One day in Mostar by Itinerary

food-in-mostar-eat-cevapi

WHAT’S THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MOSTAR?

I would say spring or autumn. The city in the winter can seem a bit gray and empty which is fine if you want to skip all the crowd. Summer, on the other hand, can be insanely hot, with the temperatures hitting close to 40C.

WHAT’S GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT MOSTAR?

Officially city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar lies at the crossroad of two entities and religious – Muslim Bosnia and Catholics Herzegovina. Cause of that, the city itself represents the clash of the Western and Eastern Worlds. Today, the religious tension is still evident, especially in oversized religious buildings and symbols. The Ottoman influence can be seen in the World Heritage-listed Old Town where the 16th century Old Bridge spans the clear waters of Neretva.

WHAT’S GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT MOSTAR?

Officially city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar lies at the crossroad of two entities and religious – Muslim Bosnia and Catholics Herzegovina. Because of that, the city itself represents the clash of the Western and Eastern Worlds. Today, the religious tension is still evident, especially in oversized religious buildings and symbols. The Ottoman influence can be seen in the World Heritage-listed Old Town where the 16th century Old Bridge spans the clear waters of Neretva.

ONE DAY IN MOSTAR :

Start your day with a Turkish coffee

The Ottoman influence can be seen everywhere – from religion to architecture, clothing to food. The same thing with the coffee. The Turkish coffee, although spread all over the Balkan countries is most popular in Bosnia. Start your day in one of the many coffee shops in Ottoman style around the Old Town.

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Tradition of coffee in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stroll around the Old City

After you drank your morning coffee, it’s time for some Old Town exploration. Walk along the cobblestone streets and admire the old Ottoman architecture together with Austro-Hungarian neo classical houses. The charming streets are lined with the Turkish cafes, restaurants and bazaar street shops which altogether make a vibrant oriental atmosphere.

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Interesting facts about Old Bridge in Mostar

Pass over the Old bridge

Pass over the Old Bridge, the most famous sight and the symbol of Mostar. Today the bridge is a reconstruction of the 16th-century Ottoman-style bridge which was destroyed during the Yugoslav war. It represents both the reminiscent of the Ottoman reign and the strength and suffering of the Balkan people. This UNESCO World Heritage structure is one of Europe’s finest examples of Islamic architecture.

Learn a little bit about the city’s turbulent past

Check out the War Photo Exhibition right next to the Old Bridge to get to know more about the civil war in 90’s. It’s a great opportunity to find out more about the turbulent history of Mostar and the way it shaped the lives of its inhabitants.

Shop at the Carsija market

The čaršija market, the synonym of the Turkish bazaar is the best place to shop for some oriental souvenirs. Most of the products are either jewelry, pottery, metalware or the textiles. Choose between the handmade jewelry, scarf pashminas, traditional Bosnian rugs, metal džezvas (coffee pot) or decorated terra cotta plates. They are all very authentic and original.

Visit the Mehmed-Pasha Mosque and its minaret

After you pass the bridge you’re gonna find yourself in the Bosnian (Muslim) part of the city. With many mosques and religious buildings, one really stands out – Mehmed-Pasha Mosque. Even being the modest version of the Ottoman mosque architecture, its interior with the colorful rugs and frescos is still very beautiful. Don’t forget to climb the top of the minaret for the stunning 360° panoramic view.

Eat some Turkish delights at the Koski Basta Cafe

Whether you want to drink another shot of a greatest Turkish coffee or enjoy a cup of tea Koski Basta Cafe is the perfect place to relax a bit and enjoy the beautiful views of the Old City and the Neretva river. With the bright cushions and the authentic Turkish feel, it’s also a great place to try some of the Turkish sweets such as Baklava cake.

Have some cevapi for lunch

Either you want to sit on one of the many terraces overlooking the Neretva river, or you want to find some local place bit further from the tourist crowd – don’t miss to try Bosnian Čevapčići (minced meat dish) while in Mostar. Order a portion of kajmak, the most delicious cream cheese. It’s the perfect match.

Visit the Biscevic house

The best way to get a glimpse of what the traditional house in Mostar looked like is to visit the Biscevic house. The house was built in 1635. and it’s a great example of residential architecture from the Ottoman period with the nice courtyard in the front. The house is decorated with the furniture and households from the Ottoman period. You can see the traditional rugs, tables, beds and even a clothing that you can try on. There is a Muslibegović house very close to it, another nice example of the Ottoman style, so maybe you want to check out that one too.

Check out the other side of Mostar

The evidence of the civil war in the 90’s is still evident. Many crumbling buildings in the very city center on the other side of the river Neretva still have the bullet marks all over the facade. One of them is Sniper Tower that was used as a sniper base. Today, this abandoned building is a visually impactful experience, decorated with the graffiti street art inside and out.

Red Bull Cliff Diving in Mostar – Who is diving this year?

