Bosnia & Herzegovina History Tour

Upon your arrival at the Sarajevo airport, a local guide will greet you and escort you to a historical boutique hotel to freshen up before going out. If you arrive early in the day, the afternoon is yours to explore the area.

In the evening, you will meet with your group and local guide for dinner. Get to know your fellow travelers while learning the history of the area and safety tips to make your trip enjoyable.

Following breakfast this morning, you will head out to explore the capital of the country, frankly one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. See the sign there East meets West, literally, just a short walk from your hotel. You will also find a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox cathedral, a mosque, and a synagogue within feet of each other! That doesn’t happen often in our world.

Sarajevo has a varied and turbulent history – where World War I started, where the 1984 Winter Olympics occurred, and where the longest siege in modern history happened. As you tour the city today, look for remnants of these events, even signage, reminding us of this turbulent past.

In the afternoon, you will visit the suburb of Ilidza. Here you can visit a local spa for an afternoon massage or facial, or visit the park and spring of the River Bosna. There is an Austria-Hungary carriage that circles the park if you wish to ride instead of walk in the park. Visit the hotel where WWI started in 1914 when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.

In the evening, as you enjoy dinner, notice the sunset. The long and narrow valley surrounded by mountains makes for interesting sky coloring as the sun sets every evening.

After a good night’s sleep, it is time to explore beyond Sarajevo. This morning you will head to Mostar, one of the best-known cities in the country. Here you will visit the historic Ottoman Bridge over the Neretva River and the well-known Turkish House and the Koskin-Mehmed Pasha Mosque. 

Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit Medjugorje and Apparition Hill. In 1981, six children saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary while playing on a hill here. It has since become an unofficial Catholic pilgrimage site. You can spend time in the Garden of Contemplation before heading to your next stop, the Sniper’s Tower.

Dinner will be in the small town of Blagaj, known for Buna River spring under the town.

This morning you will head out to Kravica Waterfall to build your appetite. One of the most picturesque waterfalls in the country, Kravica Waterfalls is a very popular swimming place for the locals. 

Next, you will indulge in a local food and wine sampling by visiting the most renowned restaurants in town for a roaming lunch. The chefs have prepared a variety of local Herzegovinian dishes, just for you. Following your delicious lunch, you will saddle up for a horseback ride through a local vineyard and the village to learn how the locals grow and harvest two well-known wines of the area, Zilvka and Blatina. 

The evening is free for you to relax and enjoy a delicious meal, if you are hungry following that filling lunch.

Today you will return to Sarajevo, stopping in a few small villages along the way. Your first stop will be the old town of Pocitelj. You will also visit Trebinje and the Nova Gracanica monastery for a panoramic view of the town. The last stop before arriving in Sarajevo is Travnik to visit the impressive fortress and its two clock towers. If you want to try cevapi, this is where to find the best – you can smell the grilled meat on every street!

Start your final day with a visit to two museums. The first is Galerija, which tells the story of Srebrenica, the biggest genocide since WWII. The second is the War Childhood Museum, which tells the story of living as a child in a war besieged city. 

In the afternoon, you will visit one of the most unique town halls in Europe, Vijecnica. Vijecnica served as the National Library during the Sarajevo siege. When the building was shelled and caught fire in 1992, local citizens tried to save as many books as they could.

Your final stop on this adventure through Bosnia & Herzegovina is Lukomir. Lukomir is in the mountains above the former Olympic ski jump venue outside of Sarajevo. It is like a time capsule into the area’s history. Mostly semi-nomadic herders live here. The buildings are low with thick walls and steep-pitched roofs to withstand the heavy winter snows.

We hope you have enjoyed your travels through Bosnia & Herzegovina and have gained an appreciation for life in this area. Reflect on your fondest memories of the trip and what you learned. Your guide will escort you to the local airport for your departure flight.