavka» and «Merlot» Izba come right out of their basements.
Price: from 40,00 € per person
Price includes: Bus transport, guide, wine tasting in the monastery, tourist taxes.
Please make sure that for this excursion you have passport or ID card!
Map of excursion Trebinje