Rhiannan Iffland

The Red Bull Cliff Diving Series moves all around the globe, with the competitors launching themselves from cliff tops and other cliff jumping locations in a different country each week. This week the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series returns to the city of Mostar with the action centered on the Old Bridge.

red bull cliff diving divers 2017
Who is diving this year?

Listed below are all great names that spectators in Mostar will be able to see this year!

Adriana Jimenez


Date of Birth:20/01/1985

Height:1.58m

Weight:50kg

Resides in: Mexico City

She loves dancing, hates running and is one of the world’s best cliff divers – Adriana Jimenez from Mexico City. A lovely personality, that never runs short of surprising the people around her with small gifts and a big smile.

Sergio Guzman 


Date of Birth:26/02/1991

Height:1.75m

Weight:70kg

Resides in:Mexico City

“I have not lost the ability to jump in the water like a ‘regular’ person, I just learned how to fall in style,” Sergio Guzman says. His style has taken him quite far already, as the Mexican once invited his girlfriend to a diving show and dedicated the highest dive to her – the rest is history: the two are now married and parents of a cute baby girl.

Jonathan Paredes


Date of Birth:14/08/1989

Height:1.65m

Weight:62kg

Resides in:Mexico City

“Become the champion.” A pretty straightforward goal. No doubt about Jonathan Paredes’ ambitions, and looking at his 2016 results – victory at the season opener, four 3rd placed finishes and runner-up to champion Gary Hunt – the World Series’ ‘ripping machine’ is hard on the heavyweights’ heels.

Blake Aldridge 


Date of Birth:04/08/1982

Height:1.70m

Weight:65kg

Resides in:London

If you want to know what competitive is, watch Blake Aldridge – the finalist at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing has had to deal with quite some injuries and set-backs in his career but would never ever give up. And this is not only true for his professional life. “If there’s anything I really suck at, I’ll work on it to be good at it.”

Gary Hunt


Date of Birth:11/06/1984

Height:1.75m

Weight:68kg

Resides in:Paris, France

Introducing the world’s best cliff diver – a man, afraid of heights. “I’m so used to judging height and seeing how many somersaults and twists I can do from that height, I can’t help but imagine how it would feel to somersault and jump off. So where there’s no water underneath, it scares the life out of me.” Luckily, when it comes to diving from the equivalent of six double-decker buses – to keep it Brit-style for the Paris-resident – the 6-time World Series champion manages to overcome the fear factor and to make the most complicated dives look easy.

Helena Merten


Date of Birth:17/03/1995

Height:1.65m

Weight:54kg

Resides in:Gold Coast

The acrobat set her first mark at the FINA High Diving World Cup in February 2016 and grabbed the last spot for the World Series to become the youngest ever athlete in the permanent divers line-up. And Helena Merten lived up to the expectations: a podium at the season opener in Texas (3rd) and another one to round off the year in a challenging floodlit night event in the Dubai Marina (2nd).

Rhiannan Iffland


Date of Birth:09/09/1991

Height:1.67m

Weight:60kg

Resides in:Newcastle, Australia

The laid-back Aussie-girl from New South Wales comes from a trampoline background and started her diving career around the age of nine. Although she performed at (and won) some national meets, she took the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series entirely by surprise. 2017 will be ‘Rhi’s’ first season as a permanent diver. Will she be able to defend her title?

Orland Duque


Date of Birth:11/09/1974

Height:1.75m

Weight:70kg

Resides in: Cali, Colombia

For almost 20 years, the sport’s main ambassador has developed and established this raw and extreme discipline, has won literally everything – the inaugural World Series in 2009 as well as the first FINA High Diving World Championship title in 2013, amongst others – and there’s still no stopping this man at the age of 42.

Lysanne Richard


Date of Birth:30/08/1981

Height:1.62m

Weight:56kg

Resides in:Montreal, Canada

Only two women have won in 2016 and Lysanne Richard was one of them. An astonishing season for the 35-year-old ended with the 2nd place in the overall ranking right behind an untouchable Rhiannan Iffland. Out of her five podium finishes two went straight to the top.

Kris Kolanus


Date of Birth:22/10/1986

Height:1.70m

Weight:63kg

Resides in:Halle, Germany

The 30-year-old is the first athlete in the history of the World Series to return as a permanent diver after being forced into wildcard status for the previous two seasons. Kris Kolanus is also the only diver in the line-up who runs his own record label – Mad-Hop Records.

Michal Navratil


Date of Birth:05/06/1985

Height:1.84m

Weight:85kg

Resides in:Prague, Czech Republic

“After seven seasons in the World Series I finally figured out my dives and I feel confident with them. I’m really happy with my dive list; I have a good level of difficulty. 2016 could be the year of success!” Said. Done. Nothing to add.

