BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
The undulating rugged hilltops of Bosnia-Herzegovina lie in the southeastern part of Europe. Initially known as Bosnia it was part of Yugoslavia and considered as the heart of Dinaric Alps. Conveniently shortened to BiH the name dates back to Roman times, derived from bosana that means water. Named so because of Bosnia’s freshwater rivers, springs and streams made it major source of water provider. Whereas Herzegovina was named after the king Herceg Stjepan that means ‘belonging to the Duke’. The country is divided into northern region of Bosnia and southern region of Herzegovina. Enriched with eastern and western cultures it has a historical past. An actively ideal place of tourism for adventure tourist Bosnia-Herzegovina has abundant to offer- choose from heart throbbing mountain landscapes, minarets, ancient craft shops, trendy bars, cathedrals and living museums that is the cities of BiH, all are full of amazing charm and endurance. Tourists who visit Bosnia-Herzegovina without any exception speak high of the Byzantine civilizations, cultural heritage of Ottoman, the limestone Mediterranean landscapes, and the serpentine rivers. Some tour operators organize special trips exclusively for Tourists from all over the world that include rafting, mountaineering, and walk through of remote Bosnian villages. Unlike the past reputation Bosnia-Herzegovina is now known for its well restored infrastructure, vast hotels, and many tours operated for tourists.
CULTURE
Scenery and charm amidst solid comfort, Bosnia-Herzegovina majorly has heterogeneous mixture of people, they are the Serbs, Croats, Jews, Albanians, Roma and the Bosniaks Muslims. The native language is the Bosnian language but commonly used languages in Bosnia are the Serbian and the Croatian. In some parts Muslims speak Albanian and Turkish. Most of the country was industrialized before the war but affected by it; the people faced poverty because of closure of main factories. Also many cultural and ethnic mixtures declined during the war period and over 1000000 Bosnians moved to abroad to earn living.
GEOGRAPHY
Divided into five main cities Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla, Mostar and Zenica the country measures totally 51000 Square Kilometers. It is bounded by Croatia in the north & west regions and by the republic of Serbia and Montenegro in the south and east. Basically a mountainous region that is, home to rugged alpine peaks, rolling green hills and flowing pristine waters. The whole country is covered by mountainous limestone terrain which has created the world’s largest Karst field. The Dinaric Alps from the northwest of Croatia extends till the Prokletija Mountains on the Albanian border. The northeast region is occupied by long plains which is good for agriculture. Hence this part of the country is rich agricultural front. Mount Maglic measuring 7831 is the highest peak in extends in Bosnia-Herzegovina
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Bosnia-Herzegovina has mix of two type’s climate that of Mediterranean and Central European climates allowing hot summers and chilly winters. Due to mountainous area Bosnia has cooler evenings while Herzegovina remains arid due to Mediterranean climate. There’s warm season running from June all through September, this is the time that most of the tourists plan to visit Bosnia-Herzegovina but the accommodation tariff remain high especially in July and August. This is because of the Spring and Autumn that makes country side beautiful teeming with blossoming flowers and lush green landscapes. If you want to stay away from crowds then October and November will the good time with orange, yellow and red blanket of leaves spread all over the forests. And if you fall for skiing then visit in Winter makes sense though Herzegovina experiences very low snowfall Bosnia has very cold winters with high snowfall. For skiing the best joints are Igman, Bjelasnica, and Jahorina mountains from January to March. All together the months of May through October will make great time to visit Bosnia-Herzegovina.
TOP-ATTRACTIONS
Hopefully the country of Bosnia-Herzegovina is a happening and ideal place for any adventurous tourist. Visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina means to get the best of both the worlds. If you are planning for quiet holiday lying calmly at beaches or resorts then good to forget Bosnia-Herzegovina as it’s best for nature admirers and sport lovers. Cities like Mostar, Ottoman and Sarajevo display architecture and beauty with cheerful nightlife and festival seasons. Cultural tourists can celebrate the city’s rich cultural heritage from the age old cultures, traditional rural cultures, and sophisticated vibrant urban cultures. Lot many places speak high of its fortress, cathedrals and museums but here one can find the real life of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a live museum and the perhaps the Ottoman Bridge at Mostar takes you the past and shows you the present development of the country. Home too many fascinating sites only to find the inseparable natural beauty bounded with cultural heritage.
