Looking for an easy day trip from Mostar that features the beautiful Blagaj Dervish House, stunning nature, and a hint of mystic wonder? You’re in the right place — welcome to my Blagaj travel guide!
Although most people stop in Blagaj because it’s home to the famous Dervish House (Blagaj Tekija), it’s actually a neat town that you can explore in a day — or even overnight!
Here you’ll find everything you need to know if you plan to travel to Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, including how to get there, what to do, where to stay, and more.
WHY VISIT BLAGAJ?
If you’re unsure about visiting Blagaj (or just need a little inspiration!), here are some reasons to travel to Blagaj:
– One of the best day trips from Mostar — Thanks to its convenient location and distance, Balaj makes for a very easy and fun day trip from Mostar. Blagaj is only a quick 20-minute bus or taxi ride from Mostar, and there are plenty of daily departures between the two cities.
– Blagaj is beautiful — and I mean both inside (the Dervish House) and out (the surrounding nature)! You could easily spend half a day just chilling by the waterfall, exploring the intricate woodwork inside the house, or wandering around town.
– An air of mysticism — Even if you’re not a spiritual person, a trip to the Dervish House (Blagaj Tekija) makes you feel a special kind of peace and calmness.
HOW TO GET TO BLAGAJ
If you’re the type of person who loves to have options when traveling, there are plenty of ways on how to get to Blagaj!
The distance from Mostar to Blagaj is only 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) and it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. Here’s a quick rundown:
Take the Bus — Although we were a little hesitant about taking the bus at first (*cough* and getting lost), this turned out to be a super easy and convenient option. The price is 2.10 KM (1 EUR) per person.
You’ll need to go to Spanish Square (Španski trg – photo above) and wait at the bus station right in front of the yellow building. From there, take Bus #10, although I heard that #11 and #12 also head to Blagaj. When in doubt, just ask the bus driver — the correct way to pronounce Blagaj is blah-gah-yeh. :)
* A quick note — There are different bus schedules for weekdays, weekends, and holidays. Be sure to keep this in mind when planning your return trip!
Rent a Car — The easiest and most convenient option is to rent a car for the day. Besides having an open schedule (no need to wait for the bus!), you can also check out surrounding spots like the historical town of Počitelj or the beautiful Provalije Waterfall.
Best of all, there’s a large parking lot right in front of the road that leads to the Dervish House, so you don’t need to spend time looking for parking (or worse — parallel parking :grim face:)
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and convenient car rental, I highly recommend RentalCars.
Hail a Taxi — If you don’t want to wait for the bus, there’s also the option to hail a taxi from Mostar to Blagaj. We took this option on the way back, and it ended up costing 20 KM (10 EUR) to get dropped off near Mostar’s old town. However, I’ve heard that sometimes the price can drop down to 15 KM (7.5 EUR), especially in high season when there is competition between drivers.
Book a Day Trip — If you don’t have a lot of time, you can also book a day trip and enjoy Blagaj (plus some other beautiful tourist attractions!) without the stress of planning.
Best of all, there are day tours from both Sarajevo and Mostar :)
WHAT TO DO IN BLAGAJ
BLAGAJ DERVISH HOUSE
The most famous attraction in Blagaj is, without a doubt, the traditional Dervish House.
This modest, Ottoman-style building has been sitting near for centuries but has only recently become a tourist attraction.
Also known as Vrelo Bune, Tekija Blagaj, or Blagaj Tekke, the word tekke is used to describe a building that is specifically designed for Sufi gathering. The Sufis, who believe in Sufism (a type of mystical practice in Islam), would use these types of houses for spiritual retreat, prayer, and even as a place to host other Sufi travelers.
(By the way, you might already be familiar with Sufism, especially if you’ve traveled to Turkey. They’re famous for the Dervish dance, in which they whirl in circles while praying!)
Although the history of the Dervish House is a little murky, historians say the first house was built sometime in the mid-1400’s, but it was destroyed and rebuilt in the 1520s.
