Mostar left probably the most vivid impression for me from the entire July 2019 trip to Dubrovnik and Split WHS hotspots. I have had so far very limited exposure on my travels to places where mosques and minarets are the most eye-catching features, let alone when they are mixed with very recognizable European architectural elements. Mostar is inscribed on the World Heritage list specifically as a great example of a multicultural town where proverbially the East meets the West; despite the crowds and the inescapable tourist-trap feel of the area around the Old Bridge, the high banks of the Neretva river in the center of town are visually just stunning.

The Old Bridge itself is the defining iconic spot in Mostar, although it is obvious by looking at it that the present version is a recent reconstruction. Every half an hour or so, a jumper plunges off it into the river some 25 meters below. I failed to discern the point of this performance, given that no donations to the jumper are seemingly ever being collected, but the crowds on the bridge get the thickest in the last few minutes before a jump. Five minutes later is the best time to find oneself on the bridge.

Mosque of Koski Mehmed Pasha was another highlight of the visit. It is in reality a single space with some lovely decorative elements. The female visitors are required to cover their shoulders, heads and knees, but if you pay an entrance fee you do not have to remove your shoes. Furthermore, tourists are allowed in even during the prayers – and photography is only restricted with the usual “no-flash” directive. I have to admit that the novelty of being inside the mosque during prayers overcame my usual discomfort of pointing my camera at people. Do not skip climbing up the minaret for the million-dollar view of the city!

Mostar can be reached in about 3 hours from either Split or Dubrovnik (accounting for delays at the border – the procedure is surprisingly more stringent on the Croatian side than the Bosnian one, even for departing vehicles), by car or with an organized tour. I spent just over 3 hours in town, but sightseeing can be extended to a number of historic Turkish houses and a couple of small museums, making Mostar a reasonable half a day destination.