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Hey there fellow travelers, Mark here with Wolters World and today we're in Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and today we have for you are the don'ts of visiting Mostar and Bosnia in general. And if you're going to be in Mostar, don't forget to cross the bridge, the Stari Most. This is the symbol of the city. Now, I want to tell you, don't think it is how it was like 1,500 years ago. They had to rebuild it because it was destroyed during the war in the 1990s, but they've done a fantastic job of redoing it and I want to tell you, you might see a guy over there that looks like he's going to jump. I want to tell you something about that. If you're on the bridge, don't think they're going
to jump right away because those divers, it's a thing here and they're collecting money to go and then do the dive, but they're going to be up there for a while to inspire more tips. So, if you want them to go, donate some money to them so you can have that. But just know they're kind of going and it's one of those things, the summertime it happens a lot more often. If you're here in the wintertime, might take a bit longer for somebody to dive in, but don't worry, they are trained professionals. You don't do that, they do that, okay? So, be aware of it. But I do want to tell you, don't think being here on the bridge is the best view. If you want to get the best view, you'll be on the riverfront over
there. That's going to be much more helpful. Also, when you are here, don't think it's just watching the guys dive when you're going to be here for the river stuff because you can take little boat tours on the river, really quick ones up there, nice little views of the city and the kind of ravine that's here. So, something to check out. And if you want to learn how to dive from the bridge, there's actually classes that'll teach you how to do the jump. So, you start over there on the kitty slopes over there and then you can graduate up here and they give you a certificate, too, so you can do the jump, but it's not for the faint of heart, I'll tell you that right now. When you're here in
Mostar, don't think there's only one beautiful bridge, there's multiple, but here is the crooked bridge. I know there's another bridge you can go over that doesn't have anywhere near as many tourists, but it is still really pretty. Now, I will say when you go around, you might notice something. Um, don't be anti-smoking when you are here in Bosnia and Herzegovina because people smoke and they smoke a lot when you're here, so you'll see at the cafes and stuff people will be smoking and nobody cares you don't like them smoking, they're still going to be smoking outside. So, just uh just have a heads-up for that. Now, when you come to Bosnia, I want to tell you don't think Bosnia is going to be that
expensive. It is a very much an affordable country to go to, but I will say don't compare the prices of Mostar with the rest of the country because Mostar gets a lot of tourists coming through, day trippers, all kinds of coming through for the day. So, if you're going to be at the old bazaar, you're going to be going around, the prices are higher than the rest of the country. However, it is still an affordable place even with tourist pricing. You're still going to enjoy it and your wallet's going to enjoy it as well. So, you can really get out there and really do things. So, spend your money when you come here to Bosnia and Herzegovina because it does make a difference because I got to tell you the tour of tourism infrastructure and the
infrastructure in general, don't expect that tourism infrastructure and the overall infrastructure to be really as much as you expect like if you've been in Croatia or Montenegro. So, you need to be aware of that. So, don't forget to have some patience when you come here in terms of getting around the country because it can take time. I mean, the train from Mostar to Sarajevo is beautiful, but take time, the buses take time. I think it's you see all these beautiful mountains? Yeah, that makes the driving a bit slower when you're here. So, it's going to take some time to get places. So, I want to tell you like just be aware of that because you're not going to have the speed of getting around. Also, don't expect
really fast service at the restaurants. Now, they will be very friendly and I'll talk about that, you know, in this video, but I want to tell you just have to have some patience when you go out to eat. I mean, they'll be helpful. They'll tell you what you should eat. I mean, heck, we're here in Mostar and the people are like, "Hey, wait, don't buy water from us. Buy the water at the lady next door and just do that. Just wait another 5 minutes if you're finished eating. Don't spend the extra money on our water." I'm like, "Wow, I've never had a restaurant tell us don't buy stuff here to save money." I thought that's like that's the kind of thing you have to think about. So, you have this very