There are several different rooms that make up the current Dervish House, including a kitchen, guest house (musafirhana), hammam, a room for praying (semahana), tombs, and a courtyard.
To go inside the complex, you’ll need to pay 10 Marks (about 5 EUR), but it’s worth it!
As you walk to the entrance, you’ll notice 7 signs (one is above), which correspond to the seven factors that need to be in all Bosnian tekkes: the house, staircase, water, rocks, a river spring, tomb, and cave.
Before going inside the tekke, guests are asked to dress respectfully and take off their shoes at the entrance of the house. However, don’t worry about packing an extra set of clothes — the house offers complimentary wraps and scarves at the entrance to cover hair (for ladies) and knees.
Now let’s check out the house!
On the ground floor you’ll see a room with three windows facing the spring, along with an open copy of the Qur’an. Here, the Sufis gathered to meditate and pray (zikr), there are still some that do so even to this day. In fact, one of the workers noted that there are up to three weekly prayers at the tekke.
Towards the back of the house are the bathrooms, and if you keep walking through, you’ll arrive at the beautiful Turkish bath (hammam, above). The bath was originally heated by the rooms below, and received water through the openings. While you’re here, don’t forget to look up to see the beautiful starry mosaics on the ceiling!
Although most people spend around half an hour in the house, we took a bit longer because there were so many beautiful motifs, from the painted wooden ceilings to the colorful glass lamps, Arabic calligraphy, mosaics, and so much more. As you walk around, try to see how many decorations and elements you can spot around the house. :)
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CHILL OUT NEAR THE RIVER
While making your way to the Dervish House, you’ve probably seen all of the cafes and restaurants dotted around the river.
After checking out the tekke, why not reward yourself with a delicious snack or drink? As you wait for your order, let me take your attention to the cave. There are many legends floating around on the origin of this area, but one of my favorites is the one about the dragon.
Once upon a time, there was a dragon (or snake monster, depending on who you ask) that demanded a human sacrifice every year. The pick was completely random and, one year, the king’s daughter was chosen to be sacrificed.
However, just before the dragon/snake/monster could take her to his lair, a brave Dervish came to her rescue. As soon as he defeated the monster, it whipped its tail above the cave and created the long crack that you see today. How’s that for a story?
As soon as you’re done relaxing, don’t forget to take a nice photo for a souvenir. :)
To get the best view of the Blagaj Tekija, walk across the bridge, go behind the restaurant, and you’ll see a small uphill pathway that will lead you to a little lookout area. You can either take photos here, or walk downhill to get to the shore.
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BLAGAJ FORTRESS
If you have some free time before your bus back to Mostar, you can also check out Blagaj’s other attraction: the historical fortress.
Rising some 200 meters above the city, this fortress was used during the Illyrian times, although nowadays only its walls remain. It’s an easy 2 kilometer (1.25 mi), 25-minute walk up to the fortress from the Dervish House.
WHERE TO STAY IN BLAGAJ
Although most people visit Blagaj as a day trip from Mostar, it also makes for an excellent stopover if you have an open itinerary!
Villa Velagic (above)— For something a little quieter yet not too far away from the tekke, there’s this sweet traditional house — with a pool!
BOOK HERE: Booking.com | Agoda | Hotels.com
Villa Bunski Biser —If you can’t get enough of the Dervish House, I have just the place for you. This hotel has the best view of the tekke right from your balcony, where you can chill out in the evening and listen to the river. :)
BOOK HERE: Booking.com | Agoda
Hotel Blagaj — A classic choice, Hotel Blagaj is just steps away from Dervish House and offers free parking, spacious rooms, and complimentary breakfast.
BOOK HERE: Booking.com | Agoda
Looking for even more places to stay in Blagaj?
Check out Booking.com!
Photo credits: Blagaj fortress – Tarik Mulalic | Hotels – respective hotels