"It's the last undiscovered
tourist destination in Europe," says Paddy Ashdown,
high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
He may be right but tourists are slowly returning
to Sarajevo and discovering the delights of this complex
country for themselves. Bosnia and Herzegovina lies
at the cultural crossroads of east and west. It was
here that Byzantine and Ottoman civilisations met
Roman and Austro-Hungarian ones, moulding one of Europe's
most diverse nations. Where else would you find Orthodox
and Catholic churches, a mosque and a synagogue side
by side in the same square?
You can explore Mediterranean
south and the Alpine north, through fields of fig
trees and green mountains. Almost a decade after the
war, you'll be pleasantly surprised by a mosaic of
landscapes and a warm welcome. The 'must-sees' include
the capital Sarajevo with its bustling Bascaršija
- the main market square, and the hub of the inner
city with over 40 narrow lanes emanating from it -
these lanes are filled with traders in copper, leather
and woodwork. Bjelasnica Mountain is like taking a
step back in time where you can see medieval traditions
still alive.
Nearly each village still
makes it own cheese! Not to be missed is Mostar, whose
famous bridge linked Muslim and Christian Europe for
400 years until it was destroyed by tanks in 1993.
It was reopened in July 2004.
