27 Wonderful Things To Do In Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

The beautiful city of Mostar is one of my favourites in the Balkans thanks to its traditional markets, sublime scenery and tasty food. You won’t find endless things to do in Mostar but that’s part of its charm. Pull up a chair, pour a Bosnian coffee and watch the world go by!

Although these days Mostar seems peaceful and idyllic, you only need a brief summary of the history to know it was home to one of Europe’s most recent wars and the most recent genocide. As well as strolling over the Old Bridge, shopping for souvenirs and soaking up the sunshine, I urge you to learn about the heartwrenching history of Bosnia & Herzegovina to better understand this fascinating country.

MOSTAR ESSENTIALS

Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld

Getting there: flight / car / bus

Mostar activities: GetYourGuide / Viator

Read next: Balkans trip itinerary

How to get to Mostar

By air: The most common way is to fly into Sarajevo (I use Skyscanner to get the best prices) and get a bus to Mostar. Buses take 2.5 hours and cost around €12, best booked at the station.

Overland: it’s easy to arrive by bus if you’re coming from Split, Croatia or Kotor, Montenegro. From Split, book with Flixbus and from Kotor, book on GetbyBus. Both journeys cost around €20 and take 4.5 hours.

Tip – have some local currency left over when leaving any country in the Balkans because fees for luggage and to use the bus station are common!

By day trip: although it wouldn’t be my chosen method now, around 6 years ago I took a Mostar day trip from Dubrovnik that also included Počitelj and Kravice Falls. It was fast-paced taking in a lot during one day. The obvious downside is that you have limited time to explore all the Mostar attractions. But if it suits your travel style, browse Mostar from Dubrovnik day tours with Viator.

What to do in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

From beautiful photo spots to museums and walking tours, here are the top activities in Mostar that you won’t want to miss…

When you Google ‘Mostar’ or browse any stand of postcards and fridge magnets in the market, you’ll be greeted with endless images of the Old Bridge, a must for sightseeing in Mostar. Although it dates back centuries, it was a wooden bridge until 1557 when the sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (what a thing to call yourself!) ordered it to be replaced with a stone bridge.

Our walking tour guide explained the original bridge had been built with ‘glue’ comprising egg yolk and goat’s hair. Although this doesn’t sound very sturdy, it stayed up for 427 years. Impressive!

Stari Most AKA the Old Bridge of Mostar isn’t just a pretty picture: it’s intrinsically tied to the history of the city when you consider it’s called ‘Mostar’ after the keepers of the bridge. It was entirely destroyed during the Balkan War in the 1990s and replaced in 2004, funded by the World Bank, UNESCO and others.

Watch bridge jumpers

Watching professional jumpers launch themselves off the Old Bridge is one of the most entertaining things to do in Mostar. However, they won’t jump until they have recieved €25 in donations so you may be waiting a while.

If you can time your trip around September, you may be lucky to catch the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series! It was held here from 2017-19 and again in 2022 but we’re still waiting to hear if it will return in 2023.

Just to be clear, it’s watching the professional jumpers that I’m recommending NOT jumping yourself! Our walking tour guide told us all kinds of horrific and gory stories about tourists who’ve tried, overly confident after too many drinks. Let’s just say, they won’t be trying again, partly because they can’t. Just don’t go there!

Although the Old Bridge is the most popular tourist attraction in Mostar, there are several other bridges where you can soak up views and learn about the history. One is Kriva Cuprija (Crooked Bridge) crossing Rabobolja creek.

This cobbled bridge beside a cobbled street is an idyllic part of the city. It was also destroyed and rebuilt, not due to war but floods in 2000.

Snap photos from Lučki Most

Although it’s a short walk from town, it’s worth visiting Lučki Most (a third Mostar bridge) for the views. This bridge isn’t so impressive itself but due to its location further along the Neretva river from the Old Town, you’ll get prime photo opportunities while crossing it.

This is a must! Almost everything I know about Mostar was gleaned during this fascinating walking tour. I take these in every new city I go but rarely are they led by guides who can actually tell you about war on their doorstep from their own memories.

The Balkan Wars were so recent that someone in their late 30s will have childhood memories, and someone in their late 40s will have survived it as a young adult. This is why travelling to Bosnia & Herzegovina and speaking to the locals is so important. Obviously, it’s a sensitive topic that you won’t broch with a stranger on the street, so the Mostar Free Walking Tour is an ideal way to learn.

Times: the tours run at 9.30am and 6pm from June-August. Afternoon tours are earlier in shoulder season (5pm in April, May & Sept, 4pm in Oct), then from Nov-March, there’s just one daily tour at 11am.

Related activity: for specific areas of interest, take a breakdown of Yugoslavia tour or a Mostar life under siege tour

Koski Mehmed Pasha is the most beautiful mosque in town and a must-visit place in Mostar, welcoming Muslim and non-Muslim travellers. The interior features spectacular rugs, stained glass and artwork.

