Croatia and Bosnia
From Beaches to Mountains:
How to Plan the Perfect Multi-Destination Vacation
I still remember it like it was yesterday, $380 roundtrip from JFK to Dubrovnik, Croatia with British Airways! Just with a quick stop in London. For the beginning of September? For that price?! SOLD!!! I was about to book it but randomly told my father, and he automatically said he wants to go! So, we booked the deal right then and there. As soon as I saw Croatia, I automatically thought of my favorite TV show at that time, Game of Thrones. Knowing that I will be going to Kings Landing, I was too excited to plan this trip out. But, rather than going to just Croatia, I was very interested in their neighboring country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, I got to planning, like I usually do regardless of who is coming with me. Yes, I am the planner 😊.
This trip was the first trip that I ever used Airbnb. While doing my research on both countries, I went to my main source, Youtube! I have some type of obsession with going on Youtube to see and plan my trips. I want to see the first-hand accounts of a country. The first thing I learned is that Airbnb is the best way to go in both countries! More authentic, better locations, & far more cheaper compared to hotels. Going in mind that B&H has a long history of hurt and pain, I knew I wanted to come not only respectfully but also with an open mind. Looking at pictures and also some of the low amounts of videos on Youtube about B&H, of the actual country, to me, the country looked incredibly beautiful.
September 6 came and we boarded our flight from JFK to London. DELAYED. But, only for 20 minutes, well 20 minutes came to be over an hour. The issue? The luggage needed to be rechecked! This entire time I was panicking because our layover in London was only an hour and a half. By the time, we got up to the sky, our flight was late by an hour & 15 minutes. Let’s just say, that was the last time I would book a layover that quickly, especially leaving from JFK. (Actually, it wasn’t the last time, but we will talk about that later). So, we arrive at London Heathrow Airport and we had no chance, our flight already took off. By the time we had wifi at the airport, they put us on a new flight and it was horrible. Had to go to another airport in London, which meant taking a bus and then going to Zagreb, having a 5-hour layover there, and then going back on the plane to make it to Dubrovnik. We said NOPE! We wouldn’t have arrived until past midnight. We took the quickest flight to Dubrovnik, which was Easy Jet. Thank God since my St. Lucia trip I learned to purchase travel insurance. St. Lucia is where I got stuck for 9 days in paradise because the St. Vincent volcano was erupting after 40-plus years of nothing.
We have finally landed in Dubrovnik!
While this entire mess was going on, I was communicating with our first Airbnb host about what was going on. He understood completely and had our driver waiting for us at the airport at the updated time. Such a smooth transition. I was more bummed because our first Airbnb location was perfect because it was right in the center of Old Town in Dubrovnik. Plus, it was the most expensive room of our whole trip, but what could we do? We made it, so I just let it go. This is what happens in travel, right?
Before sleeping, I booked us a Games of Thrones Walking Tour. Of course! We were in Kings Landing!! The deal was only $25 and it took us everywhere. A lot of walking even with the beautiful cool weather from the sea, I was sweating! I was not ready for the hills and rocky surfaces in the city! I thought I was ready, but oh boy I was wrong! But, we went up and down to see locations where the shooting of the TV show was held. As soon as our 3-hour tour was done, my dad and I grabbed a nice size pizza. We sat right on a random step and just scarfed the pizza down. Then, we just began walking in between streets until we saw the sea area full of boats and an aquarium at the end. We went inside the AKVARIJ Dubrovnik Aquarium and paid 8 Euros. The aquarium was okay, but it was cool and chilly inside. We needed a break from the sun! By this time, it was already late afternoon and I decided to walk around and look for well-known expensive souvenirs. Then, decided at the end of the night to have dinner at a local spot and watch cute little cats walking around the Old Town.
The next day, it was already time to go to Bosnia! That first day getting into Croatia really had other things I had planned in a tickle, so we didn’t get to do very much besides the tour and walking around to see the vibes of the city. But, we would be back! We walked around in the morning some more, had a quick breakfast, and got a taxi to the bus station to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Going to my favorite country to date, Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Once arriving at the bus station, it was really quiet. We didn’t see anyone working or barely any people. We were nervous. We did come an hour earlier than needed for our bus scheduled time, but we just wanted to make sure we were prepared. So, we just waited outside and just paid attention to our surroundings. Then, suddenly a group of kids came by and acted like they were playing basketball. It was the cutest thing because they didn’t have any basketballs in their hands, they just were pretending. While that was going on, they asked if they could have a few dollars, and we gave it to them. Then, suddenly my dad started playing with them and had the “basketball in his hand”. Side note: my dad has been a basketball coach for many years, so this was right up his alley. By the time all the playing was over, more people gathered and our bus showed up. We got on the bus and took the 3-hour bus ride to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. With stops along the way, the bus ride was actually 5 hours. Again, we were late and had to tell our Airbnb host what was going on, so that the ride that was arranged for us, would know what time to pick us up at the bus station. But, we got there.
