Mostar's iconic Old Bridge over the emerald Neretva and an afternoon swim beneath the Kravice cascades. Two countries, two cultures, one full day.
Mostar is unlike anywhere else in the western Balkans. A small Ottoman city built around an emerald-green river and a single 16th-century bridge, it sits two and a half hours north of Dubrovnik in the interior of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bridge — Stari Most, the Old Bridge — was destroyed in the 1993 war and rebuilt stone-by-stone using the original Ottoman techniques. It now reads as both a tourist attraction and a slow act of reconciliation; the divers who throw themselves off it for tips in summer have been doing so since the 16th century.
We leave early — Mostar is far enough that the day works best with a 7am pickup and a road through Neum, the short Bosnian coastline that interrupts Croatia. The border crossing is straightforward but cars can build up in season, so we tend to use the inland Metković crossing instead. By 10am we are in Mostar with the bridge to ourselves before the coach tours arrive.
A licensed local guide can be arranged on request — for many travellers the recent history of the city is the main reason to come, and only a local can tell it properly. The walking tour covers the bridge, the Karadjozbey Mosque (with the option to climb the minaret for a quiet rooftop view), the Old Bazaar — Kujundžiluk, the coppersmiths' lane — and the still-shrapnel-marked buildings that line the old front line. Lunch is grilled meat and pita in a courtyard restaurant; vegetarian options are easy.
From Mostar it is forty minutes south to the Kravice Falls. Kravice is sometimes described as 'Bosnia's Plitvice' — a horseshoe of cascades pouring 25 metres into a wide travertine pool, with a low pebble beach where you can swim right up under the curtain. In May–September the water is warm enough for an hour in. Towels and a change of clothes are useful; we pack a picnic if you'd like.
The drive back is two and a half hours, mostly along the Neretva valley with vineyards either side. Most guests are quiet on the return — Mostar is a heavier trip than the others, in the best sense. You arrive home at six or seven in the evening, having seen more in twelve hours than seems quite possible.
A sample day — your private driver will adapt timings to suit your group on the morning. Linger longer, skip a stop, swap a viewpoint. The schedule belongs to you.
Mercedes at your accommodation. Early start to clear the border and arrive in Mostar before the coaches.
Either Neum (coastal) or Metković (inland), depending on traffic. Quick passport stamp.
Arrive on the west bank, walk across the bridge, photographs from the most famous angle on the river path below.
Optional licensed guide. Karadjozbey Mosque, old bazaar, the recent history of the city, the rebuilt bridge as memorial.
Bosnian grill, ćevapi, fresh pita and pomegranate juice. Driver knows the right table.
Forty-minute drive south through the karst landscape.
An hour in the pools, an hour with a picnic on the grass under the trees. Towels available.
Neretva valley road. One quiet stop for water and coffee on the way.
Back in Dubrovnik in time for a late dinner.
Tiered rates: one price for 1–3 guests in an E-Class, another for 4–7 guests in a V-Class. The price is for the whole vehicle, not per person.
Generic reasons help no-one. Here's what specifically sets this trip apart from a coach tour or a self-drive — for this destination, on this route.
Most travellers who do this trip describe it as the standout day of their entire holiday.
Arriving in Mostar before the coaches means a quiet morning on the bridge — most group tours arrive after 11am.
The recent history of Mostar deserves a real telling. Our licensed Bosnian guides do exactly that, in fluent English.
Half-day operators rush Kravice; we leave a full hour-and-a-half so you can actually swim.
Nearly three decades on the same coastline. The same operator runs nine boats and the same office takes every call.
Real reviews from travellers who have done exactly this trip. We publish them unedited.
"Did the Mostar & Kravice trip with Boat Dubrovnik and it was hands down the highlight of our holiday. The driver knew every viewpoint and every place to stop. Worth every euro and more."
"Five-star service from first email to drop-off at our hotel. Pace was perfect, English perfect, knowledge of the area exceptional. Booked their boat tour for the next week too."
"We're already planning the next trip back. The flexibility of having our own driver — stopping for photos, changing the schedule mid-day, asking for a slower lunch — was the best part."
More Bosnia? Try Mostar & Međugorje for the pilgrimage angle. Crave another border? Montenegro & Kotor goes south instead.
Mostar's Ottoman old town in the morning and the Marian pilgrimage site of Međugorje in the afternoon. Two faiths, two histories, one quiet day.
UNESCO Kotor, baroque Perast and the man-made island of Our Lady of the Rocks. The coastal road that ranks among the most scenic in Europe.
Croatia's second city. Wander Diocletian's 1,700-year-old palace walls, swim at Bačvice and lunch on the Riva — back to Dubrovnik for dinner.
The questions guests most often ask us about this specific trip. If yours isn't here, write to us — we'll add it.
Send your date and group size. We'll come back with a tailored offer, pickup time and a draft schedule for this trip.
