r/BosniaTravel

Planning a trip from NYC > Sarajevo with a return flight from Kotor > NYC and having trouble deciding which flight option is better:

Option 1: Air Serbia, with a 3.5 hour layover in Belgrade. Pros are the longer layover so no stress about missing connection and it also flies out of the closer Kotor airport (TIV) as opposed to TGD. There’s also the added option of an overnight in Belgrade. Cons are the reviews - I had a horrible experience last summer choosing a budget airline (Norse) vs an old reliable and promised myself I’d never put myself through the risk of such shitty customer service and experience again.

Option 2: Austrian Air, with a 50 minute layover in Vienna. Pros are that this seems like the more reliable airline. Cons are the stress of wondering we’ll make the layover in time, plus the return flight flying out of TGD rather than TID (only a 15 vs 90 min difference, but still).

Typing it all out I feel like the answer may obviously be Option 1, but does anyone have any first hand experience of flying Air Serbia internationally? Are they reliable? Is there anything else we should be considering?

On my upcoming trip, I have two full days in Bosnia alongside a couple of half days on the days I travel. I am staying between Mostar and Sarajevo and was planing a day-trip to each. Due to how my days fall, one of my day trips will be on a Sunday.

Which city is most affected by Sunday closures? As a tourist wanting to see the sights, maybe do some museums etc., is one city more preferable than the other on a Sunday?

Hi travelers and locals! I have a question about transportation from Tuzla to Sarajevo.

I saw there are buses, but they seem overpriced. 18-20€ for 4h ride.
I suppose it’s a touristic price and curious if there any local buses or alternative ways to get to Sarajevo. Or is it indeed the normal price for this kind of journey?
Please advise 🙏🏻

I am soon to be visiting Sarajevo and Mostar from the UK and I'm a little curious on how best to get my cash over there. Does anyone know any of the best places to withdraw money using Mastercard? I've seen lots of comments regarding Visa/Wise/Revoult cards etc, but this isn't what I have. I don't mind too much about fees as I would rather just find a trustworthy ATM to withdraw money.

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for ATMs at Sarajevo airport that take Mastercard as I reckon I will get the majority of my cash there.

TIA!! :-)

Hello everyone!

I am planning a 9-day trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina in late August within a 1-month trip in the West Balkans (Serbia > BiH > Montenegro > Albania > North Macedonia), and I would like to get your feedback on my itinerary options. Currently, I have two versions, but I am open to hearing other recommendations!

What I'm looking for: I know the region is beautiful, but I'm trying to avoid a trip where everything starts to blur together, especially coz this is a long one. I'd like to prioritize places and experiences that feel genuinely different in mood, setting, history, or cultural context, especially things that feel unique to BiH compared with the other countries I’m visiting. I'm less interested in adding stops just because they offer a slightly different architectural style or another pretty historic townscape that I might not fully appreciate as a non-expert. I'm more interested in places where the difference is something I can really feel as a traveler: learning about Yugoslav era and Bosnian War history, rural villages and nature, arts/café culture, etc. I’m into culture, art, history, easy to intermediate hikes, and cool/creative neighborhoods or spaces. Since this is part of a longer trip, I also want my city days to be slow, like exploring museums and sitting around in cafes kinda days. Sarajevo has also been on my bucket list, so I do want to give ample time for the city.

Other notes: I tried to reduce the number of times I switch hotels, which is why I focused more on day trips where I can. I'm used to 2hr travel times per way even on a regular day so a long journey isn't too much of an issue. I am also unable to drive in these countries.

So here's my draft itinerary:

• D1: Arrival in Sarajevo from Belgrade (with stopovers to Visegrad, Andricgrad, and Drvengrad)
• D2: Sarajevo
• D3: Lukomir Village Hike
• D4: Sarajevo
• D5: Sutjeska National Park Hike
• D6: Sarajevo

For D7-D9, I have 2 options:

• OPTION A:
  • D7: Travnik and Jajce Day Trip
  • D8: Sarajevo
  • D9: Scenic Transfer from Sarjevo to Kotor with Herzegovina Tour (with stops to Konjic, Jablanica, Mostar, Blagaj, Počitelj, Kravice Falls)
• OPTION B:
  • D7: Sarajevo
  • D8: Train to Mostar (Mostar overnight)
  • D9: Scenic Transfer from Moster to Kotor with Herzegovina Tour (Blagaj, Počitelj, Kravice Falls, Radimlja, Stećci Necropolis, Stolac, Vjetrenica Cave, Tvrdoš Monastery, Trebinje)

I guess the question really is where it's worth the hassle to move hotels for 1 night in Mostar (though I heard the train ride is beautiful), and whether I should prioritize Travnik and Jajce or more time in the Herzegovina region. It is also possible to do Travnik and Jajce instead of another Sarajevo Day in Option B, but I think reducing my Sarajevo days to 3 instead of 4 will make me want to rush through sites (especially museums!) instead of having slow days.

