I planned to visit Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina but sadly my plans changed. Therefore I ended up in a small town called Trebinje. I spent a few days there and after that I went to Dubrovnik. Here’s the whole story.

Story: I was trying to get from Budva to Mostar. There was supposed to be a bus line going straight from one city to the other. I had my ticket bought to later figure out, it is not happening. The line was not shown on the website and when I arrived at the station I figured out there is no such line. I was lucky to get to Dubrovnik but, from Dubrovnik i had to get to Mostar which was not possible. So I ended up in a small city in Bosnia and Herzegovina called Trebinje. I was lucky that there was a very friendly local who picked me up and offered a stay at his hotel for a good price. It was a short stay but it was worth it.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Basic informations

Capital: Sarajevo

Language: Bosnian, Serbo-Croatian

Currency: Mark

Not in the European Union nor Schengen zone. 

What did I do

Walk in the old town

The old town in Trebinje is very small but also really cute. There were some small souvenir shops, restaurants and quite some people. The fortress walls are all around the old town. You can also find a museum, mosque, cute houses or little streets there. Next to it is a river where you can just enjoy the view.

Walk by the river

The river is called Trebišnjica. Walking by it you can either walk through the city and the old town or further from the center where you can enjoy a nice view of the hills and nature. You can find two typical bridges there, Arslanagić Bridge and the Old or Stone Bridge. Arslanagić Bridge is a very old pedestrian bridge. On the way you can also see Maltese’s Watermill and enjoy the birds living near the river. You can see from here a church called Crkva Rođenja Sv. Jovan Krstitelja.

Visit the market

Go to the local market. I stumbled upon it by accident. It was in a square and it was not too big but very cute. When I found it, they were already starting to close. There were many fruits, vegetables and homemade goods. The prices were good and the people were very welcoming.

Go shopping

I thought that Trebinje is just a small city and there will be nothing to do. I got mistaken. There are many shops. I went to many shops with clothes and to a big supermarket. I was lucky because they even had many sales at that time. 

Eat the national dishes

It wouldn’t be an Balkan trip without Balkan food. I tried Ćevapi. You definitely have to try it when you go there. It’s a grilled meat roll made of minced meat and pita bread. It’s safe to say that I was very full after leaving the restaurant. The price was also very good as expected from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Notes

• People in Trebinje were super nice and kind. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The owner of the hotel was helping us with everything we needed. A lady in a souvenir shop got very excited when we came there. The waiter in the restaurant was incredibly helpful, understanding and nice. Surprisingly people spoke English very well.
• When I went to Trebinje I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it’s just some small city and there’s nothing to do. Oh boy I was wrong. There is so much to do not only in the city but the surrounding as well. The nature there is beautiful and I didn’t even get to do everything.
• Trebinje is very close to the Croatian border. Crossing the border was very fast, we got our passports checked and there was no problem. During the high season tho the border is full, the local was complaining about it.

Croatia

This was not my first time in Croatia but it was my first time in Dubrovnik. I have some opinions about it. It is not my favorite city and let me tell you about it. 

Basic informations

Capital: Zagreb

Language: Croatian

Currency: €

Part of the European Union and Schengen zone.

Dubrovnik

This city is very famous especially among the Game of Thrones fans. Yes, this famous series was filmed here. This may be the reason why Dubrovnik is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. The old town is stunning but SO overcrowded. The city is also quite long and walking through it is not easy. The city is located by the sea and there is a lot to see.

Things to do

See the old town

This definitely has to be the number one. Dubrovnik is famous because of its old town. Not gonna lie, the old town is stunning. So many beautiful historical buildings, squares and little or big streets. You can walk in the old town surrounded by the city walls or out around the walls. You can also walk on the walls but I don’t think it’s worth 30€. There is a church, museum, palaces and so many more buildings. There are millions of restaurants and souvenir shops as well. You can find here several souvenir shops focused on the Game of Thrones only. Everything is quite expensive tho. 

Visit Fort Lovrijenac

It is located straight next to the old town. The view is incredible. The fortress was built to protect the city against the Venetians. Now it is a cool tourist attraction. 

Dubrovnik viewpoint

If you visit this place you will see a beautiful view of the whole city, the old town and the harbor. To get here you can take a hike up the hill or a cableway from the old town.

Gradac Park and beach day

Sadly I didn’t have enough time to visit this park or go to the beach. Gradac park is a big and beautiful park in Dubrovnik but it is quite far from the old town. There is a beautiful view as it is above the sea. You can walk, sit and relax or look for some monuments. Near the park is a beach. The sea in Croatia is beautifully blue and clean but the beaches are rocky.

Notes

• I didn’t like this city because it was so incredibly expensive and overcrowded. When I went there it was not the season anymore but it was full of tourists. The prices of the souvenirs were 2x higher than in another city in Croatia. 
• If you didn’t see Game of Thrones maybe you won’t find it that interesting. By this I mean the attractions in the city. The old town is stunning but most of the attractions focus on the Game of Thrones.
• Be careful where you book a hotel. My hotel was amazing. It was very nice, clean and the host was very kind but it was on top of a hill. Getting there was a hike every time I went somewhere and there was no public transport going there. Also getting to the city by foot was like an hour.
• Getting from one side of the city to the other takes a long time. The city is long and you have to use public transport. Luckily there are enough buses riding and the city is very focused on tourism.
• Airport bus tickets are expensive, you can buy them online or at the station. I recommend online and look well because you might find something cheaper.

This was the end of my Balkan trip. In general I enjoyed it a lot. I’m really happy about this experience. If you are not a European, consider visiting some less known countries, they might surprise you a lot. If you are a European and you didn’t go to Balkan, big mistake, add it to your list.

I’ll give the whole Balkan trip ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How would you rate the trip?