The Balkans are quickly becoming a trending destination for intrepid travelers, with some countries — like Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro —becoming the most popular destinations.
Which is fantastic if you plan to visit them, but not so great if you want to travel to places that are more off the beaten path, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina!
When we planned our trip to BiH, I was surprised at the lack of blog posts and articles, especially on destinations that are outside of the capital, like Blagaj or Jajce (two of my new favorite places!)
After traveling around the country for a month, checking out all the awesome attractions, and making a few mistakes along the way, I decided to write this mini resource for those who want to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina but don’t know where to start.
These Bosnia and Herzegovina travel tips include everything you need to know, from money to safety, customs, transportation, accommodations, and other interesting tidbits of information. In a nutshell, these are all of the things to know before visiting Bosnia for the first time.
Ready? Let’s check it out!
1 – There’s no war anymore…
Before we get started with everything else on this list, let’s get this (very important) fact out of the way first.
Unfortunately, the first thing that many people associate with Bosnia and Herzegovina is the war that happened right after Yugoslavia fell apart in the mid-1990’s. You may have heard about it, seen the Yugoslav Wars on TV, or even read about it in your history books.
However, the war was finished quite a while ago — at the end of 1995! — and it is completely safe to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2 – … But there are still active mines, though
When I told friends and family about our upcoming trip to this heart-shaped Balkan country, a few of them asked, Is Bosnia dangerous?
No, it’s not dangerous. Unless you go off the beaten path (literally).
Besides casualties and unthinkable terrors, the war brought along a different kind of danger to the country: land mines. Between 1992 to 1995 (the war years), around 2.5% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s entire territory was booby-trapped with landmines.
Although the country is proactively cleaning up mines, there’s still a long way to go. Fortunately, there’s a 99.99% chance that you won’t have any issues, especially if you stick to cities and avoid going off marked paths (the majority of mines are in forests and nature).
Here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:
❗️ Look for the bright red signs — Mine warning signs in Bosnia are red, have an image of a skull and bones, and the words ‘МИНЕ!’ and/or MINE written across them. Heed these warnings and don’t go beyond the sign. Thankfully we didn’t encounter this on our trip (which is why I had to borrow the image above from Wikipedia!)
❗️ Don’t stray off any footpaths — These paths are there for a reason, and that’s because they’re been checked by professionals beforehand! When in doubt, stick to the marked paths.
❗️ Download the app — If you plan to go hiking or enjoy Bosnia’s wonderful nature, be sure to download the Mine Suspected Areas application (Apple Store | Google Play), which shows potential mine areas.
3 – Waterfalls, ski resorts, lakes, and more!
Speaking of nature… Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most up-and-coming tourist destinations, especially for those who love nature.
If you’re still planning out your itinerary, check out one (or all!) of these amazing natural destinations in Bosnia:
Jajce — Waterfalls that are contenders for a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Blagaj — A Dervish house nestled next to a spring and, arguably, one of the most beautiful places in Bosnia
Visoko — Mysterious, 220-meter pyramids that are polarizing (are they fake? Do they have mysterious powers? You can see for yourself 
)
Počitelj — Just a quick drive from Mostar is this historic open air museum / village, featuring Ottoman architecture and stunning views along a karst
Bihać — Located on the banks of the Una River, Bihać is full of resorts and activities in nature
Neum — The only coastal town in BiH, Neum packs a lot into its 20 km (12 mi) of coastline
Jahorina — Nestled above Sarajevo, Jahorina is the most popular ski resort in the country and even hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics!
4 – A Very Easy Conversion
Psst… Want to know a really easy life hack? 2 KM is 1 EUR :)
The Bosnian Convertible Mark (shortened to KM) is officially pegged to the Euro to make it easier to keep track of currency exchanges.
However, the Euro is widely used in restaurants, shops, and hotels all around Bosnia, so it doesn’t hurt to ask if you can pay in EUR if you’re running out of KMs.
Now you’re ready to go out there and buy souvenirs without having to do a bunch of mental math!
5 – Your Credit Card Will Collect Dust
Since we’re on the topic of currency, I’m going to be honest and say that Bosnia and Herzegovina is the country where I used my credit card the least.
Although I’m serious about collecting points and miles on my travel credit cards (hey, those airline tickets almost pay for themselves! 
), it broke my heart Citi ThankYou Points every time I was told that a place was cash only.
This is especially true in most cities outside of the capital (Sarajevo), as well as Sarajevo’s Old Town. Interestingly enough, there were a handful of restaurants (outside the Old Town) and a majority of grocery stores that took my credit card.
