🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

May–June and September–October are ideal: warm days, fewer crowds and comfortable walking in Sarajevo and Mostar. July and August are very hot in Herzegovina, especially in Mostar, and busy with day-trippers from the coast. December to March is ski season on Jahorina and Bjelašnica, the Olympic mountains near Sarajevo.

The north and centre have a continental climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters; Sarajevo can be foggy and polluted on winter days. Herzegovina in the south is Mediterranean-influenced and becomes very hot in summer. Mountain weather changes quickly at any time of year.

Citizens of many countries, including the EU, the UK, the USA and Canada, can visit without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period; check the rules for your nationality. Passports must normally have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least 90 days after departure. All foreign visitors must be registered with the police within 72 hours of arrival; hotels and most hostels do this for you, but check if you stay in a private apartment.

Buses connect almost every town and are the main way to travel. The train between Sarajevo and Mostar is one of the most scenic rides in the Balkans and a good alternative to the road. Car hire gives the most flexibility for waterfalls, small towns and mountain areas. Sarajevo's historic tram line runs along the main axis of the city.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the more affordable destinations in Europe: local restaurants, cafés, buses and guesthouses cost noticeably less than in neighbouring Croatia. Prices rise in Mostar in summer and at ski resorts in winter. Plan with the Trip Budget Calculator and convert marks with the Currency Converter.

Bosnia's communities are Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic, and many towns have mosques and churches within sight of each other. Dress modestly in religious buildings; mosques open to visitors may provide scarves. The war of the 1990s is recent history: listen with respect, and avoid taking sides in political discussions. Coffee is a ritual, served slowly in a džezva.

Look for ćevapi (small grilled sausages in flatbread with onions), burek and other filled pies, begova čorba (a creamy chicken soup), stuffed vegetables (dolma) and Herzegovina wines such as Žilavka and Blatina. Bosnian coffee is served with a sugar cube and sometimes rahat lokum.

Most visits are trouble-free. The most important specific risk is landmines and unexploded ordnance from the 1990s war: stay on paved roads and marked paths, keep out of abandoned buildings and heed red mine-warning signs, even in areas thought to be cleared. Floods can move mines, so check local advice before hiking off the beaten track. Petty theft occurs in tourist areas.