At 8 o'clock in the morning we were already in front of the parking of the Hotel Hilton Imperial. Shortly after arrived the guide and the other tourists and our excursion to Bosnia began. Following the coast road the guide explained all that we were seeing. We arrived at the first border with Bosnia near Neum, where we hardly stopped. The guide shows his Croatian identification and told to the policeman that we were Irish, Italian and Spanish.
Shortly after crossing the border, we stopped 15min in Neum for breakfast. The sea views from this place were nice. We crossed again the border to return to Croatia to continue our way.
Following the Neretva River we reached Metkovic, where is another border with Bosnia. There was a queue of 45 min according to the guide. As He knew another border with little traffic 20min drive from this place, we drove and crossed to Bosnia from this second place. The guide gave the passports to the officer, who gave them back a few minutes later after checking them.
In Bosnia Herzegovina we visited the following places:
-Neum
-Pocitelj
- Hammam
- Madrasa
- Mosque
- Clock Tower
- Fortress
-Mostar
- Stari Most
- Bazaar
- Hammam
- Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque
Neum
View of Peljesac peninsula from Neum in Bosnia Herzegovina
After Neum we stopped in Pocitelj: a charming village of Ottoman origin with its mosque (rebuilt after being in ruins after the war), hammam, clock tower and madrassa (the 4 essential elements of an Ottoman town) and a castle on the top. If somebody had told me I was in Turkey , I would have believe him.
Pocitelj
These steps lead to the mosque and the fortress of Pocitelj
Pocitelj in Bosnia Herzegovina
Madrasa of Pocitelj in Bosnia Herzegovina
Mosque of Pocitelj, completely rebuilt after the war in Bosnia Herzegovina
Mosque of Pocitelj and Neretva river in Bosnia Herzegovina
Nuts and fruits which sold a Bosnian woman in Pocitelj
From Pocitely we drove to Mostar, where we arrived about 12:15 pm. The guide adviced us especially not to lose our passports, because then he couldn't help us. Here we give some suggestions and indications (to go up the minaret of the mosque, to watch a video in the library next to the Stari Most bridge) and told us that we had to come back at 15.30 pm.
We we spent three fantastic hours taking pictures of the Stari Most, going up to Minaret, visiting the Hammam and strolling the streets lined with souvenir shops. We still have time to have a drink in a bar next to the bridge before leaving. Mostar 's old town is lovely.
Mostar
At the end of this street is the bridge Stari Most of Mostar
Minarets in the old city of Mostar, one of the most important towns in Bosnia Herzegovina
Hammam in Mostar. Admission is free and inside you can watch a video about the war in Bosnia
Stari Most in Mostar, symbol of destruction and reconstruction before and after the war in Bosnia
Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque behind the Stari Most in Mostar
Stari Most over Neretva river in Mostar, whose clear water had a beautiful greenish color
Walking across the Stari Most in Mostar
Just after crossing the Stari Most, on the right there is a bookstore where you can watch a video of the destruction and reconstruction of this bridge in Mostar
Minaret and ablutions fountain of Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque in Mostar
Ablutions fountain in the courtyard of Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque in Mostar
Stari Most over Neretva river in Mostar from the courtyard of Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque
Stari Most and Neretva river from the minaret of Koski Mehmed pasha Mosque. It's one of the few minarets in the world to which you can go up
Typical restaurant in Mostar
Beautiful street of the old city of Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina
At 15:30pm we started the way back. After passing the border 3 more times and stopping again in Neum, we arrived at Dubrovnik about 18pm. We really spent a fantastic day.
Besides, during this trip we visited too:
Finally, other great cities and countries I have already visited are:
- Tortuguero, Caribe, Arenal, Monteverde and San José in Costa Rica
- Marrakech in Morocco