helpfulness there, but I know some tourists get really upset when it things don't happen right away. So, that's why I wanted you to know. And kind of going on to the driving infrastructure kind of thing, um when you're driving around the country cuz you can rent a car and drive around, no problem. Don't freak out. People can be a bit aggressive on the roads and especially when you're going through those mountain passes and mountain roads you're not used to it so it can be a bit much and it can be a bit hair-raising like I'm going to die they're going to run me off the road. I almost got a head-on collision. So do be aware of that cuz that's one of those things that people do talk about that obsesses them
when they come here but don't you'll be fine when you're here just be aware of that when you're driving and that's going to help. Now I want to tell you when you come here to Bosnia and Herzegovina don't be surprised if it just hits different like you go around you feel different you can see that there isn't the tourism infrastructure so there isn't though everything set up for the big cruise travelers and all these kind of things that you'll see like in Croatia and Montenegro and it really makes you feel like traveling again like in the 80s sometimes when you have like really getting back with the people the guest houses and the restaurants around town and in the you
know in the mountains and all kinds of things so it just really has a totally different vibe and that's why when you meet people when they go to the Balkans so many people say I think Bosnia is my favorite country in the Balkans because the hospitality that's here all the variety you have with your all the different cultures that are here at the same time that you could really enjoy here. I think it's a really important thing to mention when you do come and if you are going to come I got to say I know I'm doing this in Mostar and I've you know I've talked about Sarajevo and how cool that is but I got to tell you don't think it's just Mostar and Sarajevo and you fly into Mostar or
Sarajevo and take the train in between or the bus between. There are a lot of other really beautiful places to check out when you are here. You know the Kravica waterfalls which is you know it's actually close to Mostar so that sounds bad saying that but the waterfalls you have when you go into the mountains the national parks they have here that you can go and visit whether you go to the Tara National Park or the Una National Park. I mean there's a lot of really great places you can go. There's all these smaller villages you can see too to kind of take in so it's not just Mostar and Sarajevo and that's it. There's a lot more other things you can do and a lot of times that's going to be a nature-based thing so I want to
tell you don't forget to be prepared for nature. Have your hat for the spray in a certain part so do be aware of that. And when you're going around don't forget to eat the local food. So burek you know the puff pastry that's filled with either cheese or spinach or sometimes meat in there. It might be cylindrical it might be like in a twisty kind of thing. That is a typical breakfast or any kind of fast food kind of thing you can have when you're here. That's a really traditional thing. Also, you might have the, you know, the little meat fingers. You know, it's like the ground up minced meat that's into like a little hot dog shape they grill up. They love that. Have that with some bread when you're here. The
ajvar, which is like the roasted peppers and the roasted tomatoes kind of smoosh up together into a spread. Fantastic on the bread or heck with the meat or with the eggs or with anything they have with you. You're going to have a great meal with that. Also, you can try the sarma, which are basically the stuffed cabbage leaves. You know, the minced meat and the rice in there all right, you know, in the cabbage rolls. That's another really good one. But, I think there's tons of really good grilled meats when you are here. So, you can eat very well. My vegetarian friends, sometimes it's a little tough. There are, you know, a lot of salads that they do have on offer. There's a soup that's really popular, but it's not really for
vegetarians. It's the begova čorba, which is basically a chicken and okra stew. You'll see that. Well, it's more like a soup than a stew, I feel, but it's kind of in that family. That'll be a lot of times on the menu as a starter when you're here. And another stuffed thing you can get the stuffed onions when you are here. Again, onions stuffed with the ground meat and the, you know, the rice in it as well. But, that's actually pretty good. You can get that, too. But, there are a lot of things. So, I know I mentioned earlier that the service can be a bit slow and patience is important, but don't forget you do tip when you are here. It's a very nice.
You can just round up. About 5 to 10% will be totally fine when you do uh go out. And you can just tell them to put it on the credit card or you can tip them in cash on the side. It's no big deal. Now, when you are here, don't forget you can climb the minarets. You can climb this one right here. But, I will tell you um don't do it if you get claustrophobic or don't like heights because it can be a bit um whoo, heart attack inducing when you're going up there, but also when you're up there. So, just have a heads up for that. One thing I will tell you when you're walking in Mostar, don't think that the river stones make better cobblestones than other cobblestones.
