Bosnia and Herzegovina travel guide

Getting there

Sarajevo International Airport is the main gateway, with Tuzla, Banja Luka and Mostar handling smaller flights. Many travellers arrive overland by bus from Croatia (Split or Dubrovnik), Serbia or Montenegro.

Best time to visit: May–Jun and Sep–Oct – warm weather without the summer heat.

Tougher months: July to August in Mostar if you dislike heat and crowds – Herzegovina can be scorching and busy with day-trippers.

Weather by month in Sarajevo

• 4°J●
• 6°F●
• 11°M●
• 16°A●
• 21°M●●
• 24°J●
• 27°J●
• 27°A●
• 22°S●
• 17°O●
• 10°N●●
• 5°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Europe/Belgrade. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 99 of 198 other passports can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 99 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-08-27). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Bosnia and Herzegovina travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Bosnia and Herzegovina are based around Sarajevo, Mostar or Kravica Waterfalls. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$30–45 for a backpacker and US$70–120 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Bosnia and Herzegovina page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +387.

Mobile data: read the eSIM for Europe before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Sarajevo (Central · capital): A captivating capital where minarets, church spires and Austro-Hungarian facades share the same few streets.
• Mostar (Herzegovina · old town): Famous for its rebuilt Ottoman bridge and cobbled bazaar lanes along the Neretva.
• Kravica Waterfalls (Herzegovina · nature): A spectacular series of falls and swimming pools, best in late spring and summer.
• Jajce (Central · historic town): A fortified royal town with a waterfall in its centre and nearby watermills.
• Počitelj (Herzegovina · fortified village): A stone village climbing a hillside to an Ottoman tower with sweeping river views.
• Višegrad (East · river town): Home to the UNESCO-listed Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, immortalised in literature.
• Una National Park (Northwest · nature): Crystal-clear river, waterfalls at Štrbački Buk and great rafting and kayaking.
• Blagaj (Herzegovina · spiritual site): A tranquil Sufi tekke beside a powerful karst spring, a short hop from Mostar.

Things to do

• Watch the Mostar bridge divers. See local divers leap from the arching Stari Most into the cold, green Neretva River below.
• Sip coffee in Baščaršija. Sit in Sarajevo's Ottoman bazaar with a copper pot of Bosnian coffee and a sugar cube.
• Eat ćevapi. Tear into grilled minced-meat sausages stuffed into fluffy somun bread with raw onions.
• Swim at Kravica Waterfalls. Cool off in turquoise pools beneath a wide curtain of cascades in Herzegovina.
• Ride the Trebević cable car. Glide above Sarajevo to explore the abandoned Olympic bobsled track in the forest.
• Raft the Tara or Una River. Paddle through canyons on whitewater rapids in some of Europe's cleanest rivers.
• Explore Blagaj Tekke. Visit a dervish house tucked beneath a cliff at the mouth of the Buna River spring.
• Hike in Sutjeska National Park. Trek through primeval forest at Perućica and up toward Maglić, the country's highest peak.

Source: full Bosnia and Herzegovina guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Ćevapi – small grilled sausages in flatbread with onions
• Burek – spiral pastry filled with meat
• Begova čorba – creamy chicken and vegetable soup
• Bosnian coffee – strong coffee served in a copper pot

Source: RoamSun Bosnia and Herzegovina guide

Money and safety

Currency: Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark (BAM). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Round up or leave about 10% in restaurants..

Emergency numbers: 122 police · 124 ambulance · 123 fire.

• The currency is the convertible mark (KM, BAM); euros are sometimes accepted but change is given in marks.
• Cards work in hotels and many restaurants, but carry cash for small cafés, buses and bakeries; ATMs are common in towns.
• Bosnia is generally safe, but landmines remain in some rural areas – stay on marked paths and paved roads when hiking.
• Watch out for pickpockets in busy old towns and on public transport.

Source: RoamSun Bosnia and Herzegovina facts