8 Tips for Traveling to Bosnia and Herzegovina

#1 The official languages in the Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. Most of the people speak English.

#2 The official currency is the konvertibilna marka (convertible Mark), divided into 100 feninga. Originally pegged 1:1 to the Deutsche Mark, it is presently pegged to the Euro at roughly 1.95 to the euro (1 EUR = 1.95583 KM). Before you leave the country, be sure to convert back any unused KM into something common (Euros, dollars) as most other countries will not exchange KM.

#3 There are three mobile phone networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina: BH Mobile (All of Bosnia and Herzegovina), HT ERONET (Mostar) and m:tel (Republika Srpska, Banja Luka). You can buy a prepaid SIM card from any network at any kiosk for 5 KM or less.

#4 The best time to visit Bosnia depends on what you are looking for: Spring and Summer season are great because the average yearly temperature in July is around 19.7 °C (67.5 °F). The areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters and the weather is perfect if you are fan of winter sports. January is the coldest month of the year with the average temperature of −0.5 °C (31.1 °F).

#5 Local people are very friendly so make sure to ask them anything you would like to know. Ask them for a restaurant/hotel/park recommendation or even better: let them take you to their favorite places! You will enjoy their authentic sense of humor and generosity.

#6 Try the food. It is a large selection of delicious, traditional meals famous in the whole Europe. Local food is heavy on meat and fish, and light on vegetarian alternatives. They are also famous for their amazing pastries and desserts.

#7 If you are a coffee lover, try the authentic Turkish/Bosnian coffee, which is a real tradition in Bosnia, served in special kind of cups. Bosnians are among the heaviest coffee drinkers in the world.

#8 In Bosnia and Herzegovina you can choose from the great number of hotels, hostels, motels and pensions. At the seaside town of Neum you can book hotels from 2 to 4 stars. In the other cities many hotels are 3 stars, 4 stars and some of them are 5 stars.

#9 Learn a bit about the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Siege of Sarajevo was the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. After you hear stories about the Bosnian war between the 1992 and 1996, you will appreciate life and peace more.

#10 Check out our recommendations on what to see and do while you are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will help you make the most out of your time spent in this beautiful country!