Now that you have spent some time wandering around gleaming cobblestone streets of Mostar and are aware how utterly perfect this town is, it might be hard to level up the Herzegovina experience.
However, do give us a chance as this might easily come as the biggest surprise you have encountered so far.
The full day Herzegovina Offbeat tour will open a door to an entire cosmos of incredible cultural, religious and natural diversity at its purest forms. Forget the crowded buses, rushing tour tempos and fast fading memories.
At your own pace, visit 6 amazing Herzegovina places: Blagaj, Medjugorje, Kravica Falls, Hutovo Blato, Pocitelj and Zitomislici and experience the truly remarkable combo of history, culture, religion and absolutely intact nature. As an icing on a cake, have lunch at a completely remote and exclusive beach bar.
Departure Times Daily at 8 AM.
Pickup Locations We will pick you up at your address.
Activity Note: The tour is adapted to all ages and is not physically demanding. Due to the distance of the locations, we use vehicles during the tour, but most of the tour is done on foot.
>Europe’s most beautiful and most powerful karst river spring settled beneath few hundred meters high rock. Water comes out of quite large but stunningly deep cave, which springs amazing 43 cubic meters of water per second.
We will start from Mostar by picking you up from your address and, in less than 20 min we will reach Blagaj, place known for its stunningly beautiful karst spring of Buna. The fact that we will be there early in the morning will give us a chance to explore the place at our own pace, without the possible crowds and people rumbling around. It will seem as we have amazing Buna river just for ourselves so we will cherish the moment and spend as much time as needed to entirely soak up the atmosphere of this magical place.
>Just next to the spring, under the rock, Blagaj Dervish Tekke found its safe haven and peacefully laid the foundations of Sufi life in the country.
Once we bless our eyes and take some amazing photos, we will climb to the base of a cliff, next to the source of the river Buna and visit the Tekke from the inside. Blagaj Tekke is a Dervish House enclosing unique series of picturesque rooms and chambers. Both, from the inside and outside, this small architectural wonder is a truly unique sacral-residential example of Islamic architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina where we shall learn about mystical Sufi life in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
>St. James Parish Church is a place of pilgrimage for millions of Catholics. In order to accommodate as many as possible visitors, masses are often celebrated outside.
After Blagaj, the road will take us through beautiful Herzegovinian sceneries, wast plantations and vineyards. After roughly 40 min of drive we will reach one of the European’s most important and most visited Catholic pilgrimages – Medjugorje.
Besides being Catholic pilgrimage, Medjugorje is a place where we will learn about the importance of diverse religions which have left a strong impact on people teaching them tolerance, respect and acceptance. We will visit the beautifully serene inside of St. James Parish Church where mass is held throughout a day in several languages.
>According to a popular belief, in the end of the June 1981, at the hill called Crnica, six children have witnessed apparitions of Virgin Mary, prayed and spoke with Our Lady.
With the messages: “I have chosen this parish in a special way and I wish to lead it.”, “Peace, peace, peace – and only peace! Peace must reign between God and man and between men!”, the hill Crnica, today called Apparition Hill has become the most important pilgrimage site for Catholics in this part of the World.
Those who are interested, will have a chance to do 20/30min hike up the hill, to the Virgin Mary statue and enjoy the serene settings at their own pace and decision.
>Trebižat River collapses in a 25m-high dramatically steamy waterfalls that are simply out of this world.
Today’s escape from everything that is ordinary and mundane will be continued by a visit to spectacular waterfall Kravica which will welcome us in less than 30 min of drive from Medjugorje. The Kravica is a truly remarkable cascade on the Trebižat River nested in a very heartland of Herzegovina karst.
>Whether you are into swimming, kayaking or simply meditating surrounded by the impeccable nature, emerald green pool will offer an idyllic respite from any earthly burden.
