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Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar is a small city with an outsized impact. The Stari Most (Old Bridge), originally built in 1566 by Ottoman architect Mimar Hayruddin, was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993 and painstakingly rebuilt using original stones recovered from the river. Watching divers leap from the 24-meter-high bridge into the Neretva is a Mostar tradition. The old town on either side climbs steeply from the river, with cobblestone lanes lined with copper workshops, Turkish houses, and bazaar stalls. The Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque offers a minaret climb with the best bridge views, and the Ottoman House preserves traditional domestic life. Beyond the tourist core, the scars of war remain visible, adding a sobering dimension. The surrounding countryside offers day trips to the Blagaj Tekke, a Dervish monastery at a river source beneath a towering cliff.
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The old town's cobblestones are polished smooth and extremely slippery when wet — wear shoes with excellent grip, especially on the bridge approach.
May through June and September through October offer warm weather without the intense summer heat and tourist crowds of July and August.