Want to know the best things to do in Mostar?
Mostar is the 5th largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the largest in the Herzegovina region). It is one of the most visited destinations in the country.
We love Mostar. We visited the city in March 2018, and we were excited to return in August 2025 as part of our Road Trip around Bosnia by Campervan. We spent a month slow travelling around the country, and Mostar was definitely a highlight.
So if you’re wondering what to do in Mostar, here’s our favourite things to see and do. Whether you’re here for a quick day trip, or have several days to linger, we hope you love Mostar like we do.
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11 Best Things to do in Mostar
Mostar is known for it’s Old Bridge (Stari Most), bustling bazaar, riverside cafés and warm, friendly locals, Mostar will capture your heart the moment you arrive.
But Mostar also has a dark history. During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, the city endured heavy fighting and sniper attacks, and even today the scars of conflict remain. Mostar has rebuilt, and in 2005 the city and Old Bridge were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
1. Stari Most (Old Bridge)
The Stari Most, or Old Bridge, was built in 1566 on the site of an earlier wooden bridge. Ottoman stone masons came to construct the bridge with its steep single arch. The Mostar Bridge stood for centuries as the proud symbol of the city.
Sadly, during the Bosnian War, the bridge was bombed and collapsed into the Neretva River. This heartbreaking loss was more than just strategic for the people of Mostar. A temporary bridge was quickly erected to allow locals to travel from one side of the city to the other.
After the war, the bridge was painstakingly reconstructed. Original stones were retrieved from the river and numbered. Stonemasons came from Turkey, who still knew how to work with the traditional Ottoman construction techniques. The bridge reconstruction was completed in 2004. You can learn more about the history of the bridge at the Stari Most Museum (see below).
2. Mostar Bridge Jumpers
The thing we were probably most excited about visiting Mostar in the summer was seeing the legendary Mostar Bridge jumpers.
Since the 17th century, young local men would jump from the Stari Most, 24m into the icy Neretva River below. This was considered a show of bravery and became a rite of passage for many young men.
Nowadays, it’s more of a tourist spectacle, but it is thrilling to watch. The Mostar Diving Club keeps the tradition alive, and coaches wannabe jumpers from around the world. Actually, in the three days we spent in Mostar, we only saw tourists jumping!
There is a €50 charge if you wish to jump. You pay €20 to be coached jumping off successively high practice platforms (the tallest of these is 16m). Then, if the jump coach is satisfied you can do the jump safely, you pay an additional €30 to jump from the Old Bridge.
A word of warning
Now here’s where it gets a bit, shall we say, scammy. We watched a couple of young Dutch guys jumping, and the coach took up a collection from the crowd, spruiking that this was the first time they were jumping and how brave his “friends” were etc.
While he didn’t explicitly SAY the collection was for the jumpers, we know for a fact he did not give any money to them!
Before we came to Mostar, we had heard that the local guys take up a collection and when they get enough money they will jump. We saw this one particular guy taking money from tourists several times, and yet we never saw him jump.
So we would say, enjoy watching the tourists jump, but don’t feel compelled to “donate”.
3. Mostar Diving Club
The Mostar Diving Club is right on the western edge of the bridge in one of the towers. You can enter the building and chat with the divers/coaches. There are photos along the walls of people diving and jumping from the bridge – including some jumping from the temporary bridge just after the war.
You may like to make a donation to the club after visiting and seeing the photos, rather than paying the coaches on the bridge itself.
4. Mostar “beach”
While it’s thrilling to watch the jumpers while you’re standing on top of the bridge, it’s equally exciting to watch them from the small beach on the western shore of the river. There are a couple of bars here where you can grab a beer, and watch the jumpers as the sun sets.
This is also right opposite the training platforms. We spent a very enjoyable few hours sitting with two young Australian couples (the guys had both jumped earlier) watching an English guy take literally an HOUR to jump from the middle practice platform.
And yes, you can cool off in the river here. But be warned, the waters are ICY even in summer.
5. Museum of the Old Bridge
The Mostar Bridge museum is located in the watch tower on the eastern side of the river. The first section of the museum takes you up to the top of the tower, passing information displays about the original bridge construction (engineers will love this!)
The views from the top of the tower are very cool, as you look down onto the bridge and the Old Bazaar.
The second part of the museum takes you down under the foundations of the bridge, and then to an audio visual display of the reconstruction of the bridge. There are photos and information in English, and a video with English subtitles.
