Bosnia And Herzegovina Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Bosnia and Herzegovina has made considerable progress in improving its infrastructure since the civil war that officially ended in late 1995.

Today, Bosnian cities have all the usual modern technology, services and international standards found in countries around the world. There is commercial air service to Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla and Mostar. Roads between major cities and tourist destinations are in excellent condition and there's an extensive, reliable bus network throughout the country. A range of accommodations options are available in Sarajevo and in other major towns throughout Bosnia. Large, modern shopping malls have also been built, with the encouragement of foreign investors. In Sarajevo there are many international corporations, Europe's top designer clothing stores, Mercedes and Porsche stores, and even McDonald's.

That having been said, the war left empty lots, bombed-out rubble, scorched buildings and some ravaged countryside. In any town, visitors who keep their eyes open will notice the occasional damaged, bullet-ridden building left in a state of decay And that's just the physical damage. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced some of the worst horrors the 20th century had to offer: rape, murder and genocide. The expression "ethnic cleansing" has become as attached to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the Holocaust is to World War II.

In spite of this, the country has made great progress economically and socially, and there is a possibility it could eventually join the European Union in the future.

Bosnia's tourism industry has grown significantly, with major destinations attracting international travelers. These travelers visit Bosnia to enjoy its spectacular natural scenery and diverse cities.

Medjugorje, the religious shrine near the southern border with Croatia, draws thousands of pilgrims a year, adding tourist currencies to the local economy.

If you visit this country, it is recommended—although not vital—that you go by organized tour. This will minimize the risk of encountering unexploded land mines in remote rural areas, which may still be present from the war.

Geography

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a mountainous country with only a tiny piece (about 15 mi/24 km) of coastline along the Adriatic Sea.

It is divided into two administrative areas: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is dominated by a Croat (Catholic) and Bosniak (Muslim) population, and the Republika Srpska, which is dominated by Serbs. There's also tiny Brcko, near the eastern border with Serbia, which has the distinguished claim as Europe's only self-governing, wholly autonomous city.

The country is bordered by Croatia to the north and west, by Serbia to the east and by Montenegro to the south.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that humans settled in this region from the Neolithic Period, in 7000 BC. In 700-300 BC, various Illyrian and Celtic peoples ruled the area. Greeks, followed by Romans, had brief presences there in the 300s BC to early 100s AD.

In 500-800 AD, Slavic peoples arrived and settled in the region. By the 1200s, they established Bosnia, which later became the Kingdom of Bosnia in the 1400s. The Kingdom of Bosnia was rather short-lived, however, because the region was conquered by the Ottoman Turkish Empire in 1463. They ruled for more than 400 years.

The Turks introduced Islam to the formerly Christian Bosnians, as well as Turkish cuisine and clothing and Ottoman architecture. Many of those structures still stand and count as some of Bosnia's main attractions.

In 1887 the Ottomans were defeated and pushed out of the region. The Austro-Hungarian Empire quickly stepped into Bosnia. They built many grand European-style buildings in key cities. The Habsburgs also introduced modern technology from Europe, such as trolleys, railroads and clock towers.

This multiethnic empire was beginning to clash with neighboring Serbia, a Slavic country that had won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. As Serbia grew stronger and spread its influence, disputes with its neighbor grew, finally culminating in the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serb nationalist Gravrilo Princip, which ignited World War I. With the defeat of the Austrian Empire at the end of the war, Bosnia became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes—Yugoslavia's first incarnation. Serb leaders (especially Premier Nikola Pasic) felt that the country was not a collection of equals, but a union of Southern Slavs under the protection and control of the Serbs, a role they had earned because of their prior independence and military power. This enraged the Croatians and Macedonians, and left the country in a continuous struggle until it collapsed under the German invasion at the beginning of World War II.

A similar conflict resurfaced at the end of World War II, with the creation of the second, communist Yugoslavia (the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia) under Marshall Josip Broz, more commonly known as Tito. Tito, however, was able to keep the ethnic rivalries in check by purging nationalists and playing them against each other. After his death in 1980, this conflict resurfaced, with Serb nationalists arguing that Yugoslavia had always held their people back, Croatian nationalists countering that the country was dominated by the Serbs at the expense of the other groups, and Bosnia—with its mixed Serb, Croat and Muslim population—caught in the middle.

