Travel guide Bosnia And Herzegovina

All communities, including Muslims, produce and consume alcohol. Rakija is a rather delicate brandy distilled everywhere. Wine comes mainly from Catholic or Orthodox winegrowers in Herzegovina. As for the beer, it knows today an embellishment with approximately 60 microbreweries throughout the country.

All the inhabitants of the country are Bosnians, whether they are from Bosnia or Herzegovina, Bosnians (Muslims), Jews, Roma, Serbs (Orthodox Christians) or Croats (Catholic Christians). The Serbs and Croats of the country are called "Bosnian-Serbs" and "Bosnian-Croats" to distinguish them from the inhabitants of Serbia and Croatia.

These grilled meat rolls are the staple of street food served here and in most Balkan countries. They are usually a mixture of beef and lamb that is quite fatty and spongy in consistency. The ćevapi (pronounced "chevapi") are served hot with raw onions in a round loaf of bread(somun) as a sandwich.

Each of the three large communities proudly displays a flag: the national flag of the Bosnians (blue background, yellow triangle and white stars), the flag of Serbia of the Bosnian-Serbs (red, blue, white stripes and double-headed eagle) and the flag of Croatia of the Bosnian-Croats (red, white, blue stripes and red and white checkerboard).

The 1992-1995 conflict is still very present in people's minds and on the walls of many buildings riddled with impacts. It is also the one that caused the current division of the country between the communities. The subject is delicate to talk about, but it constantly comes up in conversations. The memory of the two world wars is also very vivid.

About 51% of the population is Muslim. The Bosnians are the largest community and on the whole practice a "moderate" Islam (drinking alcohol, rarely veiled women, etc.). Christians, on the other hand, have a more conservative approach to religion, especially the Bosnian Serbs, who are very attached to Orthodoxy.

They are not very high, since the highest point, Mount Maglić, reaches only 2,386 m in altitude. But they cover 80% of the territory. Therefore, travel is often difficult. On the other hand, there are many ski resorts. The most important ones are those of the 1984 Winter Olympics, Jahorina and Bjelašnica, near Sarajevo.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is home to the second largest population of brown bears in the Balkans after Romania, with about 1,000 living in the forests of the mountains and hills in the northern part. But their population is declining due to poaching, legal hunting, vehicle collisions and landmine explosions.

In Herzegovina, the village of Međugorje attracts 2 million Catholics each year, making it the third largest pilgrimage site in Europe, after Fátima and Lourdes. In central Bosnia, meanwhile, Ajvatovica Rock is the second most visited Muslim pilgrimage site on the continent, after Mount Tomor in Albania.

In local Slavic languages, it means "slowly" or "slowly". Bosnians will often answer you with this word, if you are in a hurry or nervous. You will also have to drive polako, as the roads are often narrow and winding, and the speed limit is often between 40 and 70 km/h.

These medieval tombs from the 12th-15th centuries are typical of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their name is pronounced "stechsti" and is said stećak in the singular. There are about 60,000 in the country, compared to only 10,000 in the three neighboring countries. Since 2016, twenty-two Bosnian stećci necropolises have been listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites.

When you find the door closed in front of small museums, churches or mosques, don't be discouraged: ask the neighbors, the monks or the passers-by with a smile. This is part of the charm of the country. It also allows you to meet the locals and to start a discussion with a few words of English, Italian or German.