Sarajevo
Capital of the country, Sarajevo is popular for experiencing the period of war -it epitomizes the different cultures as a result of the age old struggle. Other places in Europe are also influenced by foreign cultures but Sarajevo is exceptionally influenced with east and west empires. The Byzantines and Ottomans of the east and the Austro-Hungarian and Roman empires are rooted deep into the tradition of Sarajevo. It is also visible when you walk down the streets, rare view of over four hundred Catholic Churches, synagogues and a mosques situated in walking distances make major attractions. Don’t miss the Milijacka River passing through the Latin bridge offering tourists an opportunity to learn the tidbits of the related past in addition to lovely view. The Eiffel Bridge is equally famous on Skenderija. Take the ratty old trams to Bascarsija means a market filled with cafes, artisans, bars and souvenir shops. A little further from there is the city hall showing the proud Austro-Hungarian touch. Special feature of the hall is that the construction of the building is based on a triangular foundation with a six angled center-the hall. Look for exclusive artisan made gifts for your friends and relatives in the colorful Ottoman markets as a token of Ottoman culture mixed with that of Sarajevo’s.
Mostar
The next place in your expedition would be the cultural seat of Herzegovina. Mostar houses a variety of cultural-historical monuments and the Old Bridge is famous of all. As the named the Old Bridge was a construction of 15th century but victimized by war in the 1990 it fell to the bottom of the swirling Neretva River. To keep it significance the Bridge was rebuilt with the same quarry as the original one. The city’s name Mostar means the ‘keeper of the bridge’ which is the Neretva River. Other attractions include the National monument of Muslibegovic house that stands as an example for Ottoman Aristocratic housing, at display are the carpets, handmade show pieces, their furniture and ancient documents.
Medugorje
Straddled between the mountains of Mostar and Croatia; Medugorje is an incredible place for ritualistic tourists. The city gained its significance in 1981 when six teenagers who were playing reported to their parents that Virgin Mary appeared and spoke to them. Although the parents didn’t react Virgin Mary kept appearing several times to turn Medugorje the world’s second most visited Catholic shrine. Over 15 million visitors have visited this shrine with much belief to the visionaries but there is also much controversy prevalent to its legitimacy. Still its believes that Virgin Mary appears everyday to the teenagers and miracles have been occurring since then, attracting millions of faithful worshippers from every part of the world who are aware of this sacred spot. Also the church is famous for offering prayer services in different languages every evening.
Bihac
One part of the country houses the famous pilgrimage for Catholics whereas another part of the country that is Bihac epitomizes the western Muslim settlement neighboring the Croatian border. Famous for sporting adventures along the Una River it’s also home for Fathija Mosque which was formerly a Church. Una River rafting and kayaking is must do activity when you visit Bosnia-Herzegovina that leaves unforgettable memories in ones travel diary. The river is sapphire coloured with tumbling rapids that make it a best playground for kayaking and rafting.
Blagaj
Blagaj is a place that characterizes the difference between above-ground and under-ground waters. This is seen where the waters of underground karst river flow out of a 200 m cliff wall to create the popular Buna River. Then there’s tekija dervish house built at the base of the rock creating a magical spell to the eyes of any tourist. Atop the mountains one can find the ruins of Illyrian fortification later in the middle age which had become castle for the Romans and then touched up by the Ottomans, the fort is a witness to four civilizations.
These beautiful cities however are the show stoppers but real expedition enjoyment lies in the activities besides beautiful landscapes. Hiking through the Dinaric Alps that is the heart of country is worth checking out. Also try for biking, rafting, sailing, diving and skiing around the rivers, hilltops and ski resorts situated all parts of the country.
GETTING THERE
All the modes of communication will take you Bosnia-Herzegovina but your main destination for flight will be Sarajevo as this is the only international airport that has daily connectivity to rest of the world. The national airline is the B&H airlines operating from Mostar, Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Bosnia-Herzegovina is also very well connected to neighboring countries of Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia. Any airport is located 20 minutes away from the center of the city and there’s no problem with the frequency of city bus service.
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