You want to make sure you have good grip shoes when you are here because those can get very slick. So, this is definitely not one of those high heel places. And if you think those river stones are slick, um I will warn you when you go over the Stari Most, the old bridge, it can be very slick as well. So, do be careful. So, if you do have any kind of mobility issues, bad ankles, anything like that, do be very careful on this because it is very slick and it is kind of hard to go up and over. So, just be aware. I don't want anybody getting hurt. And we're still waiting for him. And I think that's a really good thing to tell you that the divers here in Mostar really do represent Balkan time. And don't forget about
Balkan time when you're here because whether it is, you know, when you're at the restaurant waiting to get served, waiting to get your menu, or if you're going to be doing anything in any service industry, or any bureaucracy stuff, you got to have patience when you're here cuz Balkan time is a whole 'nother level of time management that you might not be used to. So, while we continue to wait for him to go, I think I want to tell you about a few different kind of scammy things you might want to be aware of when you're here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One thing I want to tell you is don't just hop into a cab.
Even the locals will tell you use one of the, you know, use one of those ride share apps or call a reputable cab company. Or at least before you hop in the cab, discuss what the price is going to be because any place you go that knows there's lots of different tours, there's lots of different monies, and all kinds of stuff going around here, it is one of the things that's easier for tourists to get ripped off. And so, taxis sometimes take advantage of it. Now, this has gotten much better, but I do want to mention that to you. Another thing that tourists get upset with is don't be surprised if you have to pay for the bread or some kind of other little service things that might
show up on your bill. So, that's why we say is don't forget to look at your bill or ask, "Hey, is this included?" Cuz you might be going to eat and the food here is really good. They're going to eat plenty of food. You don't really need the bread. I mean, the bread's good, but you don't really need it unless they give you ajvar. If they give you ajvar, that crushed red pepper and tomato kind of paste kind of stuff, so good on bread. So good. You want to have that. But the bread and those things might be extra. So, look on there and be like, "Hey, um is was it is this included?" before you say yes, "I'll take the bread." Cuz I've seen a few tourists get a little upset with that cuz they
thought, "Well, that should be included with everything." Also, I think another thing is important if you're going to be coming over like if you're going to be coming from Dubrovnik over for a day trip to here in Mostar, don't exchange money with people on the streets. Go use an ATM. Go do it there so you know you're going to get the right bills, you're not going to get taken for a ride, and you get a better exchange rate, okay? Now, I do want to tell you, don't think they use the euro here, okay? They still have They have their own mark, the Bosnian convertible mark, the BAM. They have that, but a lot of places, especially here in Mostar, will take euros, no problem. It's basically like two to one. Um so, you can pay with
euros a lot of places, but not all the time, especially if you're going away from the tourist areas. And that's what I say is, don't forget to have cash. Tourist places like here in Mostar, credit cards, you can use most places, not a big deal. Like literally, buying waters, they took credit card, okay? However, if you're going inland, you're going to the mountains, you're going higher and like farther inland by Sarajevo, you go to other places, cash is going to be much more important. So, even in the cities, it might be one of
those things. So, it's good to have some money with you, even if it's just euros, okay? Even though they don't always use the euros, even though it's not always accepted, it's good to have something around. Because sometimes you might have to pay for a toilet, but also, I think with the toilet ones, don't forget to bring some tissues with you. Now, when you're here in Mostar, where there's lots of tourists, there's plenty of toilet facilities. Heck, there's public toilets that are outfitted. That's fine. But you're going to go out and explore more of Bosnia Herzegovina, you might hit up a toilet or two that are not fully stocked, let's say, and therefore, you might um [clears throat]
really be glad that you had some tissues with you. And when you're coming to Bosnia Herzegovina, I think another thing really important don't I have for you is, don't be flippant talking about politics or the war, cuz this is a very recent thing. Like, there's people younger than me that were fighting in the war. And when you go around, you'll see some of the scars. You'll see the bullet holes. You'll see the buildings. I mean, these things I mean, there's been a lot of repair. It's been 20-some years, 30-some years since the war, but you still see the scars that are there. And some of the scars you can't see in terms of in people's, you know,
