Mostar

Introduction

the Bridge

© pampeliska

Mostar is a city in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina, best known for its distinctive Old Bridge (also known as the Stari Most). The bridge and surrounding neighbourhood are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. During the Bosnian War, Mostar became the site of a bloody siege, resulting in the deaths of thousands of the local Bosniak population. Much of the town, including the Stari Most, was destroyed. Since the end of the war, and especially since 2000, there has been a major emphasis on restoring and rebuilding Mostar.

Sights and Activities

Mostar Bridge

Stari Most at night, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

© joshuag

Old Bridge (Stari Most) is the key attraction in Mostar. Built in 1566 while the area was under Ottoman rule, Stari Most was considered a symbol of the friendship between the diverse nations and ethnicities inhabiting the area. Understood in this context, it's not hard to see why its restoration after the Bosnian War was considered an important task. The bridge that is there today was built according to the original design and opened again in 2004.

Old Town

Though much of it was destroyed during the Bosnian War, Mostar Old Town has been restored to a great extent. Some sights worth checking out include:

• Cejvan Cehaj Mosque - Mostar's oldest mosque, built in 1522
• Karadozbegova Mosque - A mosque built in 1557, considered Herzegovina's most important example of Islamic architecture.
• Koski Mehmed pasa Mosque - Another old mosque, built in 1617.
• Kujundziluk - The Old Bazaar, a lively market where you can find paintings, carvings, pomegranates and stecaks.
• Tepa Market - An old market selling fresh, locally grown produce.
• The Biscevica House - A 17th century Ottoman home overlooking the Neretva River.
• Muslibegovic House ^[1] - An historic example of Ottoman architecture dating back to the 18th century.

Don't forget, Mostar

© TDL

Events and Festivals

Every summer, there is a diving competition for people (mostly young men) to dive off the Old Bridge.

Weather

Mostar has a mix of Mediterranean and continental climate with generally warm to hot summers (June to September) and also mild to warm spring and fall. Winters on the other hand can be relatively mild, but sometimes cold air and snow arrives and nights can be bitterly cold during some weeks.

Getting There

By Plane

Some planes fly in to Mostar Airport but not many. There are seasonal flights (summer) to/from Bergamo, Turin, Naples, Catania, Bari, Rome and Pescara. The more common way of getting to Mostar is by flying to Sarajevo, Split or Dubrovnik and making the rest of the way to Mostar from there, either by bus, train or car.

By Train

There are two daily trains (around 7:00am and 6:00pm) between Mostar and both Sarajevo (2.5 hours) and Ploce, on the Croatian coastline. Some trains connect further to Banja Luka and Zagreb.

By Car

Mostar is easily reachable from Western Europe via Croatia. From, Zagreb take the A1 (green signs for Karlovac, Split and Dubrovnik). There is a border crossing Nova Sela - Bijača, and the motorway continues in Herzegovina until the end at Međugorje. Then just follow the signs to Mostar on the remaining 30 or so kilometres of two-lane road. There are plans build a motorway all the way to Mostar, but this might take several more years.
From Sarajevo it's a two-hour scenic drive through the Neretva river valley. This route is also planned to be upgraded to a motorway.

By Bus

Buses from Mostar go to many places in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Croatia and further beyond. Regular services include Sarajevo (2.5 hours), Dubrovnik) (4 hours) and Split (4.5 hours). There are also services to other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, like Jajce, Tuzla and Banja Luka, as well as to many smaller regional towns like Blagaj and Pocitelj.

Getting Around

By Foot

Mostar is easily explored on foot in half a day.

Eat

Dozens of restaurants line the main shopping street and along the river, many with excellent views of the Old Bridge.

Drink

Many of nice lounge bars are located in the Old Town.

Sleep

Keep Connected

Internet

Most cities and major towns have at least one internet café. Wifi is becoming more and more popular as well, especially in cities like Sarajevo and Mostar. Don't rely on it though, as outside the main tourist areas, there might be few options.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Bosnia and Herzegovina is 387. To make an international call from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the code is 00.

There are three mobile phone networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina: HT ERONET (Mostar), GSMBiH (Sarajevo) and m:tel (Republika Srpska, Banja Luka). You can buy a prepaid SIM card from any network at any kiosk for 10 KM or less. Be careful with roaming charges on your smartphone, as mobile internet when abroad is still extremely expensive.

Post

BH Posta offers postal services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prices and services are very reasonable and reliable. Post offices are generally open from 8:00am to 4:00 or 5:00pm during weekdays and also on Saturday mornings. The main post offices in big cities like Sarajevo might keep longer hours. For sending packages you might consider a private courier like FedEx, TNT, UPS or DHL.

External Links

• Official Website