Before you travel to Bosnia, I highly highly highly recommend taking plenty of cash (such as USD or EUR bills) to exchange into KM or signing up for a card that has no foreign ATM fees (like Charles Schwab!) and taking out money when you arrive.
Want to stay here? It’ll cost you a trip to the ATM 
6 – Be Careful of Cash Only Accommodations
This is slightly related to what I said about the ‘cash only’ policy above, but it’s so important that it needs its own point :)
As someone who loves to pre-book accommodations on Booking.com and pay by credit card when I get there, Bosnia’s credit card policy threw another wrench in my plans.
To put it in perspective, about 90% of the places (hotels, guesthouses, apartments, etc) we stayed at during our 3-week trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina only accepted cash.
The easiest way to check if a place is cash-only is to scroll all the way to the bottom of Booking.com and under ‘House rules’ it’ll note the payment policy of the property. Typically, the majority of guesthouses and apartments are cash only, while hotels can be hit or miss.
Looking for credit card-friendly accommodations? Check out Ibis Styles, Astra Old Town, Hotel President.
7 – Book Activities Ahead
Ok ok, one last point about cash before you guys start rebelling in the comments
If you’re low on paper bills or have high ATM fees yet still want to learn about the country, I highly recommend booking all of your tours through an online marketplace like GetYourGuide. We did this with our day trip to Jajce and were so glad that we did!
Here are some of the top tours in Bosnia & Herzegovina:
8 – The Country with the Three Presidents
And now for something completely different (and, frankly, a little wild). 😌
One thing that I was surprised to learn about Bosnia & Herzegovina is that it has three presidents.
Yes, you read that right: there are three official presidents in the country! And no, I’m not trolling you — here’s the official Wikipedia article so you can see for yourself.
Each constituent group in Bosnia & Herzegovina — Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs — picks one president to represent them for four years.
But Luda, how can anything get done with three presidents in power?
To which I reply, dear reader: Does anything really get done with one president in other countries? (Joking, joking)
While I’m not a political commentator and can’t go into much detail, our Jajce tour guide (see #7 above) said that the presidents rotate every couple of months. Isn’t that interesting?
9 – Bosnia and Herzegovina is Rich in Diversity and Religion
Since we’ve touched a bit about the demographics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, let’s dive a little further!
Like I mentioned, Bosnia is very diverse, especially when you consider that about 50% of the population are Muslim, 30% are Eastern Orthodox, and 15% are Catholic.
In fact, it’s not surprising to see a mosque and a church on the same block.
The country also tends to celebrate holidays from all three religions, including Ramadan, Christmas (both on December 25 and January 7), and New Years. If you’re visiting during a holiday period, be sure to check out the Sarajevo Ramadan Festival or the Sarajevo Holiday Market (an open air Christmas market similar to those in Europe).
An authentic guesthouse in Mostar (Pansion Bubamara)
10 – Apartments, Hotels, or Guesthouses?
Just like other Balkan countries (such as Montenegro), you’ll see a lot of guesthouses, apartments, and B&Bs (bed and breakfasts) being offered as a form of accommodation.
In fact, you’ll most likely stay in one!
This is because big chain hotels haven’t made their way to Bosnia & Herzegovina yet (unless you count the Swissotel or Courtyard by Marriott in Sarajevo). However, the demand for a place to stay has gone up in recent years, which is why there are dozens of smaller independent hotels and short-term rentals.
Budget-friendly travelers can save some money by opting to reserve an apartment or a room in a guest house (versus a hotel). Another bonus is that guesthouses typically offer complimentary breakfast, while apartments have all of the convenient amenities of a typical home (such as a kitchen or washing machine — perfect for long-term travel!)
Still didn’t book an accommodation in Bosnia? Check out my 25 Unique Hotels in Bosnia & Herzegovina blog post or see popular hostels, guesthouses, and apartments here!
11 – Don’t visit Mostar…
… on a day trip ;)
(Did I trick you there? Sorry 
)
Although it’s only a 2-hour drive from Dubrovnik (Croatia), Sarajevo (Bosnia’s capital), or 3 hours from Kotor (Montenegro), Mostar really deserves more time than just a few hours of your time.
There are two reasons why: first, the day trippers usually leave by evening, which means you can explore the city without the hordes of crowds. If you’re an early bird, you can also wake up around sunrise and have Mostar’s most famous attractions (including the Old Town and Stari Most) all to yourself!
Secondly, you can use the city as your home base while you visit Blagaj, one of the most beautiful areas near Mostar. Just check out the photos in my Blagaj Travel Guide if you need any more motivation to take that day trip!
