Sarajevo

The Sarajevo region has long been the cultural and political capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a region that offers it all, from the excitement of the oriental capital city Sarajevo to one of the last primeval forests in Europe found in Sutjeska National Park to the east.

The cultural, natural, and historical heritage is certainly amongst the most fascinating in all of the Balkans – for it is here that the great eastern and western powers met and left their influences in this largely unknown corner of the world. This region is tucked into one of the most mountainous regions of the country, lending to its isolation yet creating a warm, welcoming feeling in the small communities in and around the capital Sarajevo. Don’t miss out on the countless festivals Sarajevo has to offer as well as Olympic style skiing on Jahorina and Bjelašnica Mountains.

The highlands cultures of Bjelašnica are a fascinating peek into Old World Europe and the mountain traditions that have survived throughout the ages. To the northwest of Sarajevo are the settlements of the ancient Bosnian Kingdom, which thrived in towns such as Visoko, Fojnica and Vareš in the XIV and XV centuries. To the east are the vast canyon lands of the Upper Drina region – with spectacular nature for all sorts of eco-adventures. Highlighted by Sutjeska National Park and whitewater rafting on the Tara River – this untouched, pristine wilderness is amongst Europe’s last oasis of how nature used to be.

Herzegovina

Although there are many similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and identity, Herzegovina's history is quite distinct from Bosnia's. Herzegovina has been settled for over 12,000 years and each civilization has left a mark on its rich cultural heritage.

This cultural heritage, coupled with the impressive natural beauty of Herzegovina, makes it the most diverse and attractive tourist area in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many tend to characterize Herzegovina as an arid moonscape. Though some areas of Herzegovina are indeed like that, it also possesses some of the greatest freshwater springs, crystal-clear rivers and endemic types of flora and fauna. The areas around Jablanica, Prozor and Konjic have dense green forests and beautiful serene lakes. The Trebižat River has created a wonderful green belt along its banks in Western Herzegovina, as has the Bregava River from the southeast. A warm Mediterranean climate dominates most of Herzegovina, creating a very different bio-system than that of Bosnia's central and northern regions. Figs, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, rose hip and mandarins all grow in this sunny region. Many of the finest wines in southern Europe are produced in the small vineyards of western and southern Herzegovina. There are some impressive monuments and stretches of nature here, but for many, the real attractions in Herzegovina are merely the simple but beautiful villages dotting the hillsides and the people therein who work this precious land. Regardless of what you do or where you go, Herzegovina will leave a lasting and positive impression.

Central Bosnia

As the birthplace of the Bosnian state, this region has shaped much of the cultural and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today, monuments around the region and, more strikingly, the region's everyday culture bear witness to Central Bosnia's rich and diverse history.

The central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the seat of the Bosnian state in medieval times. Known as the Srebrena Bosna (Silver Bosna) region, it was the political, cultural and religious heart of Bosnia. All the Bosnian kings resided here. The unique 'heretic' Bosnian Church was the spiritual backbone of the small Slav communities that dotted the lush, green countryside until the XIV century.

By 1340 the Franciscans had established their first order in Bosnia and in a short space of time Catholicism spread and monasteries were built in Kraljeva Sutjeska, Visoko, Kreševo and Fojnica. With the arrival of the Ottomans in the mid 15th century, Ottoman culture asserted its influence in places like Travnik, Visoko, Donji Vakuf and Jajce. Travnik became not only the main city in central Bosnia, but also the centre of the Ottoman Empire's establishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mahalas sprang up in many towns and the spread of Islam had a major impact on life in the region. Small settlements developed into towns and cities, and the once isolated mountain communities became more interconnected.

The Lašva Valley was a main trading route from Dalmatia, Serbia and beyond. Travnik, heralded as the European Istanbul, soon became known for its magnificent oriental architecture and bustling trade centers. Of all the ethnically mixed communities in Bosnia, this region in particular enjoyed a harmonious balance of Catholic and Muslim inhabitants (with a much smaller Orthodox community). The Catholics feel strongly rooted and view themselves as the only continual line of defenders of the ancient Christian Bosnian state. The Central Bosnian Franciscans are the heart and soul of this sentiment and, unlike many of their Franciscan counterparts in western Herzegovina, remain loyal to the preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty.

It is impossible to find a central Bosnian town or community that hasn't intimately meshed with the other. Exploring central Bosnia's ancient fortresses, monasteries, mosques and highland villages is a journey into the very heart of the original Bosnian state and its long line of Slavic ancestors who have inhabited these lands since the VII century.

Northwest Bosnia

The translation of Krajina is frontier. 'Kraj' literally means: end. It was this 'end' of the Ottoman front that was for centuries the frontier land against the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Croatian Krajina, just over the border to the west, was at one time crucial to the Ottoman conquest and was used by the Ottomans as a defense line. As the empire began to decline the frontier slipped back into Bosnia and the entire northwest part of the country became known as the Bosanska Krajina, the Bosnian Frontier.

What is most striking about the Krajina is the beautiful interconnected rivers and the lush, green countryside. The sheer quantity of crystal-clear rivers in this region is phenomenal. The Vrbas, Una, Sana, Sanica and Unac rivers are only a few of the pure water sources that flow into the Sava River. The Bosnian Krajina's greatest tourist attractions all revolve around its natural resources. Just about anywhere in the Krajina one can find beautiful places to hike, walk, bike, fish, hunt or just enjoy a lazy day in the great outdoors.

Northeast Bosnia

The northeast corner of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the industrial backbone of the country. It is also a region with dozens of places to see and visit and, like any other part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you don't have to go very far to find an isolated mountain, a cool stream or a thick green forest.

The areas along the Sava River to the extreme northeast are the most fertile regions in the country. With over 50% of its territory used for agricultural purposes, agriculture in the entire northeast pocket is the number one industry and employer. Around the central city of Tuzla is the heart of the country's industry. This city, named after its salt mines during Ottoman times, combines enormous coal-fired power plants and the resulting air pollution with some lovely areas that have existed since far back into the Middle Ages.

The mountains and lakes, particularly in the far east, are endless green carpets of magnificent natural terrain. Konjuh, Majevica and Ozren crisscross the middle section of the northeast and create large natural boundaries between the mountain climates and the long flatlands of Semberija in the extreme north of the region.