What to see, what to do Bosnia And Herzegovina?

Each time, we indicate the schedule of the places to visit. They can be very precise for national museums, theoretical and quite random in the case of small local museums, or even non-existent for most places of worship. In this case, it is necessary to ask the local tourist office or local residents for information. In addition, the national museums are closed on January¹ and 2, March¹ (Independence Day), May¹ and 2, and November 25 (National Holiday). For other places of interest, each community has its own holidays: Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic mobile religious holidays, illegal celebration on January 9 in the Bosnian Serb Republic, etc.

No place to visit in the country requires a special reservation. But sometimes, out of season, it is better to give advance notice to enter a museum or a monastery or to enjoy a particular activity (hot air ballooning in the Blidinje Nature Park, Banovići tourist train, etc.). Finally, for the National Museum in Sarajevo, arrange to schedule your visit on a day when the Haggadah Hall is open to the public (see description).

The entrance fee for the places of interest is low, with the exception of the Karvica Falls (20 KM, or about 10 €/person). Children are usually admitted free or at a greatly reduced rate, and students are admitted at a reduced rate upon presentation of proof. In Sarajevo, there are two passes: the Sarajevo Card, which gives access to many advantages, and the grouped ticket for the city's museums (Muzej Sarajevo). Places of worship are free, with a few exceptions such as the Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Sarajevo and the Hadži Alija Mosque in Počitelj. Finally, some supervised activities such as horseback riding or rafting require larger budgets.

Not a month goes by without a cultural event in Sarajevo (see "When to go?"). Summer is the season of festivals all over the country. There are Baščaršija Nights (July) and the Film Festival (mid-August) in Sarajevo, a rock and blues festival in Mostar in July, lots of small parties in Banja Luka, or five big beer festivals organized by industrial breweries in Sarajevo and Banja Luka in June, Mostar, Tuzla and Bihać in August. Also in the summer are more traditional events such as the Old Sports Olympiad in Rastovača (around July 20) and the bullfight in Grmeč (first weekend in August). The rest of the year is marked by a succession of religious holidays. Some are fixed like Orthodox Christmas (January 7) or the Sufi pilgrimage of Ajvatovica (June 26). Others are mobile: Eid al-Fitr (April 20, 2023, April 8, 2024, March 29, 2025, March 18, 2026...), Catholic Easter (April 9, 2023, March 31, 2024, April 20, 2025, April 5, 2026...), Orthodox Easter (April 16, 2023, May 5, 2024, April 20, 2025, April 12, 2026...), and Eid al-Adha (June 28, 2023, June 16, 2024, June 6, 2025, and May 27, 2026...)

Very few guided tours in English are offered in the major museums. But the visit with a guide is sometimes compulsory, especially at the Vjetrenica, the largest cave in the country, near Ravno. In some small museums, you will be surprised to be accompanied by the director himself, happy to show you the history of his region. In Sarajevo and Mostar, agencies offer free tours of the city center, to encourage you to choose a longer and more in-depth paid tour. You can also find unusual tours (graffiti, war ruins, vestiges of the Yugoslav period...) or gastronomic tours, tours of the Jewish heritage of Sarajevo, tasting tours at the wine producers of Herzegovina, 4 × 4 tours to meet the wild horses of Livno, running tours, mountain biking, hot air ballooning, rafting, etc. As for the tourist offices, they do not offer tours, except the one in Trebinje.

Some places to visit are oversold and can be disappointing for the price, such as the Tunnel of Hope in Ilidža or the Kravica Falls near Ljubuški. In Mostar, museums are also of poor quality, with the exception of the Old Bridge Museum. The Bosnaseum, in particular, is primarily a souvenir store with a "museum" area without any authentic objects.