12 – Did You Know That Bosnia Has One of the Most Beautiful Train Rides in Europe?
While we’re on the topic of Mostar, I have one last tip for this region.
If you’re planning to travel to Mostar, I highly recommend doing the trip via the Sarajevo to Mostar route (or vice versa). That’s because this route has one of the most beautiful (and underrated!) train rides in Europe. Although the tip is only 2 hours long, you’ll get to see emerald green rivers, cute little villages, and lush mountains peeking behind lush forests.
Bonus: the train (sometimes) has WiFi, although I’m sure you won’t need it with views like the ones mentioned above. :)
If the train doesn’t work out, there’s also the Sarajevo to Mostar bus, which is slightly longer (2.5 hours) but has very similar views.
Planning a trip between Sarajevo to Mostar? Check out my in-depth guide here, including train and bus timetables, rental car tips, and more.
13 – Coffee is an Important Ritual in Bosnia — Here’s How to Properly Drink It!
Did you know that Bosnia & Herzegovina is the 11th most coffee consuming nation in the world? That’s right: each citizen drinks about 6.1 kg (13 lb) of coffee per person per year, and drinking coffee is considered to be a time-honored tradition that spans centuries!
Although the coffee is similar to that of Turkish coffee, locals would argue that the method is slightly different (and the taste is better, but that’s up to you to decide!)
Bosnian coffee is typically prepared by adding hot water and ground coffee to a džezva (a special pot with a high neck and handle) and boiled until the foam starts to rise. Then the džezva is taken off the heat so that the foam goes down, put back on the burner, and repeated two or three more times until it’s ready!
When ordering Bosnian coffee, you’ll typically get the following items, all neatly placed on a plate: The džezva with coffee, small cups to drink from, a container with sugar cubes, glasses of water, and often something sweet (typically a cube of rahat lokum).
Now you’re probably wondering, Ok, this looks delicious… but what’s the proper way to drink Bosnian coffee?
There are a few ways, but the most common is to take a little foam from the top of the džezva pot and pour some coffee into your cup, while adding the scooped foam at the end (the foam gives it that little extra kick!). Most locals will take a sugar cube and either put it under their tongue, or take small bites between sips.
However, no matter how you drink your Bosnian coffee, there’s one very specific way not to drink it — don’t drink the coffee sludge at the bottom of the džezva, or else you’ll get a mouthful of very bitter grounds!
Since you might also be interested in where to find the best coffee in Bosnia, I’ve compiled a few of my favorites in Sarajevo. I recommend starting at Caffe Bar ANDAR, as they include a little instruction manual on how to properly drink Bosnian coffee. It also has a very interesting history that’s reflected in its interior decor and atmosphere. :)
Ministry of Ćejf is another great cafe that’s just a minute away from the center of Baščaršija and offers delicious desserts in addition to great coffee. If you’ve fallen in love with Bosnian coffee and want to buy your own džezva, I highly recommend going across the street (to Kovači 19) and buying it from Nermina, a female coppersmith who makes gorgeous works of art!
TRAVEL TIP: If you’re traveling to Tranvik, be sure to stop by Lutvina Kahva. Besides the beautiful setting next to a waterfall, this cafe has a very interesting house special — Bosnian coffee with a cigarette on the side!
14 – Interesting local words
If you’re like me and love learning local phrases or untranslatable words (*ahem* Hygge), then you’ll have a great time in Bosnia. The whole language is full of beautiful expressions and melodic words! Here are some of my favorites:
Cejf — Remember the Ministry of Cejf cafe above? This word means an (enjoyable) quirk or habit that you have that must be done in a specific order. For example, if you have a particular way of making the perfect cup of coffee or any traditions that you have while flying (mine is the typical Russian superstition of sitting on my luggage for a few minutes before heading to the airport!)
Sevdah — feeling of longing for someone or somewhere, but with a hint of melancholy. This is also similar to the word toska in Russian.
Fajda – Something useful
Merhamet (male) / merhametli (female) – A person who has an aura of kindness
Rahatluk – A state of being happy and carefree
Dangubiti – Literally, ‘to lose a day,’ or when you do nothing all day and lose it (something I’m very familiar with 
)
Sikteruša – Literally, ‘Go away coffee.’ This happens when an unwelcome guest comes and you make them coffee (to be polite), but bad-ish coffee so they leave earlier.
