Herzegovina Highlights Tour from Mostar

The small town called Blagaj is located 12 km south of Mostar. This is the largest karst spring in Europe and it gives rise to Buna River. The town of Blagaj is built on the site of the Roman town of Bona, most likely named for its mild weather patterns. (“blaga” in Bosnian stands for “mild”). Today it is a pilgrimage site as it holds a maqam (a shrine) sacred to the Sufis order around the world.

This once-charming mediaeval town is situated in the valley of the Neretva River some twenty – five kilometres from Mostar, on the route to the Adriatic Sea. The history of Pocitelj is a continuous research subject. It is believed that dates from 1444. The town was carved right into a rocky mountainside overlooking a bend in the Neretva River and gives an appearance of a natural amphitheatre. Its characteristic buildings are in an Ottoman style. The Stone houses along stone pathways are unique, hidden behind high walls with delightful inner courtyards. It is the testimony of a culture that internal values grace over external appearance.

It is situated in the immediate vicinity of Capljina. It was a Roman Villa rustica. This monument is among the most beautiful constructions of the late antique architecture in our region. Objects found in Mogorjelo go back to the 4th century. The Villa, with its luxuriance, beauty, and peculiarity of architecture represents an oasis of values and beauties, surrounded by the rich Mediterranean vegetation.

Kravice waterfall is definitely a must-see. Here the river drops into a horseshoe-shaped canyon. The waterfalls are from 26 to 28 m high, with a lake below the falls of 120 m in radius. The calcium scale layer from the bottom to the top of the falls is covered by grass and moss. The falls are surrounded by hemp, figs, and poplars.

The story of Medjugorje is well known to most Catholics around the world. In 1981 six teenagers were playing in the hills between the villages of Medjugorje and Bijakovici. It was on this barren hillside that Mother Mary appeared and spoke to them. When the children told their parents the first reaction was skepticism. The apparitions, however, did not cease. She appeared again and again and soon made believers out of even the most vocal of critics. Since then it is estimated that over 15 million people have visited this tiny place. This sleepy Herzegovina village has become the second-largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world.