In the heart of Mostar’s picturesque Old Town is its market, or čaršija. There is a market on each side of the river near to the Stari Most, due to the split between the Bosniak and Croat ethnic groups that inhabit the city, although the difference between the two is not noticeable to visiting tourists. The market has a distinctly eastern feel, thanks to the historic Ottoman influences, with stalls selling rugs, painted plates, copper items, and souvenirs. The market is busy with locals as well as tourists, and gives visitors a good glimpse at a traditional Bosnian way of life.

‘Medjugorje’ directly translates as ‘between the mountains’, which is fitting for a town located in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia, at 200 metres above sea level and close to the border with Croatia. Since the early 1980s, the town has acquired something of a cult status, with religious and non-secular tourists flooding to the site following a series of reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary. As a result, Medjugorje has earned the nickname of the ‘Bosnian Lourdes’, as its reputation for supernatural events has earned considerable public interest over the years.

Run by Franciscan monks, the church holds confessions and Mass daily, attracting large groups for prayer. Named after the Patron Saint of Pilgrims, the church has reputedly played host to several apparitions, all of which appeared in the sanctuary. With two striking turreted spires surrounding the main chapel, the stained glass panels of the Church look out across the town of Medjugorge, beyond the neo-classical statue of the Virgin Mary that stands, larger than life, head bowed towards the town.

Also known as Podbrdo, this hill is literally a mound and is the spot where the Virgin Mary was first said to have appeared to the teenagers walking on the mount in 1981. A cross denotes the apparition spot and more recent additions include beautiful bronze plaques celebrating the heritage and history of this holy land. 

The Adriatic Sea from Split to Dubrovnik is gorgeous, very clean, and includes 22km of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The closed bay at Neum is protected from the strong open sea winds by the Peljesac Peninsula. Neum is the only exit of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the coast. It was first mentioned in 533 (under the name Neunense), but was developed as a maritime retreat in 1965. The Old Town of Neum is 2 km inland. 

Few visit Pocitelj, a town of less than 1,000 residents, near Mostar. The medieval town was once of strategic importance before and during the Ottoman era, which the UNESCO Fort of Pocitelj, or Kula, protected. Visitors walk along the maze of cobblestone streets through the old buildings, visit the fort and enjoy the 16th-century Hajji Alija’s Mosque.