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arid landscape of Herzegovina

I spent a few days this past April exploring the region around Mostar, Herzegovina’s largest city. While Mostar is getting all the press, and deservedly so, for the rebuilt old town bridge (stari most) I was more curious about rural Herzegovina and the what lay on the outlining plateaus and down river from Mostar. With the assistance of the helpful Mostar tourism office, I’m hooked up with Ved, a part-time guide who’s used to dealing with large groups, usually around Mostar. So he’s excited with the idea of getting out of the city and hitting the places very few tourist see.

Our first stop was the old art-colony hilltown of Pocitelj. The sight of such a stunning town catches me off-guard as we driving down the Neretva river valley. This UNESCO protected (and rebuilt town) contains many of the necessary ingredients, decaying stone fortress at the top of the hill, silo-domed buildings, traditional Ottoman houses constructed from wood and rebuilt minarets popping up on the hillside.

Suffering serious damage during the war, it is nearly back together and now looks fantastic. The Dadzi-Alija Mosque, in the center of town, was rebuilt after the war. Of course, you need people and that’s what I’m hoping Pocitelj can attract, both in terms of tourists and the artists that made this town what it once was.

There are a few galleries open when I visit. One of the handsomely newly constructed buildings houses a pretty pension. There are a few German tourists there and they don’t seem to thrilled that someone invaded their little slice of undisturbed heaven. I took a quick look around and found out that rooms with full-board go for a mere 20 Euro a night.

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Hilltown of Pocitelj

An easy 15 minute walk up through the hilltown gets you to the Sahat Kula fortress and picture postcard views. Hundreds of year ago one could easily spot invaders coming up the Neretva river valley. All things considered (war, mother nature) the fortress is in quite good shape. Wow! I can’t believe more travelers venture here, if for nothing else, the beautiful view on the minarets and river valley.

Ved then suggests Blagaj, the town near the source of the Buna river that’s famous for it’s 16th century dervish house. But I managed to take that in myself the day before using public buses from Mostar. So we head up to Podvelezje where those plateaus that loom over Mostar sit. The drive up the winding road, that snakes around some of the most barren, rocky landscape I’ve seen was an unexpected highlight. Off the side of the road were many ladies in traditional dress with their lambs, goats and cows. More than once we had to stop a few times as sheep and goats had taken over the narrow road.

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shepherds near Velez mountain

The landscape here overwhelms me. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a ruined fortress or strings of small stone built walls. I know how beautiful Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is and how lush and green the forests of Bosnia and Slovenia are, but this desolate, arid land haunts me like no other. It reminded me a little of places I traveled to in Southern California/Arizona when I was a child - vague memories of barren land and stark images.

Ved has brought me up here for lunch at the out-of-the-way but popular Sunce motel. This motel is feels like family, because it’s run with loving care by Izmet and his wife. Lunch is a terrific meal made from all homegrown ingredients. So good that I decide to came back the next day to hike and spend the night.

My dreams of spending the next day walking Podvelezje’s small roads and investigating ruins are short lived as I get sick in Mostar that night. The next morning I muster my strength and hop on the local bus back to the Sunce motel. It’s more to recoup in a peaceful setting than for exploration of the countryside that charmed me the day before.

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Our hosts in Herzegovina

Izmet takes great care of me, feeding me only foods that would sit well with me. He brings me out of my fever dreams with room service of hot tea, biscuits and medicine. While spending my day resting and fighting off the chills, I enjoy the sounds of rural life. Once every few hours, I hear the local women taking sheep and goats out to pasture. I feellike I had traveled back in time. Without question, the most memorable place I’ve stayed on my latest travels to Europe.
-Andrew Villone