Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina wasn’t exactly on our “must-visit” list this year. But, as the saying goes, “When in Rome” (or in this case, just across the border). Anthony Bourdain often championed the idea of listening to locals and seeking out authentic, unexpected experiences—a sentiment that has guided much of our travels.

Nestled in the western Balkan Peninsula of Europe, the Bosnian border is just a quick 10-minute drive from Dubrovnik, Croatia, where we’re currently living. Locals and friends alike encouraged us to make the trip, assuring us it was worth it. So, this past weekend, instead of tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain, we found ourselves rolling out dough for Burek in Bosnia.

We decided on the town of Mostar, a town on the Neretva River, with the old town centered around the Stari Most bridge. This iconic bridge was unfortunately destroyed in the war of 1993 but was rebuilt a decade later and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mostar is divided into two sectors: the Christian side of the river, home to many churches, and the Islamic side, home to many mosques. In Mostar, the call to prayer is broadcast over loudspeakers from mosques five times a day, following Islamic tradition. So, just before dawn, we heard the loud, chant-like call to prayer ringing through the city, followed shortly after by the ringing of church bells from the Christian side. The bells echoed across the valley, a reminder of Mostar's deep Christian roots.

On the left bank of the Neretva River, you can find one of the oldest parts of Mostar, dating back to the Ottoman era. The Kujundžiluk, or the Old Bazaar, lined both sides of the streets and sells traditional Turkish coffee sets, lanterns, rugs, cashemere scarves, and more. You will also find cafes here selling Turkish coffee and Bosnia beer.

There are many small restaurants in Mostar, serving traditional Bosnian dishes like
Ćevapi and Japrak.

Speaking of Japrak, we also took a cooking class with one of the local restaurant owners. Her restaurant was closed for the winter season, but she opened for us and demonstrated how to make a traditional 3-course Bosnian dinner, and we followed her lead every step of the way. Vannah watched in anticipation. We made Japrak, a meat and rice filled Raštika leaf (also know as collard greens in the southern US), Burek, a meat, potato, and onion filled pastry, and cookies.

Note: While traveling to unknown places with no prior research or reservations can be fun, it’s smart to register an account with STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service offered by the U.S. Department of State that allows U.S. citizens traveling abroad to register their trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling in STEP ensures you receive important updates about safety conditions, allows the embassy to contact you in an emergency, and helps loved ones reach you if needed. I have enrolled us and registered every city we will be in until we return to the states (if even for a day). When you add a new destination (including dates, address of your hotel/airbnb, etc…), you will receive a summary of the travel advisory level with details on whether or not said destination is considered safe and specifically why or why not.

Shout out to my baby brother for telling me about this, otherwise I’d be gallivanting across borders with nothing but a hope and a prayer.