15 – Souvenirs to buy
As you wrap up your travels, you might want to get a unique souvenir (or two ) to commemorate your trip. Thankfully, there are so many great Bosnian souvenirs and gifts to take home to friends and family! Here are a few of my favorites:
Traditional rug – If you’re into art and beautiful centerpieces, then you’ll love Bosnia’s traditional carpets. The carpet style is called kilim and have bright colors, geometric patterns, and ornate designs in a variety of different sizes.
Bosnian coffee set – If you fell in love with Bosnia’s coffee culture, why not buy yourself a set to make a cup at home and impress your friends? A typical set includes the džezva (coffee pot), sugar holder, cups (typically two to four, although you can ask for more), and a platter to hold it all.
You can find copper coffee sets sold in nearly every big city, but be careful: not all of the sets are hand-made by local artisans, and there are many cheap knockoffs that were made in factories overseas.
If you want to support Bosnian coppersmiths, I recommend visiting the Kovači ulica (which literally translates to Blacksmiths Street) in Sarajevo and buying from there. I had the pleasure of making a džezva from scratch with Nermina, the last female coppersmith in the city. Her shop is located at Kovači 19 and, besides making beautiful copper goods, she’s very friendly and has a lot of interesting stories (she created the flame torch for the European Youth Olympics recently!)
However, there’s no point of having a coffee set if it’s missing the key ingredient: coffee! Which is a good transition to the next gift…
Bosnian coffee – There’s a joke that our tour guide told us — that he’s half Bosnian, half coffee
Although there are a handful of great coffee brands sold in Bosnia, our guide’s favorite was Zlatna Dzezva (which, coincidentally, is the most popular brand in the country). However, I also saw Franck Jubilarna and Grand Gold Kava on shelves as well.
Other popular Bosnian souvenirs include hand-knitted socks, a zvekir motif (the large metal door knocker in traditional Bosnian homes), and local jewelry.
If you’re planning to travel around the country, you’ll be surprised and delighted at how many local specialties there are — which, by the way, also make fantastic souvenirs! For example, the town of Konjic is one of the oldest settlements in the country and famous for its traditional wood carvings. There are a handful of local artisans who make beautiful craft from wood.
16 – Europe’s Last Rainforest
Did you know that Bosnia has one of the biggest (and last) rainforests in Europe?
It’s true! Perućica Forest Reserve, located in southeastern Bosnia & Herzegovina, has an area of about 3,500 acres and is part of the larger Sutjeska National Park. It’s so unique that even UNESCO added Perucica to its tentative list of World Heritage Sites!
There are so many interesting facts about Perucic: it’s home to the 98 meter-high Skakavac Waterfall, the highest waterfall in the country (and second-highest in Europe!), as well as nearly 200 species of trees and 1,000+ species of plants, many of which are native to the area.
However, what really surprised me was that in some parts of the forest, it’s almost impossible to walk through due to the overgrown plants and bushes and can only be done so with an experienced tour guide or ranger.
17 – Mostar Bridge Divers
Ah, the final tip. Can you believe it’s already the end of this blog post? I still can’t, even though you’ve just read more than 3,000+ words! (Also, thank you for sticking until the end! )
I’ve covered practical basics and useful travel tips, from transportation to accommodations, money, and what to see on your trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, so I’ll leave you with an interesting tidbit for this last point.
You might have heard of the Old Bridge in Mostar — or are planning to visit it! — but did you know that it has one of the oldest traditions in the country that’s still practiced to this day?
Back in the 1600s, local boys would jump off the bridge and into the water below as a rite of passage, and those who couldn’t would be a failure in life (pretty harsh, no?)
Although nowadays this rite of passage isn’t enforced, there are still professional bridge divers that make the 20-meter jump almost every day.
Typically, Mostar bridge divers wait until they draw enough of a crowd (and around 50 EUR in tips) before they’ll perform their famous dive. Depending on the season, these bridge divers can make multiple jumps in a day!
What’s more, adventurous travelers can try out bridge diving for themselves — all you need to do is make an appointment at the bridge diver’s club right next to the bridge, pay the fee, do a few practice runs, and voila! After you successfully do the jump, you’ll get a certificate and have your name recorded in the club’s record book. :)
Photo Credits: Mine warning sign – Julian Nyča | Bosnian money – Tyler Rossi | Perucica Forest – 00cska00 (Wikipedia) | Hotels – respective hotels
Local words written here tend to be of Turkish origin (or Arabic origin that came into Bosnian through Turkish). Sikteruša in Bosnian does mean “go away coffee”, but the part “go away” or “sikter” in Turkish means….well it is more like “get the F outta here”-you know what F stands for. It’s somewhat tamed around there :)
Ahh you’re right! I’m learning Turkish right now and I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection 😅 Thank you for that insight!