The video has several sections showing the bridge being shelled and the actual collapse, and then the long process of rebuilding.
The Mostar Bridge museum is open 8am to 4pm daily, and entry costs 20KM
6. Mostar Old Bazaar (Kujundziluk)
Mostar’s Old Bazaar dates back around 500 years. Along these cobbled streets you’ll find craft shops and traditional restaurants. Nowadays there are souvenir stands mixed in with the traditional stores.
After battling the crowds during the afternoon, we came back early in the morning, and enjoyed watching the stall holders setting up as the bazaar came to life. We hadn’t noticed how colourful it is here.
7. Bosnian Food and riverside cafes
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the banks of the Neretva River. Bosnian traditional food is hearty and delicious. Make sure you try burek (we particularly like the cheese or potato versions) and cevapi (little skinless sausages).
We enjoyed a traditional Bosnian coffee at the Labarinth Restaurant, sitting on the terrace overlooking the bridge. We’ve also eaten at Sadrvan on the western side of the river, the food there was delicious, especially the vegetarian plate.
8. Crooked Bridge
You’ll also find plenty of lovely restaurants and cafes down near the Crooked Bridge. This smaller bridge dates from the 16th century. Some say it was built as a model for the Old Bridge, but according the the signboard near the Crooked Bridge, it was built in the Roman Style.
The bridge collapsed in winter floods during 1999 (but mainly due to damage it sustained during the war), and was rebuilt in 2002 with assistance from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
9. Museum of War and Genocide Victims 1992‑1995
Mostar and it’s people suffered terribly during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. There are several private museums displaying photographs and personal belongings of victims throughout the city. This museum gives a good overview of this difficult time.
A visit to the museum is included in the Life Under Siege guided tour. We did this tour with Esmer when we visited Mostar in 2018, and we were deeply moved. This tour was a big part of why we wanted to come back to Mostar.
10. Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque
The Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque was built in 1617. The mosque was severely damaged in the Bosnian War (as were many mosques) and has been rebuilt since.
While there are plenty of mosques you can visit in Bosnia, this is the only one we know of where you can climb the minaret. And the views from this minaret are probably the best in all of Mostar!
The dress code is very relaxed at this mosque, Sue didn’t need a head covering, and we were allowed to leave our shoes on. The mosque is open from 9am (may be closed during prayer times). Entry to the mosque is 10KM, or 15KM if you wish to visit and climb the minaret.
11. War History – Streets and ruined buildings
On our recent visit we were keen to re-visit some of the streets and bombed out buildings we had seen in 2018 on our tour. We walked from the Old Bridge along Adema Buca Street, which runs into Tvrtka Milosa.
Along this street you’ll see several buildings with bullet holes, and bombed out, abandoned buildings.
Walk past the prison with it’s Street Art, and loop back around to the Sniper Tower (former Ljubjanska Bank) at Spanish Square. The bank building was the tallest building in Mostar when the war broke out – a concrete and steel structure covered in glass.
It’s height made it a prime spot for snipers to hang out. Now the glass is all gone, and only the graffitied shell of the building remains.
There are several other bombed out buildings on this large roundabout.
Best Day Trips from Mostar
Blagaj
Blagaj is a small village less than half an hours drive from Mostar. The village is known for it’s Dervish Monastery, built right into the cliff where the Buna River springs out. There are several fish restaurants along the banks of the river here. We enjoyed an excellent lunch of trout at the Mlinice Restaurant.
Kravice Waterfall
Another popular destination (especially in summer when temperatures in Mostar regularly reach the high 30s (100F) is the Kravice Waterfall. There is a large pool at the base of the falls where you can swim.
We visited Kravice Waterfall in March 2018, when it was in full flow and it looked spectacular! We decided not to visit the waterfall during our summer visit as we knew it would be super crowded.
If you’re travelling in a campervan or motorhome, the AutoCamp Kravica is very popular, but we hear the steep hill out of the campsite can be a challenge.
Pocitelj
Pocitelj is probably our favourite small Bosnian town. This old stone village is built on the steep slopes of a hill above the Neretva River. Wandering the old streets, checking out the views from the fortress at the top, and especially climbing the tower were highlights of our trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If you don’t have a car, you can do an organised tour that visits all three of these places in one day!
Mostar Travel Guide – Essential Information
How to get to Mostar
By Air
While there is a small international airport in Mostar, there are only a couple of airlines that fly in and out of here (including SkyAlps, EuroWings, Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia).