After the Yugoslavian government became increasingly dominated by Serb nationalists, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia declared independence in the early 1990s. Bosnian Serbs opposed independence, fearing they would be marginalized in their new country by Bosnian Croats and Muslims. Shortly after independence was declared in 1992, Bosnian Serbs began their ethnic-cleansing programs in Serb-controlled territory in northern and eastern Bosnia. Attacks on Sarajevo, with the support of the Yugoslavian military, soon followed. The country degenerated into a horrific civil war that ended only after NATO forces intervened in 1995.

Many of the wars worst offenders were eventually tried and prosecuted. The Serb faction within Bosnia and Herzegovina has maintained its own entity, known as the Republika Srpska, with its own laws and leaders. The Office of the High Representative, established in 1995, oversees the implementation of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Some say that it is impossible for Bosnia's ethnic groups to live in peace, although anyone who remembers what Sarajevo or Mostar were like before the war knows that this is not true. And even during the civil war, many ethnic Serbs, Croats and Muslims gave their lives to keep the multiethnic Bosnian state together. With the rebuilding of Sarajevo, Mostar and other areas, the economy has slowly bounced back, bringing with it a slow but steady stream of tourists who are once again eager to explore the region as well as engage in business and commerce with locals.

Since 2010, Bosnian citizens have been entitled to travel through all 28 EU countries without a visa, making travel (and sometimes work) considerably easier for Bosnians. Since then, the population of Bosnia has been in a gradual decline, presumably because Bosnians are relocating to other European countries for work and a better standard of living. Jobs for young Bosnians are in short supply. All said, nowadays Bosnia has strong connections and interactions with Western Europe.

Snapshot

Bosnia's traditional attractions are spectacular mountain scenery, gorges, skiing, beautiful lakes, historical and religious sites, architecture, folk art, music and film festivals, and intermingled cultures.

Within the major tourist areas of Sarajevo, Mostar, Medjugorje and smaller historic towns, independent travel is both possible and safe. Traveling off the beaten path can still be a bit risky because of undetected land mines that are left from the war.

Communicating with locals is generally not a problem. However, the language barrier can present a challenge in more remote areas, so traveling with a reputable tour operator to such areas is recommended.

Potpourri

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a heart-shaped country.

During the civil war, at least 80 of Sarajevo's mosques were damaged.

The Drina River is one of Europe's oldest boundaries, dating back to AD 395, when the Roman Empire was divided into the Western and Eastern Empires. Today, the Drina continues to demarcate the border between Serbia to the east and Bosnia to the west.

People have long memories in the Balkans. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavril Princip, a Serb, on 28 June 1914. The significance of the date? It was the 525th anniversary of the Serbian defeat in the Battle of Kosovo, which brought the region under Turkish rule for 500 years.

Held annually in August since 1995, the Sarajevo Film Festival draws European crowds, as it is known for promoting new filmmakers by offering monetary prizes as well as a chance for artists to network with their peers.

Sarajevo was brought to the big screen in Richard Shepard's The Hunting Party. Richard Gere plays a reporter who sets out on an unofficial mission to track down Radovan Karadzic.

Built in 1889, the Sarajevo Cathedral was inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral in France.

The Pavarotti Music Center, located in Mostar, has been created to assist children scarred by the war. There, children can learn about music and other arts in order to help them heal emotionally.

The annual Jazz Fest Sarajevo is held during the first week of October. The nonprofit festival attracts international players and bands.

Although various theories about the origins of Marshall Josip Broz's nickname, Tito, exist, the most commonly held belief points to his strong delegation skills. In Bosnia, ti means "you" and to means "that." His way of matching up person with job—"ti-to, ti-to"—soon became the name by which he was known.

In Sarajevo, the age-old tradition of goldsmithing is still a common practice, as can be seen by the gold filigree jewelry created by locals and sold in shops throughout the area.

The Sarajevo XIV Olympic games in 1984 were the first and only winter games—and the second Olympics—to be held in a socialist country.

Holy relics from Rome are inserted into the concrete cross that stands on Cross Mountain in Medjugorje.

Houston-based Semir Osmanagic discovered what he claims is a 12,000-year-old pyramid at Visocica Hill in Visoko. Despite the considerable criticism his theories attracted, Osmanagic established a foundation, Archaelogical Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, to continue excavation work.