Andy Jones


Date of Birth:21/04/1985

Height:1.82m

Weight:81kg

Resides in:Santa Monica, California

Coming out ahead at the 2016 showdown, California-based Jones utilised his Cirque du Soleil background in the World Series’ first-ever night time event to show his best diving and topped his most successful season with a first place from the 27m-platform. The 11th athlete to ever win a competition completed the overall podium behind Gary Hunt and Jonathan Paredes, promoting him to one of the favourites for the 2017 season.

Cesilie Carlton


Date of Birth:27/03/1981

Height:1.65m

Weight:54kg

Resides in:San Antonio, Texas

After becoming the first wildcard diver to win a competition (the off-the-cliff meet on the Portuguese Azores in 2015) the 36-year-old has big plans for the new season. After winning the inaugural world championship title for high divers in 2013 – following FINA’s inclusion of high diving as a professional sport in 2012 – the physically super fit athlete is part of the Women’s World Series since its debut season in 2014

David Colturi


Date of Birth:30/04/1989

Height:1.73m

Weight:70kgResides in:Los Angeles, California

The former medical student was back on the 10m-board in early February and might still add a few more successful cliff diving seasons before he ultimately returns to the books to become a doctor.

Ginger Huber


Date of Birth:06/12/1974

Height:1.70m

Weight:58kg

Resides in: Orlando, Florida

At 42, Ginger still feels comfortable on the podium and so she won 2nd place in Shirahama (JPN) and 3rd on the Azores (POR) in last year’s World Series. Unfortunately, her 6th place in the 2016 overall rankings does not at all represent her true potential.

Steven LoBue


Date of Birth:17/06/1985

Height:1.61

Weight:62kg

Resides in: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Steven LoBue is a man of many labels: he has established himself as the World Series’ ‘turbo spinner’ – he’s the only man who does five somersaults in less than three seconds. He’s the ‘miracle man’ from La Rochelle when he hit the platform at take-off with his forehead and came out with only a scratch. The diving coach is a loving husband and father, and never short of a smile.

What to do in Mostar

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Mostar is one of the most beautiful and most visited attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thanks to its outstanding natural beauty, architecture, and, of course, its famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Stari Most, this city has lots of tourists and foreigners that pour in the city every year. It is full of architecture that Ottoman brought with themselves, with plenty of traditional restaurants, market stalls, mosques and other historic buildings. It is also surrounded by stunning landscape waiting to be explored.

Scroll down your page and discover the top things to see and do in and around Mostar:

1.Old Bridge in Mostar – Stari Most

The Old Town of Mostar has been attracting millions of tourists from all over the world because of its unique blend of rich history, picturesque architecture and exotic locations. The Old Bridge is the most magnificent monument in Mostar and it has become the worldwide known symbol of Mostar. During the civil war, however, the bridge was destroyed but it has since been rebuilt. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having received this status in 2005 soon after it was rebuilt, and it attracts thousands of tourists to Mostar every year.

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On the east bank rises Tara Tower which was used as a deposit for ammunition in the Ottoman era. The Halebija Tower is on the west side. It was once the prison.

2. Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque

Today the iconic Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque is probably among the most famous symbols of Mostar. It`s the second largest mosque in Mostar, situated on the left bank of the Neretva river, just about 150 meters north of the Old Bridge. Forget the Taj Mahal and the Colosseum as some of the world’s most impressive structures remain out of the public eye.  So when planning to visit Mostar. for the best places to visit include the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque on your list. We promise – you will not regret!

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3. Kravice Waterfalls

A short drive south, around 40 minutes from Mostar are the Kravice Waterfalls. The best time of year for visiting is during the spring time when the fall is at its fullest and the vivid landscape turns bright green as the surrounding nature is blooming with life.The area around the waterfall is very popular for swimming and having picnic.

Kravice-waterfalls
Most see places in Herzegovina-Kravice Waterfalls

4. Franciscan Church
Today’s church with its dimensions, appearance and the bell tower (107m high), dominates the city of Mostar. Due to the increased number of catholic community in Mostar, there was the need for larger church so during the latest reconstruction in 2000., the new church was built on old foundations but following the tendency of massiveness from the Middle Ages.

Now visitors can enter the church, take photographs and enjoy the singing of the church assembly. There is also a large parking lot in front of the church, which serves for visitors and tourist groups.

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Bell Tower of Franciscan Church in Mostar

5. Muslibegović House

One of Mostar’s best examples of Ottoman architecture is the protected national monument, Muslibegović House located in Brankovac area.

Due to its cultural and historical importance, as well as its preserved traditional artifacts, the Muslibegovič House is a unique tourist destination in Mostar.

This residential complex of unique architecture was inscribed on the list of national monuments and has a dual function, as a harmonic museum with educational component, and as a top class hotel in the category of cultural and historic heritage.

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The interior is in keeping with traditional eastern styles, such as Ottoman rugs, white walls and wooden furnishings, with the museum exhibiting items such as books, manuscripts and handmade crafts.