The location of our Airbnb was PERFECT! Right near the most famous bridge in Mostar, the Stari Most. We saw it right outside our door and I was relieved because we were so centralized that everything was open late and everything was within walking distance. Again, the first thing I did was book a tour with our Airbnb host for the next morning and was ready to learn and explore. Had dinner at a great authentic restaurant, took our showers, and were knocked out!
The next morning, we woke up early and were ready for another adventure. This time we were going to see beautiful waterfalls and the once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Blagaj Village. The beauty that this country showed was unbelievable! The mountains were so clear and the people were just as friendly as you can imagine. It was so breathtaking. Croatia was so different compared to its neighboring country. I fell in love with this country so instantly. While on the tour, we learned more about the country and what makes Bosnia so unique. Learning about Islam and the culture in that area was so eye-opening. I highly recommend anyone who ever wants to come to Bosnia and Herzegovina, to please go! While driving back to our Airbnb after seeing another waterfall and having lunch, we saw a beautiful large cross right on the side of the road. Again, I was in awe and started crying because I was really overwhelmed by how different religions can coexist even though there is so much war because of it. We got back to our Airbnb. Took a breather, changed our clothes, and went right back out again!
Walking around Mostar, we saw the beauty and the differences of Croatia to this country. Croatia reminded me so much of Italy, while B&H was most certainly inspired by Turkey. It honestly was such a beautiful sight to see. Honestly, refreshing! Walking around and seeing the color lights, coffee cups, and colorful clothing, I had to keep telling myself not to overspend during this trip 🥰. We went to the Stari Most bridge and took photos. Learned a perfect location where to take photos to capture the entire bridge. While walking around, we kept seeing “Don’t Forget, ‘93”. Right around the corner, it was the building that I truly was not ready for. I don’t think anyone would be.
Museum of War and Genocide Victims. Heartbreaking isn’t even the word. Please learn and try to understand that this was absolutely a horrible time in B&H history. B&H was once called Yugoslavia from 1945-1992. Gained independence then changed its name. But, I don’t want to dwell on the museum, but everyone must go if you come to Mostar. "Don't Forget, ‘93”.
The next morning we visited the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque. While walking in, I was asked to cover my hair with a scarf, that they already had for me. I said absolutely and continued to go in. This mosque was so enriched with culture, history and heavily inspired by the Ottoman architecture. Built-in 1617, this mosque is one of the most popular mosques in the city. Known for its beautiful blue roof and white building, its certainly worth a stop if anyone is visiting Mostar.
That was the end of our time in Mostar. I was so incredibly sad that it was over because I felt like it was so much to explore. But, I promised myself that I would go back one day and bring a few other people along with me! It was truly an unbelievable experience.
Back on the bus to Croatia!
While back on the bus to Croatia, looking outside the window, it was such a beautiful scene. The weather was perfect, the sky was bright and the mountains along with the water honestly was the most perfect sight a human being could possibly see. While on the bus, I was thinking about why I wanted to go to Montenegro, which was another country near Croatia. Yes, I planned on visiting another country within a week, but I was so tired of buses! Even though it was only a day trip, I was not in the mood for another bus. I really felt that we didn’t see all that this part of Croatia had to offer. So, while we were almost there, I let our Airbnb host know, the time we planned to arrive, so we could be picked up. Our new location Airbnb was right outside the wall of Dubrovnik but extremely close to it. We walked and found a beach. Truly was not used to having a beach with so many rocks, but we made it work! I did not go in the sea but my dad surely did. Do you know what else he did? Lost the key to our Airbnb in his swimsuit pocket. HAHA! Luckily our Airbnb was understanding and had a spare. While we checked out our Airbnb some more, my dad decided to get us some lunch and at least see what was going on. He did grab us something to eat and let me know that someone was selling an island hopping tour and how it would be fun. I debated and decided for us not to go to Montenegro and just to stay in Croatia and have fun during the tour. We watched the home opener of the Philadelphia Eagles game and relaxed for the rest of the night.
The next morning, we got up and ready to have some fun! We sure did! We met a group of really fun people and loaded up on the boat. We island-hopped around different locations, ate, and drank. I am not much of a drinker, so I just sipped. Relaxing in the sea and just really being thankful that I was given this opportunity to come to this country. This tour lasted the entire day and I had no remorse for not going to Montenegro. I will visit one day!
Goodbye
So, comes to the end of our trip. We leave early the next morning and are full of adventure and love from both countries. A week sure went by fast and I left with no regrets. We did so much and I was so glad to experience this trip with my dad. The reason why I started my love for travel! It was honestly him having a timeshare growing up and vacationing 2-3 times a year in a new city. While getting to JFK we had no problems and our flights were all on time. Incredible trip and I am still in awe of everything!
-Brianna Noelle Xo
Check Out My Youtube Video Of This Trip
