1. Sarajevo: 1-Way to Mostar with Konjic, Blagaj, and Pocitelj
Your tour will begin as you are picked up from your accommodation. After a brief introduction and having received a bottle of water, it will be time to start your journey. The first stop of the day is a short visit to Konjic, a unique, prehistorically inhabited place from which Herzegovina starts. It is famous for a 17th-century 6-arch old bridge, and makes for a perfect introduction to the emerald-green Neretva River. Your journey then continues towards the restaurant famous for its homemade Pita (pie), that will satisfy both the vegetarians and omnivores in the group. With a full stomach, you will continue towards the beautiful Medieval and Ottoman stone-constructed fortified village of Počitelj. Upon your arrival, you will take an easy hike towards the Kula, a silo-shaped fort overlooking the village from the top of the hill. It used to house watchmen and military, as a guard against possible intrusions from the Neretva Valley. Following a short hike, you will continue your way to Blagaj. Situated at the spring of the Buna River (Europe’s most powerful, clean and drinkable river spring), Blagaj is settled beneath a few hundred meters of rocks and 16th-century tekke (tekija or Dervish monastery). Tekke or Dervish monastery is the unique sacral-residential example of Islamic architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was built with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean influence. One of the nicest parts of your journey will be spent on the bank of River Buna, just a few kilometers away from Blagaj. You will dine under the shade while listening to the sound of the river, and it is recommended to try a local trout followed by the traditional desert called “smokvara”. Following your nice meal, it will be time for the highlight of your journey, the city of Mostar. Mostar has long been known for its old Turkish houses and its Old Bridge, Stari Most, after which it was named. The historic part of Mostar is a result of the interaction between natural phenomena and human creativity throughout a long historical period. The architecture here presented a symbol of tolerance: a shared life of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Mostar will be the last stop of your experience, and at the conclusion of your tour you will be dropped off in Mostar.