1 Week Bosnia and Herzegovina Itinerary (+ Map)
TL;DR
Bosnia and Herzegovina backpacking itinerary: Visit Mostar, Jajce, and Sarajevo without a car!
Planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina and not sure how to fit everything into just one week? You’re in the right place. Our itinerary is built for independent travellers who want a mix of history, culture, nature, and unforgettable scenery – all with public transport.
A lot of guides make the country feel complicated to navigate. Bus and train schedules seem confusing, and many routes are written with road trips in mind. The truth? With a bit of planning, getting around by public transport is affordable, reliable, and part of the adventure.
We’ve explored the country ourselves using buses and trains – and tested day tours to reach harder-to-access highlights. Our route connects the absolute must-sees like Mostar’s iconic Ottoman bridge and the capital Sarajevo with hidden gems like Jajce.
Our one-week Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary will help you make the most of every day – without needing to rent a car.
1 Week Bosnia and Herzegovina Itinerary
Bosnia Herzegovina Itinerary Map
While most tourist seems to rent a car, it is absolutely possible to go backpacking in Bosnia and Herzegovina without a car. Buses between the main destinations run frequently and at an affordable price. You can check schedules and buy tickets online, e.g. on 12Go – just make sure that you print them!
You can check train schedules at zfbh.ba.
Day 1: Mostar
How to Get From Sarajevo to Mostar
Let’s assume you start your Bosnia itinerary in the capital Sarajevo which has a lot of international bus and flight connections.
- Train from Sarajevo to Mostar
The train is the most scenic way to go from Sarajevo to Mostar. Currently, there are two trains per day, one in the morning and one in the evening. They take around 2 hours and cost around 7€.
- Bus from Sarajevo to Mostar
Buses from Sarajevo to Mostar run more often. On the downside, they take a bit longer and cost a bit more.
Where We Stayed in Mostar
We stayed at Apartments "M&M". The location is crazy good – super close to the bus station and within easy walking distance to the city centre. Value for money was simply amazing.
What to See in Mostar
Mostar is a small city so one day is enough to explore the highlights.
If you know us, you know that we are suckers for free walking tours and we loved the one by Sheva.
Of course, the highlight of Mostar is the Ottoman Bridge. We suggest relaxing in one of the plenty cafes view a bridge view with a traditional Bosnian coffee and wait for a bridge diver to jump.
Other great things to do in Mostar are
- Wandering around the alleys.
- Finding Crooked Bridge.
- Hunt for street art at Alekse Šantića Street.
- Try Cevapi – Rota does them best.
We have written a full Mostar travel guide:
Day 2: Day Trip to Kravice Waterfalls, Blagaj, Počitelj
The three undisputed highlights of the Mostar area are:
- Kravice Waterfalls.
- Blagaj.
- Počitelj.
While you can reach all of them with public transport (and taxis), you absolutely cannot do it in one day. Recently, we became huge fans of tours to save a lot of time. The Discover Herzegovina Tour was our favourite tour of this trip.
Additionally to the three highlights, you’ll get a panoramic view of Mostar from the Mostar Skywalk and visit Buna Channel which we thought to be unexpectedly cool.
We liked the Discover Herzegovina Tour so much that we wrote a whole blogpost about it:
Day 3: Way to Jajce
How to Get From Mostar to Jajce
There is one direct bus from Mostar to Jajce. It leaves at 1:30 p.m., takes around 4 hours, and costs around 15€. We took it and have 0 complaints.
Where We Stayed in Jajce
We stayed at MIMA and can 100% recommend it. The location is almost at the fortress (be prepared to walk up some stairs) and the hospitality of the owners is amazing.
Day 4: Jajce, Pliva Lakes & Watermills
What to See in Jajce
Jajce has three highlights:
- Pliva Waterfall.
- Pliva Lakes and the Watermills
Do not miss the watermills when you’re in Jajce! The old wooden watermills are located between Large and Small Pliva Lakes.
If you don’t have a car, you have two options to get to the watermills:
- A rather expensive taxi.
- Walking.
We opted for walking. The walk is a bit more than 1 hour each way. Walking has the advantage that you can stop at some nice places along the way like Konoba Slapovi and Lover’s Bridge. Lovers Bridge sounds unassuming but the bridge across the waterfall was pretty cool.
The watermills themselves are super picturesque and absolutely worth a visit.
- The Fortress.
Perched high above town, Jajce Fortress is the heart of the old walled city. Dating back to medieval Bosnian rulers and later expanded under the Ottomans, the citadel’s thick stone walls, bastions, and historic gate make it easy to imagine its strategic importance. Today, you can walk along parts of the ramparts and soak in some of the best panoramic views in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Other nice things to do in Jajce are:
- Walking within the city walls. Banja Luka Gate is the most impressive gate.
- St. Mary’s Church with St. Luke’s belfry.
- Esma Sultana Mosque.
- Sinan-Bey Mosque.
- The catacombs.
- Main Street or Hrvoj Vukčic Hrvatinic Street with many restaurants and cafes.
Day 5: Way to Sarajevo
How to Get From Jajce to Sarajevo
Direct buses from Jajce to Sarajevo run in the morning and in the evening – it’s up to you where you want to spend more time! The ride takes less than 4 hours and costs around 20€.
- the old town (Stari Grad).
- the castle ruins.
- the only painted mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Ivo Andric’s House.
- the Blue Water (Plava Voda) Spring.
Where We Stayed in Sarajevo
We stayed at Hostel Vagabond. The location and the value for money were amazing!
Day 6: Sarajevo Free Walking Tour & Fall of Yugoslavia Tour
Free Walking Tour
Like everywhere we go, we like to start with a free walking tour. The tour will bring you to all the Sarajevo must-see places like:
- Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures.
- The Baščaršija region with the Pigeon Square and Old Town Bazaar.
- The Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals as well as the Bey's Mosque.
- Latin Bridge.
- The Sarajevo sign in front of the town hall.
Fall of Yugoslavia Tour
In the afternoon, visit three of the top attractions in Sarajevo:
- The Yellow Fortress is more of a viewpoint than a fortress but we really loved the vista.
- The Tunnel of Hope is a must-see if you want to learn more about the latest war.
- The Olympic Bobsleigh Track is great for street art lovers.
Day 7: Sarajevo Museums & Free Time
What to See in Sarajevo
There are two museums that we recommend to visit:
- Museum Of Crimes Against Humanity And Genocide to learn more about the Balkan wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992-1995.
- Gallery 11/07/95, an art gallery dedicated to preserving the memory of the Srebrenica genocide.
Other things we enjoyed doing in Sarajevo are:
- Wandering through the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman parts and note the differences.
- Visit the Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals as well as the Bey's Mosque to learn why Sarajevo is also dubbed the Jerusalem of Europe.
- Taking a picture of the Sarajevo sign in front of the town hall.
- Stroll through Markale Market.
- Have a traditional Bosnian coffee at Cafe Divan.
- Have a Burek at Buregdžinica Bosna.
- Enjoy Cevapi at Ćevabdžinica Nune.
- Have a draft beer at Sarajevo Brewery.
- Enjoy a rooftop drink at Hotel Hecco Deluxe.
We have written a full Sarajevo itinerary:
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Where to travel next?
Travel Guides
Bus Sarajevo to Belgrade – Quick Travel Guide
Quick Sarajevo Beograd bus travel guide.
Carina