Entry to the mosque and the minaret climb costs 14KM (€7), a little expensive but worth it.

For a fantastic photo opp of the Old Bridge, one of the top things to do in Mostar is climb the minaret tower at Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque. It’s included in the entry price and offers spectacular, elevated views of the Old Town, Neretva river and surrounding scenery.

It’s a tight squeeze up the circular staircase so hopefully no one is coming down at the same time you are going up! At the top, it’s also a tight squeeze and only a few people can fit at once.

Other mosques in Mostar

Karađoz Beg Mosque is another beautiful mosque in Mostar where tourists are permitted to enter and climb the minaret. The friendly imam will show you around the mosque built in 1567 and tell you about its history. For an authentic spot that feels less touristic than Koski Mehmed Pasha, it’s a real gem.

In the heart of Stari Grad (the Old Town) lies one of the oldest places in Mostar full of history, food fabrics, jewellery and souvenirs. Once a point of connection between Turks and Bosnians doing business, it’s now a tourist hotspot but a lovely one.

The Old Bazar (Kujundziluk in the local tongue) is located in the cobbled streets on the left bank of the river. It’s a car-free zone that hasn’t changed much since its Ottoman Empire days.

Be prepared to haggle and you’ll get great deals. I bought beautiful earrings for €5 that I’m still wearing months later and a tote bag showing Mostar bridge that doubles up as a laundry bag while backpacking.

As well as browsing for souvenirs, a trip to the Old Bazar is a chance to learn about traditional Bosnian crafts dating back centuries and passed through generations. More than 500 workshops used to operate here in Ottoman times but, due to the rise of mass production, the number is far fewer today.

During the free walking tour, we were lucky to witness a demonstration at Mostar Art Gallery and see how copper is hammered with detailed designs showing images from the region’s past. We met a young guy who had learnt the trade from his dad and would be continuing the family business.

For an educational and arty thing to do in Mostar, pop in to see skilled craftspeople at work and maybe even buy something to support them.

If there’s one thing I love to find when travelling, it’s street art! From Porto to Zagreb, I’ve seen some fantastic street art in Europe lately.

The murals in Mostar brighten up old buildings, particularly those damaged by war. The Sniper Tower is one place to see street art and I also liked the bird mural (top left) on Drage Palavstre near the War & Genocide Museum. Birds seem to be a theme in the art in Mostar.

For the tallest viewpoint around, the 75m Peace Bell Tower is one of the best places to visit in Mostar. In case you’re wondering, you don’t have to climb to the top! Once you pay your €3 entry fee, you’ll jump in a lift almost to the top then climb the final few stairs.

Rather than an open top, you’re looking through glass windows that are slightly dirty in places. It wasn’t the most impressive attraction in Mostar for me, but it does give a good sense of scale. It’s also interesting to see the WHOLE city including Yugoslavia-era blocks as well as just the polished UNESCO centre.

Beside the Peace Bell Tower is a modern Franciscan church that replaces an older one destroyed by war.

For a quirky thing to do in Mostar, find the Bruce Lee statue Have questions? So did I.

The statue has a curious history, dating back to days of communist Yugoslavia when locals, whether they were Bosniak, Croat or Serbian, developed an obsession with kung fu movies accessed via pirated VHS.

Although Mostar is now divided into Bosniak and Croat sections on either side of the river (with Serbs largely leaving during the war), they’re united by their love of Bruce Lee. The Mostar Urban Movement youth group erected the statue in 2005 as an attempt at unity but sadly, it was vandalised quickly.

Watching a child swing off his arm, I wondered if ethnic tensions will ever end in ex-Yugoslavian countries. Surely if one generation stopped passing negativity down to their children, unity could be achieved within decades… Although I guess media, governements and world events also play a huge part. Sigh.

See the Sniper Tower

For a riveting piece of history with a tragic story, pass by the Sniper Tower close to the Bruce Lee statue. Now an abandoned structure covered in urban art, it was once a Yoguslav Bank that was taken over by Serb and Croatian forces during the war.

Bosniak people risked their lives passing this tower so it’s an important part of the history, perhaps explaining why it’s never been taken down or replaced.

Cultural things to do in Mostar

For museums and history, check out…

The Old Bridge Museum

Unsurprisingly located beside the Old Bridge, this small but informative museum explains the history of the Old Bridge. As I briefly explained above, the bridge is integral to Mostar’s history and has withstood (well, apart from the multiple times it was destroyed) invasion, war and bombings.

Not only that but it represents the multiculturalism of the region, as the two remaining ethnic majorities are still geographically divided today on either side of the bridge. Basically, a visit to the Old Bridge Museum will help you better understand Mostar.

Located on the west side of the river near the Old Bazar, this is a fairly interesting museum (although far from amazing) covering the history of Bosnia & Herzegovina. At the Bosnaseum, you’ll learn about different eras and ethnic groups – Croatian Catholics, Orthodox Serbians and Bosniak Muslims – via exhibits displaying clothing, food and handicrafts.