attitudes and how people have been affected and impacted. So, I really think it's a good idea not to bring up the war unless someone else does. And the thing is, there's places you can like the war photography, you know, exhibit you can go to here in Mostar, but around the country, there's a lot of war museums you can go to, and they people will discuss it with you, but I feel it's best to let them bring it up than you because remember you have a lot of different people, a lot of diverse people here in Bosnia-Herzegovina and therefore there's going to be different perspectives on things. So it's best to hear them out because you will hear different perspectives on the war and I think it's really important as a tourist
that we respect them in terms of their just wanting to bring up the topic versus us putting it in there and that's why I think another thing that's important for you to realize is the political thing. Don't think you understand the political thing when you're here like they have three presidents and that the presidents rotate around. So the president for the Bosniaks, there's a president for the Serbians, there's a president for the Croats and they rotate around and it just makes things like as a, you know, as someone not from, you know, Bosnia you're not really sure what's really going on sometimes. So just be aware that it can be a bit confusing if you venture into the politics kind of thing. And I think that actually goes into another thing when we
talk about it is don't say that everyone is a Bosniak or everyone's a Bosnian because you have different groups. Yeah, about half a little bit less than half of the country are Bosniaks, okay? And then maybe a third of the country are Serbian and then like 15% are Croatian. So you do have a mix of people here. So don't forget that it's a very diverse society. You'll see Catholic churches, you'll see mosques, you'll see Orthodox churches, all kinds of things when you go around the country and it's really important to respect all the different religions and all the different beliefs when you are here, but it's very diverse and so there's all these different things you got to take in. So one thing
I want to tell you if you're going to be going around Bosnia, if you're going to be going into the mosque, you want to go into the churches, don't forget to wear some like respectable clothes, you know, don't be doing the tube tops or your tank top kind of shirts for guys kind of things cuz some places might not like that. They might not say anything to you, but it's one of those things about showing respect when you're here. Now one of the fun parts about being here in Mostar is just wandering through the old bazaar, wandering through the old streets, all kinds of things and that is one thing I do recommend you to do.
However, I will tell you don't forget to pay attention when you're walking around because again got a crowded and you know, the nefarious folks know that Mostar is a very big tourist destination so there are some nefarious people that might pickpocket you here. But in general, you don't really have to worry about your safety when you're here in Bosnia because it is a pretty safe place for a tourist. So, there's not really any violent crime against tourists or anything like that, so you're going to be okay. But I would say most are Sarajevo, but maybe keep an eye out on your stuff. So, use your safe at your hotel, leave your passport there. But I would say definitely have a picture of
your passport and a copy of your passport with you in case you are asked for ID because they can ask for that. It's just part of the way, so do be aware of that. Now, one of the fun things I want to tell you when you are here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, um don't be anti-80s music, okay? When I say anti-80s music, I mean anti-80s music that's been covered in a kind of much slower pace. You'll notice that when you go around in restaurants. A lot of 80s covers music. One of those funny things you'll notice. And one of the best parts about coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina is the hospitality of the people. And I want to tell you this, don't undersell the hospitality of the locals here. They
will go out of your way to make sure you have a good time when you're here, whether picking the right restaurants, where you should visit in the country, where you should go, where you shouldn't go. I mean, they are super helpful and super friendly, so don't pass up on that, okay? And one of the times you're really going to see that quite a bit is if they ask you to have coffee or rakija. And I think that's one of those things, don't pass up a drink with a local because here, the Bosnian coffee, you'll see the like little copper cups, little copper pots, you know, with the stick on it that you pour in your little cup there. Um don't pass on the sugar. You're going to need that sugar.