We will do some nice and easy walks and admire the massiveness of the captivating waterfalls trapped in lush greenery while enjoying the impeccable and serene nature, bird songs and calming, life-celebrating sounds of water. Remember watching the postcards and wishing “you were here”? The paradisiacal setting of Kravice waterfalls will make you feel you have finally discovered your hidden paradise.
>Hutovo Blato is an explosion of stunning karst landscape, beautiful lakes, swamps and glades and is an ideal asylum for thousands of animal and plant species
Just when you thought Herzegovina could not possibly become more surprising, its karst will lead us during an hour of scenic ride to hidden oasis of greenery, abundance of water and wildlife. Hutovo Blato is an amazingly beautiful and completely off the beaten path nature and bird reserve, the largest of its kind in the entire Balkans.
Tucked away in a secluded corner of Herzegovina, this home to hundreds of migratory birds is a place completely shielded from any impact of human kind.
>Amazing fact about Hutovo Blato is that it is composed of numerous marshlands which were created by Krupa River famous for the fact it flows in both directions.
Hutovo blato is known for its abundance of fresh water which is a safe haven for life conditions of thousands of animal species. After we do a nice and easy walks through the forest we will take a boat safari which is a “must” when at this area.
Roughly 45 min of incredibly serene and silent boat ride will enable us to admire the beauty while encompassed with colourful water lilies, birds, insects, trees and shrubs.
We will have a lunch at the perfectly remote hidden Herzegovinian gem and beach bar “Zoga”.
Nested at the four tributaries of the river Trebižat this place emits almost a mysterious and exotic atmosphere and, most importantly, serves a jaw-dropping local food.
>Breathtaking town of Pocitelj overlooking the Herzegovina karst as a silent guardian of past times securing the ongoing tradition and culture.
With full stomachs we will continue our journey lead by the ocean blue Trebizat river and, in only 20 minutes, the amazing fortress town Pocitelj will welcome us saluting with it’s massive stone walls from the hill. Pocitelj is medieval, Disney-like, town which is one of the very few urban ensembles in Bosnia and Herzegovina preserved in their integrity to the present times.
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Despite it’s gleaming stone in hundreds shades of gray, its wondrously inviting gardens with evergreen trees and shrubs of wild and juicy pomegranates doesn’t allow you to see anything but the colourful play of red, blue and green.
With only 17 people currently living there, the town is known as an open air museum of stunning medieval architecture. Pocitelj got it’s name after the Bosnian verb “Počivati” which means ”to rest in peace” so it is no wonder why it so easily became an art colony and safe haven for numerous artists from all around the world. An easy uphill walk will take us to stunning views, and interesting stories of town’s development and strategic importance over its 600+ year long written history.
>Apart from the fact that this beautiful Orthodox Monastery is in itself a true museum work of Herzegovina, Zitomislic Monastery is also home to one of the three largest museums of icons in the country.
Less than 20 kms from medieval Pocitelj, surrounded by numerous greening and fertile vineyards, we will find a unique symbol of Orthodox resurrection – Žitomislić Monastery. This tranquil oasis of peace and contemplation was built in 16th century and is one of the most beautiful Orthodox monasteries in Bosnina and Herzegovina. Monastery is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Holy Virgin and is a legacy of the Miloradović-Hrabren family whose graveyard can be found at famous Radimlja necropolis.
>Calming but vibrant, artistic walls inside of Zitomislic Monastery are truly awe inspiring for any visitor regardless the religious views.
Nice and easy walk through the garden of the monastery which will most likely be accompanied by cheerful voices of the welcoming local monks will undoubtedly be a unique experience. However, what will come as even bigger surprise will be the vibrant and colourful interior of this unique shrine with it’s highly artistic walls and iconostasis.
After learning about remarkable Orthodox history, culture and tradition, we will head back towards Mostar to where we are supposed to arrive in evening hours. This is a private tour which purposely avoids any timings so we could make sure you are not only taking a tour, but controlling your absolutely perfect experience without any compromises to make.
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