There are also exhibits about the war and destruction of the Old Bridge. Entry is 10 BAM (€5).

Museum Of War And Genocide Victims

Without competition, the most powerful and captivating museum in Mostar is the Museum Of War And Genocide Victims documenting what happened to Muslim Bosniaks in the 1990s following independence from Yugoslavia.

It’s easily one of the most upsetting and traumatic museums I’ve been to. But, as I always think when I’m upset by the suffering of others, if they had to live it (or die during it), the very least I can do is learn about it. Still, very sensitive people should probably not visit this museum.

Entry is 12 BAM (€6) and it’s probably the most worthwhile money you’ll spend while learning about the history of Bosnia & Herzegovina. It will have you thinking deeply about religion, race, peace in the world and the value (or lack thereof) of the UN.

Note – if you’re visiting Sarajevo, the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide is similar so you can probably pick one or the other.

Kajtaz House

After visiting the two historic houses above, I skipped Kajtaz House but I hear it’s a lovely 16th-century residence near Lučki Most. Reviews say it has an exquisite collection of rugs, woodwork and traditional clothing that can be seen as part of a tour with a friendly guide.

Where to go near Mostar

For beautiful places to visit near Mostar, you can’t beat Blagaj. I took a cheap and cheerful day trip from Mostar to Blagaj by local bus for the bargain price of €2 return.

This peaceful village is best known for the Dervish House, Blagaj Tekke, a 600-year-old Ottoman residence built into the cliff face. Once home to a guesthouse, madrasa and mausoleum, it was a key place for Dervish Muslims to visit and pray in its carefully-selected position beside the river.

Although some people just snap photos outside, I’d highly recommend going inside to tour the beautiful residence. Women must cover their legs, shoulders and hair; there are scarves to borrow for free.

I caught the bus from the stop outside the United World College in Mostar. It cost just 2 BAM (€1), and entry to the Dervish House is 10 BAM (€5) making it a cheap day out. There are some slightly overpriced restaurants along the river but I departed Mostar early and arrived back in time for lunch.

Kravice Falls are the most sublime waterfalls, cascading into a refreshing swimming hole. If they were over the border in Croatia, they’d likely be a hundred times busier. However, word is getting out these days so it’s worth visiting early if you’re coming independently. Once tour groups arrive, it’s pretty crowded.

No public transport connects Mostar (the falls are 43km away) so it’s best to hire a car, take a taxi or hop on a day tour to Kravice Falls. Entry costs up to 10 BAM depending on the season and parking costs 2 BAM. They’re open 24 hours so it’s free if you visit outside of the ticketed entry times of 8am-8pm.

Počitelj

Visiting the idyllic village of Počitelj is like stepping back in time, dubbed an ‘open-air museum’ because of the historic architecture comprising mosques, churches and the remains of a castle.

For hundreds of years, the town was a stronghold to protect against the Ottomans. Given the mosques here today, you can guess they eventually conquered.

Počitelj is famous for the pomegranates and figs growing in abundance around the town. Vendors in the streets will sell you fresh fruit and pomegranate juice.

Getting there: a bus taking 40 minutes departs Mostar at 11.10am and returns at 2.45pm. Otherwise, you can drive, charter a taxi or take a day tour.

Foodie things to do in Mostar

You won’t find an article on my website not mentioning food! Bosnian food may not be known around the world but I think it’s delicious. You’ll find typical Balkan dishes as well as food with Turkish origins introduced during Ottoman times.

Go on a restaurant crawl

Enjoy Bosnian coffee

If you haven’t yet tried Turkish coffee, now is a great time. I confess I’m still learning to love it because it has more of an earthy taste than Italian coffee. However, it usually comes with sugar cubes and delicious Turkish delight. Yum!

Bosnian desserts are great, as I learnt when I rented an Airbnb room from a local family in Sarajevo who baked me hurmašica after I mentioned it was my favourite!

Hurmašica are syrup-drenched pastries while baklava is a better-known and equally syrup-drenched dessert made with pistachio and filo pastry. There are countless cafes and bakeries in Mostar where you can (and should) try them!

FAQS

Here’s some extra info for planning your trip to Mostar.

How many days to spend in Mostar?

Some will tell you a day is enough in Mostar but I don’t agree. Yes, you can whizz around the main things to do in Mostar and soak up the ambience of the city, but there are lots of museums, mosques and historic houses plus so much food to try!

So if you love culture and want to learn about the history, spend two days in Mostar.

I spent a third day visiting Blagaj (I had visited Kravice Falls and Počitelj on a previous trip but you can opt for a day tour including all three).

Where next?

Most travellers don’t visit Mostar alone because there’s no international airport for quick mini breaks. It’s more common to visit as part of a trip including other places in Bosnia & Herzegovina or a Balkans backpacking trip.

Some of my favourite places nearby are…

Sarajevo