The Rough Guide to Bosnia & Herzegovina
From the 15th to the 19th century, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) was a part of the Ottoman Empire and later annexed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This gives the country a unique mix of Orthodox Christian-Muslim culture that’s reflected in architecture, food, dance and much more. Add to this a beautiful craggy landscape riven with wild rivers and warm hospitable people and you get a perfect holiday destination.
Sarajevo is the largest city of B&H and its capital. In 1914, the world was a heated powder keg waiting for a spark, and the assassination of the heir to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and his wife in Sarajevo provided just that. The building next to the Latin Bridge is the place the 18 years old Gavrilo Princip stood as he shot them. It’s now a museum and Gavrilo was a celebrated hero in former Yugoslavia and still is in certain parts of the country.
Mostar is home to a contest held every year since 1556 and Lorens Listo, the current champion has won it eleven times. If you are wondering what the competition is about, here’s a clue; Stari Most is a 16th-century bridge that connects the Christian and Muslim communities on either side of Neretva and at its highest point, it’s 79m. Lorens Listo is the champion diver.
Kajtaz House in Mostar was the harem of a 16th-century Ottoman judge and a part of a much larger house. The house is filled with the original furnishings and is run as a museum by the judge’s descendants.
Vranduk Castle off Zenica–Duboj highway is easily missed if you don’t look out for it. This small castle is in a deep river valley of the River Bosna, where it makes 180 degrees U-turn. It’s a difficult place to find and getting a local guide is not a bad idea.
Tuzla, the third largest city of B&H became the champion of kissing competitions in 2007. A total of 6,980 couples kissed for 10 seconds in Tuzla.
Ferhat Pasha Mosque is another attraction here. It’s a small mosque with a 43 m high minaret built in the 16th century.
Why go to B&H? For multiple reasons; Indians love to visit Europe and B&H is European and economical. It’s interesting and beautiful; has a lot of colors and a lively culture. Though the country has just 20 km of sandy beaches on the Adriatic Sea, there are more than enough adventure activities to satisfy even the most die-hard adventure seekers. These include river rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, trekking, and very economical skiing in winter.
It’s a win-win destination and if you plan to visit B&H, book well in advance. This will get you more benefits with hotel reservations and airline tickets. For all your travel expenses, get EbixCash World Money’s multi-currency card. It’s valid at all Visa outlets and is secured with a pin/chip security and backed by 24 x 7 customer support.