You may find it easier to fly into Sarajevo (or Dubrovnik) and transfer from there with a train, bus or rental car. You can check Skyscanner for flight availability and the best pricing.
By Car (or Campervan!)
If you’re driving around the Balkans, you can reach Mostar by good roads. The road between Sarajevo and Mostar is beautiful and passes by Konjic and Jablanica which are both worth a stop.
By Train
Trains travel to Mostar from Sarajevo twice daily, departing around 7:15am and 4:45pm. The train journey costs 11.60KM and takes around 2 hours. You can find out more and book tickets on the Railways website.
The train journey is supposed to be very beautiful. We’ve heard that seats on the left side of the train have better views.
By Bus
Bus travel is definitely the most economical way to travel around the Balkans (other than hitch-hiking!). You can get to Mostar by bus from Sarajevo, Dubrovnik and many other towns and cities in the Balkans. Check timetables and book tickets on Omio.
Getting around Mostar
The old town centre is closed to cars, but is easily walkable. We do recommend wearing comfortable shoes, as the streets are cobbled, and if you’re walking across the Old Bridge, you should know it’s quite steep and slippery. There are raised sections to stop your feet slipping too far forward though.
If you’re staying out of town, there are public busses and taxis. We used a private taxi to take us to and from our campsite at only 10KM per ride (€5)
Where to stay in Mostar
If, like us, you’re travelling by campervan there are several campsites located just outside of the town. We stayed at Autocamp Victoria which cost around €25 per night including power. There is nothing around this campsite, but they organised a private driver for us (we nick-named him Big John).
When we visited in 2018 we stayed at Apartment Tarik, which was affordable, comfortable and a short walk to the Old Town. This apartment had parking available, which was ideal as we were travelling with a hire car.
There is a good variety of accommodation in Mostar, but the city is very popular. We recommend booking well in advance, especially during the peak summer season.
Best places to eat in Mostar (and drink)
There’s no shortage of cafes and restaurants in the old town of Mostar. Having a meal or coffee overlooking the river and Old Bridge is a great experience. We enjoyed traditional Bosnian Coffee at Labarinth Restaurant, and traditional food at Sadrvan.
FAQs
Is Mostar worth visiting?
Mostar is definitely one of the best places to visit in Bosnia. You can learn a lot about the history and culture of the country here, all in a small area. The old town is easily walkable and there’s only short distances between the main attractions.
When is the best time to visit Mostar?
We have visited Mostar in summer and winter. (August and March). Winter was pleasant as there were so few people around, but we missed seeing the bridge jumpers. Summers in Mostar get very busy and can be very hot. We timed our visit to avoid several heatwaves where the weather approached 40 degrees celsius (over 100F).
If you do visit in the summer months, we can highly recommend visiting the city just after sunrise. It’s completely different without the crowds, and we really enjoyed watching the stall holders opening up for the day. And of course, getting these shots of us alone on the Old Bridge was an added bonus.
How many days should you spend in Mostar?
While many people visit Mostar on a day trip (from either Sarajevo or Dubrovnik) it’s well worth spending at least one night in the town. The riverside area looks beautiful lit up (especially around the Crooked Bridge).
Having extra time will allow you to walk out to the Sniper tower to see the bombed out buildings, head up to one of the hilltop viewpoints, or take a day trip to Blagaj or Kravice Waterfall.
Is Mostar affordable?
Mostar is probably the most expensive place we visited in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s still very reasonably priced if you’re coming from Western Europe, the UK, USA or Australia. Prices for simple things like a bottle of water were noticeably more expensive. I think we paid 3KM for a small bottle in Mostar and only 1KM in Sarajevo.
Is Mostar safe for tourists?
We have found everywhere in the Balkans to be very safe. The locals are friendly and welcoming and we’ve never felt threatened or in danger in any way. Having said that, when we checked into our campsite, the owner did warn us to be aware of pickpockets in the old town, especially in the crowded streets of the Old Bazaar.
We should also mention the danger of unexploded landmines. If you’re planning to walk up to one of the hilltop viewpoints, please stick to the road. It’s unknown how many landmines are still buried in Bosnia.
Watch our Mostar Travel Film
As we are travelling around the Balkans by campervan we produce weekly Travel Vlogs for our YouTube Channel. You can check out our Mostar Travel Guide, or any of our other films about the Balkans.
Where to next?
Read about all our favourite places in Bosnia, or check out our comprehensive guide to Sarajevo.