Ben and Claire are three months into their family’s move away from the default, travelling full-time with their two children (7 and 5). After ten days in Croatia, they crossed into Bosnia and Herzegovina, first to Mostar, then up into the mountains near Sarajevo, before continuing on towards Serbia. Here, Claire writes up what happened, and the lesson it taught them.
After Croatia, we crossed into Bosnia and Herzegovina, first to Mostar, then up into the mountains near Sarajevo, before continuing on towards Serbia. It turned into one of the biggest lessons of the trip so far, and easily one of our favourite stops.
The accommodation that nearly wasn’t
When the satnav first took us to our booked apartment in Mostar, our instinct was to turn around and book somewhere else. The neighbourhood looked worn down, derelict buildings, graffiti everywhere, and the apartment itself was hidden behind a huge metal shutter door with no way to see inside. We couldn’t even get in touch with our host at first, our phones weren’t working well in Bosnia, so we found a local cafe with Wi-Fi to reconnect and double check the reviews.
This is one thing we won’t compromise on while travelling: safety. If that means spending more, we will. We’re never willing to put ourselves, and especially the children, in a position where we don’t feel comfortable. But everything we found, research done beforehand and reviews checked again on the spot, said the area was fine and safe for families. So we stuck with it.
When our host finally opened that metal door, we found a genuinely lovely apartment behind it, two rooms downstairs and a bedroom upstairs. He’d stocked it with snacks and drinks for our arrival, it was spotless, and it had everything we needed including a washing machine, so we got all our laundry done too. All of that for £89 for two nights, one of the cheapest stays we’ve had anywhere so far. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Mostar Old Town and the Old Bridge
Our accommodation was a straightforward ten to fifteen minute walk from Mostar’s Old Town, and the contrast between the two areas was striking, from run-down streets to somewhere genuinely beautiful and authentic. On the way, we also passed homeless people and families, including children, sitting on the street. It was eye-opening for our children, our daughter in particular, who’s a bit more switched on to things like this, and she showed real compassion. We explained gently that we couldn’t donate to every family we passed, but we did where we could.
We happened to visit the Old Bridge during a Red Bull cliff diving competition, so there was a proper buzz in the air, divers going off the top of the bridge itself while we watched from below. We had a swim in the river underneath too. Food and gelato around the old town were excellent and reasonably priced, probably the cheapest cost of living we’ve found anywhere on this trip.
Kravice Waterfalls
We also made a trip out to Kravice Waterfalls. Fair warning if you’re planning to go: it’s a genuine tourist attraction, and it was busy. Entry was free for children seven and under, and roughly £15 for the adults. It’s a bit of a walk down to the water itself, but once there you’ll find cafes, restaurants and bars, plus activities like kayaking and small boat rides that get you closer to the falls. We only stayed around an hour in the end, the heat and the crowds moved us on, but it’s worth seeing.
Getting lost, and finding something better
One day we set off, on a recommendation from our Mostar host, to find another lake with waterfalls nearby. We’d pre-loaded the route the night before since our phones, even on our worldwide eSIM, had no signal anywhere in Bosnia. About ninety minutes in, the map dropped us in an industrial area full of lorries with nothing around us. With no signal to check anything, we drove on until we found a small local shop, where the owner kindly let us tether her phone’s internet so we could see where we actually were. We’d gone over an hour and a half in the wrong direction, for a destination that should only have been half an hour from where we were staying.
So we turned around. And honestly, that detour turned into one of the best drives of the whole trip, mountain views, open lakes, scenery that stopped us in our tracks. We found a log cabin cafe in the middle of nowhere overlooking a lake, stopped for pancakes and drinks, and let the kids’ moods lift again after a long stretch in the car. We decided to skip the original destination and head back towards Mostar instead, back to the old town for the kids to swim in the river and catch whatever else was going on. Sometimes getting lost is the best thing that can happen to a day.
Up into the mountains
After a couple of days in a city, we’ve noticed our two (five and seven) reach their limit with walking around sightseeing in the heat. So for our next stop we deliberately looked for somewhere with more built-in activity, and found a ski resort near Sarajevo, still open in summer despite having no snow, and priced far more reasonably than it would be in ski season.
We stayed three nights in a genuinely gorgeous hotel: a huge room with separate bedrooms, a spa, an indoor soft play area with climbing and trampolines, and outdoor trampolines and bouncy castles too. We took the cable car up to the peak (around €50 for the family), did a short hike up there and took in the views, then came down on what we think is called a mountain coaster, essentially a toboggan you control the speed of yourself. It was one of the best laughs we’ve had on this whole trip, Ben and our daughter went down together, our son came with Claire, and we were all laughing and screaming the entire way. The kids wanted to go straight back up and do it again.
The hotel included half board, a full buffet breakfast (with enough left over to take fruit as a snack for later) and a buffet evening meal, both excellent, which made the whole stay even better value. One thing worth flagging if you’re considering somewhere similar: we did a 5km hike expecting a few cafes and shops along the route based on the map, but in the off-season, none of them were actually open. Worth carrying enough water and snacks of your own just in case.
What we took from Bosnia
The contrast really stuck with us, from the neighbourhood we stayed in, to the Old Town, to the mountains, every part of Bosnia felt distinct. If you’re planning a visit, it’s worth doing a bit of research on what kind of experience you want beforehand, since the country offers such different things depending on where you go.
More than anything, we’re glad we didn’t turn the car around that first day in Mostar. It would have cost us money we didn’t need to lose, over a first impression that turned out to be completely wrong. Bosnia has been the most budget-friendly place we’ve visited so far, the people were wonderful everywhere we went, and we’d recommend it to any family without hesitation.
What else is possible when you give a place a chance before writing it off?
FAQ
Is Mostar safe for families? We felt safe throughout, though we’d always recommend checking recent reviews for your specific accommodation and area before booking, and trusting your instincts once you arrive.
Is Kravice Waterfalls worth the crowds? Yes, but go in expecting a busy, well-trodden tourist spot rather than a quiet natural escape, and consider going early to beat the worst of the heat and crowds.
Are mountain resorts in Bosnia worth visiting outside of ski season? Very much so, and often at a fraction of winter prices. Just check ahead what’s actually open along any hiking routes, since some facilities close for the off-season.
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