It's pretty strong. That's one thing you can have with people, but another one is the rakija. And the rakija is usually a grappa. It's like a pressed grape like liquor. It's very strong. It can be other fruits as well, but that's kind of like the natural like alcoholic drink you would have when you're here. And it's a sipper. Don't don't shoot the rakija. You sip that. But it's one of those conversation things. So, if you get a chance to really experience that hospitality, you will be having some rakija or you'll be having some Bosnian coffee when you are here. It is one of those things. And I will tell you, um don't have that Bosnian coffee at too late in the day because it is very
strong, so be aware of that, okay? And you really want to kind of have even a better experience with people, you want to get the people to be more like happier here, don't forget to learn a few words before you come, like "book", which is like "hi", you know? Or you could be more formal and say "zdravo", which is like "hello". Or if someone gives you something like "thank you" is "hvala", you can say that. That's a really nice one to do. They always appreciate it. Um "molim" is "please", or "dobar dan", which is um you know, "good day". These kind of things go a long way cuz very few people speak Bosnian, right? They're like, "Wait, you're speaking my language? You What
are you doing?" And that really opens up the people. And all the restaurants we've gone to, all the shops we've gone to, too, we always say "dobar dan" when we go in and the people smile. We say "hvala", "hvala", "hvala", however you want to say it. They're also like, "Aw, that's so cute, you silly tourists. Thank you for that." But that's one of those things that really brings out that happiness in the people and then you really see that hospitality. So when you're Mostar, don't forget to see the museums and the home museums when you do come here. Now, you do have the Hamam Museum here, which is basically an old bathhouse. You can check that out and see how that was. But what's cool is
there's actually some old homes you can visit when you're here and see how it was in the Ottoman times. So it can give you a little bit better feel for how it was back in the past here. So it's really cool. The thing is here in Mostar, you've got a lot of other museums you can visit, some from the war, the war museum, the photography museum that's here for that or the war photography museum. You can see those things. But there's a lot of smaller museums you can visit here. And that's one of those things you can see a lot of really nice small museums when you go around Bosnia because a lot of people do have the memories and the pride they have of their country and their region and everything. So they do show it off.
So that is something you can enjoy when you are going around and not just here in Mostar but in other parts of the country. So when you're here in Mostar, don't think it's all just crap. There are a lot of shops around here that where it's just like, you know, the same old thing over and over again. But you can get some really meaningful souvenirs while you're here. There are a lot of local artisans, handmade leather goods, art, um jewelry that there are things that are made by people here locally. I always encourage people to get those things because they're like a lot more impactful for the community, but they also mean a lot more to you. I mean, you can get anything that's been hand stamped in China by a machine, or you can get
something that someone actually made with their hands. And you know, there's a little more story to tell there. So, don't think it's all just junk. You got to search a little bit sometimes, but you'll find some really great things to purchase. Now, if you're coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina, most likely you're going to be coming in via car or a bus or a van. That's the most likely way you're going to be coming in. And I will tell you, if you're going to be coming in, if you're going to be doing a day trip or something like that, I want to tell you, don't sleep in on border day, okay? When you're going to cross the border, it is a lot quicker to come in the morning.
The lines are a lot longer. And but I will say, it has gotten a lot better the last few years coming in here with the border crossing much more efficient going through. But I want to tell you, sometimes it can get backed up. So, the earlier going across the border, the better with your car. So, just be aware of that, okay? And when you're going to be driving around the country, one thing I want to say is, you know, obviously don't miss Sarajevo. I mean, it's just a really cool eclectic city. Like, you feel the Austro-Hungarian Empire there. You feel the, you know, the Ottoman Empire there. You have such like a variety of architecture that's really, really cool. But the museums that are
there, the war museums that are there, all these kind of things, the tunnel of love that's there. I mean, there's so many cool things you can see in Sarajevo. You can understand why it was, you know, a host for an Olympics years ago. And it's really, I mean, you can see how it's going to be a huge hub of tourism again in the future. So, don't miss out on it when you're going to be here. And you can never go wrong getting baklava or anything from a bakery or any place here in Bosnia cuz they do fantastic work. So, you don't have to stay hungry when you're here. And then another thing, if you're looking at the food, don't pass up the Bosnian sausages. When you have it, you always want to make sure you have it with the
mustard. And probably don't need to like this, but they are really good. So, you're going to do just good if you go with the meat when you are here. So good. All right, yes, I just double dipped. It's my mustard. So, I hope this helps you out a bit more of the do's and don'ts of coming to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If you want to learn more, maybe stuff about other countries around this area in the Balkans, you know, we've got Macedonia, Albania, Croatia videos to help you learn more. But also, if you have some dos and don'ts of coming to Bosnia Herzegovina and Mostar as well, please put it in the comment
section below to help other travelers enjoy this beautiful city and this beautiful country. Bye from here in Bosnia Herzegovina.
