Day Trips from Mostar: 6 Worth Your Time

Mostar is more than the Old Bridge. If you are spending a few days in the city, the surrounding Herzegovina region has enough to fill your time several times over — from Ottoman-era tekijas and fortified villages to waterfalls, wine routes, and ancient necropolises. These day trips from Mostar are all reachable independently by car, and several are close enough to combine in a single day. Here is where to go, how to get there, and what to expect.

In This Guide

• Blagaj and the Tekija
• Počitelj
• Stolac and the Stećci
• Kravica Waterfalls
• Herzegovina Wine Route
• Trebinje
• Where to Eat in Mostar
• Practical Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions

Blagaj and the Tekija

Blagaj is the closest and most popular day trip from Mostar — just 15 minutes by car. The main attraction is the Blagaj Tekija, a 16th-century Dervish monastery built directly into the cliff face at the source of the Buna river. The spring emerges from a cave at the base of a 200-metre cliff, and the tekija sits right at the water’s edge. It is one of the most photographed sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it deserves to be.

Entry to the Blagaj Tekija costs 10 KM. Inside, you can see the prayer rooms, the dervish living quarters, and the courtyard overlooking the river source. The visit takes about 30-45 minutes. There are several restaurants along the riverbank below the tekija where you can eat fresh trout (the Buna is famous for it) while looking up at the monastery and the cliff.

Blagaj is easy to reach by car. There is also a walking/cycling path from Mostar along the Neretva and Buna rivers, which takes about an hour on foot. No public transport runs directly to the tekija.

Počitelj

Počitelj is a fortified Ottoman-era village about 30 minutes south of Mostar on the road toward the Croatian border. It climbs a hillside above the Neretva river and includes a 14th-century fortress, a mosque, a clock tower, and stone houses connected by steep, narrow pathways. The village was heavily damaged during the Bosnian War and has been partially restored.

There is no formal entry fee to Počitelj — you walk in and explore freely. The climb to the fortress at the top is steep but short, and the view over the Neretva valley from the top is worth the effort. Pomegranates grow along the paths (Počitelj is known for them), and in late summer you will see them sold at small stands.

Počitelj is often combined with Kravica Waterfalls, as both are on the same road south of Mostar. Together they make a comfortable half-day trip.

Stolac and the Stećci

Stolac is a small town about 45 minutes southeast of Mostar. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in Bosnia, with evidence of habitation stretching back to the Bronze Age. The main draw for visitors is the Radimlja necropolis — a collection of stećci (medieval tombstones) that is one of the best-preserved examples in the country and part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for stećci.

The stećci at Radimlja date from the 14th and 15th centuries and feature elaborate carvings — human figures with raised arms, hunting scenes, spirals, and crosses. They are set in a field just outside Stolac, easily accessible from the road.

Stolac itself has a ruined fortress, an old town area, and the Bregava river running through it. The town was severely damaged during the war and is still rebuilding. It is quieter and less touristy than other day trips from Mostar, which is part of its appeal.

Kravica Waterfalls

Kravica Waterfalls are about 40 minutes south of Mostar, near the town of Ljubuški. The falls are a wide, horseshoe-shaped cascade on the Trebižat river, about 25 metres high and over 100 metres wide. In summer, the pool below the falls is a popular swimming spot — the water is cold but refreshing.

Entry to Kravica Waterfalls costs 20 KM. The site has a parking area, a path down to the falls, and some basic facilities (changing areas, a cafe). It gets busy on summer weekends, especially with visitors from the Croatian coast. Visiting on a weekday or early morning gives you a better experience.

Kravica combines naturally with Počitelj — both are on the same road south from Mostar. Together with Blagaj, you can see all three in a full day by car, though it makes for a packed schedule. For more on Kravica, see our Kravica Waterfalls guide.

Herzegovina Wine Route

Herzegovina has a wine-producing tradition that goes back to Roman times, and the region around Mostar — particularly the Čitluk and Međugorje area — is the centre of it. The local grape varieties are Žilavka (white) and Blatina (red), both indigenous to Herzegovina and not widely grown anywhere else.

Several wineries in the Čitluk area accept visitors for tastings. The landscape is Mediterranean — terraced vineyards, stone walls, warm dry air. It feels more like Dalmatia or southern Italy than what most people expect from Bosnia. A wine route day trip from Mostar can be done in a half day by car, visiting 2-3 wineries with tastings and a lunch stop.

Wineries to look for include those in Čitluk and the surrounding villages. Opening hours and tasting arrangements vary — calling ahead is recommended. Some wineries have restaurants attached, and the combination of local wine with Herzegovinian food (grilled meat, fresh cheese, vegetables) is excellent.

Trebinje

Trebinje is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 2 hours from Mostar by car. It sits on the Trebišnjica river and has an old town area, a 16th-century Ottoman bridge, the Arslanagić Bridge (relocated from its original site), and the Hercegovačka Gračanica monastery on a hill above the city.

The drive from Mostar to Trebinje passes through dramatic karst landscape and crosses into Republika Srpska (the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia). Trebinje has a distinctly different atmosphere from Mostar — more Mediterranean, more relaxed, with plane tree-lined squares and outdoor cafes. The Saturday morning market in the old town is one of the best in the region.

Trebinje is a longer day trip from Mostar and works best as a full-day excursion or as a stop on a route to or from Dubrovnik (which is about 30 minutes from Trebinje across the Croatian border).

Where to Eat in Mostar

Before or after your day trips from Mostar, you will want to eat well in the city itself. Two recommendations:

Food House Mostar — a reliable choice for traditional Bosnian and Herzegovinian food. Located in the old town area.

Timber & Stone Tavern — another strong option for a meal in Mostar, with a focus on local ingredients and traditional preparation.

For coffee in Mostar, visit Caffe de Alma — a small roastery and tasting room in the old town where you can learn about the roasting process and taste different Bosnian coffee preparations. See our Bosnian coffee guide for more on the tradition.

Practical Tips

• Rent a car. Public transport from Mostar to these destinations is unreliable or non-existent. A rental car gives you the flexibility to combine sites and set your own schedule.
• Blagaj + Počitelj + Kravica can be combined in a full day. Add Stolac and it becomes a long day.
• Trebinje is a full-day commitment at 2 hours each way. Do not try to combine it with other sites.
• Carry cash. Entry fees at Blagaj Tekija and Kravica are cash transactions. Smaller sites may not accept cards.
• Summer heat. Herzegovina is significantly hotter than Sarajevo. From June to August, temperatures regularly exceed 35°C. Start early and carry water.
• Počitelj is steep. Wear shoes suitable for climbing stone paths if you want to reach the fortress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Herzegovina is one of those regions that rewards exploration. Every direction out of Mostar leads to something worth seeing, and the distances are short enough that you can cover a lot of ground in a few days. If you are based in Mostar for more than a day, get out of the city and see what surrounds it.

If you are travelling from Sarajevo, our Mostar day trip from Sarajevo guide covers the journey. For the route options between the two cities, see Sarajevo to Mostar: all the ways to get there. And for a broader look at the country, read our Bosnia travel guide.