I also have some other questions:

• For my city days, I'm thinking of taking classes or workshops. Aside from cooking classes, are there any more cultural ones you'd recommend? Or perhaps any events I should look into?
• Any suggestions of cafes, cute shops, restaurants?
• Is there on-demand taxis like Ubers? Or are trams/buses reliable for within the city?
• Regarding the day trips, I plan on booking for the Lukomir Hike and Sutjeska Hike, but is it easy to DIY Travnik and Jajce?

Thanks so much and looking forward to hearing from locals and seasoned travelers in the area!

Hi everyone, I am in a massive emergency and need a huge favor right now.

My bus completely misled me and messed up my travel plans, leaving me stranded. I have a flight departing from Sarajevo Airport (SJJ) to Istanbul at 17:40 TODAY.

I desperately need to get to the airport by 17:10 at the absolute latest. I am currently in the bus and going to Trebinje - and need someone who can drive me from Trebinje or Mostar to directly SJJ ASAP.
I absolutely cannot miss this flight I am a university student and have a critical project due on Monday that I cannot miss. I will gladly pay you well for your time, gas, and the hassle.
If you or anyone you know can drive me, please DM me immediately. Thank you so much!

I have been in Banja Luka for about three weeks now, and I have another five to go. I’ve really been loving it and go to Srpske Toplice almost every day. I think this is such a beautiful and special city.

Can anyone recommend some chill nighttime spots? I like a slightly more alternative scene. Maybe live music, art events, or places where I might meet some creatives. TVM.

Hi, I keep reading that getting into Prenj is really difficult and you need a 4x4 but it looks to me like the road to Bijela is completely asphalt and you can quite easily hike to Jezerce hut and then Zelena Glava from there. Can someone please confirm?

Hi everybody!

I have a quick question!

I'm going for a long weekend to Sarajevo, and during the research I already discovered that I would like to come back for 3 or 4 weeks to discover more of this beautiful country! But for now, I have one simple question:

If you only have one day to go for a hike near Sarajevo, which day hike would you recommend? What is, in your eyes, the most beautiful hike (and why)?

Thanks in advance ❤️

My son(16) and I are visiting Bosnia in July. I’ll be hiring a car (small Renault Cleo or similar) at Sarajevo Airport and using it for our 11 day holiday, doing a small loop, staying at Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, Travnik and back to Sarajevo. We’ll also be visiting a few other places in those areas. I’ve never driven outside England, and I’m more than a little nervous!

Any tips or advice would be massively appreciated, especially on the use of sat nav, laws I should be aware of and things to avoid. Thank you!

Hello everyone. We will be visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro later this month. We are planning to land in Tuzla and then rent a car to go Sarajevo. Stay there two days, drive to Mostar first. After spending some hours in Mostar, we would like to go to Kotor/Tivat. We are yet to decide where to stay but we will probably stay there two days too. Then we would like to stay 1 day at Budva. Here are my questions:

I want to rent a car but I have some trust issues with rental companies. I have a corporate discount on both Europcar and Sixtcar. Which one is better to rent a car in Bosnia? Are the insurances scam? Should I completely avoid buying extra insurance?

Which road is better to drive from Mostar to Kotor? People online seem to prefer to go via Trebinje. Should I go like Mostar - Trebinje - Herceg Novi - Perast - Kotor? Going via Bileca also seems appealing but are the roads safe there?

After our trip finishes at Budva, we are not sure what to do. We were thinking of doing a Casino night at Podgorica and stay there 1 day. Then drive via Pluzine and arrive at Sarajevo. Alternatively, we can skip staying at Podgorica. We can do a Virpazar Skadar Lake tour after we leave Budva. After the tour, we can start our drive back and stay at Pluzine. I heard there is a zip line at Pluzine. So my next question is:

Is the zip line at Pluzine worth it? Should I spend my money elsewhere like Lipovac Winery wine tasting tour etc.?

Also, driving back from Podgorica using Pluzine road sounded good for scenery but is it safe? Should I completely skip Pluzine + Podgorica and maybe go back from the road I came?

I know the details are much but I appreciate any tips! Thanks!

As the title says...