Getting an early start this morning, we depart Mostar and travel 15 minutes to the nearby village of Blagaj.
Blagaj's raison d'etre is likely the Buna Spring, which flows out of a 200m cliff wall and single-handedly creates the Buna River. Unsurprisingly, the Ottoman sultan was impressed and ordered a Tekija to be built right next to it. This 16th century house/monastery was built for the Dervish cults and is still one of the most mystical places in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This sleepy town moves at a slow pace and many of its old structures are reminiscent of Ottoman days.
We will enjoy a walk around the town, visiting the 17th century Velagic house, a beautiful example of Ottoman stone masonry. From a point near the Tekija Dervish House, we can pick up a path that takes us up to the Stjepan Grad Fortress that looms over the town. Once we reach the upper parking lot (20 min), we'll take the "goat path" (another 20 min) option that zigzags up (rather than the extremely steep path). From the top (273m above town), the views are expansive, and the ruins extremely atmospheric.
After our visit, our journey continues southerly to Trebinje, where we'll pause for lunch and an informal look about this charming town, our last stop before crossing the border into Montenegro. Trebinje is a city located in Republika Srpska (Serb Republic), a small region of Bosnia and Herzegovina and predominantly Serbian. Trebinje’s walled old town is tiny, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in rustic charm. Admire the picture-perfect stone houses, shuttered buildings and leafy squares.
Prior to continuing to the border, we detour to the Tvrdos Monastery,* a must-visit even if you aren’t a fan of the finest drink, but wine lovers have extra reason to visit. Not only is this a working monastery dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, it also has a long tradition of winemaking. An old epic folk poem mentions the monastery Tvrdos and "its monastic cellars filled with wine", proof that the monastery was already well known for its winemaking in the Middle Ages. Thes warm and dry conditions here are particularly well-suited to the native grape varieties Zilavka and Vranac -- grown by the ancient Greeks -- which thrive in the region. We'll taste some wines before crossing the border into Montenegro and onto Kotor. The last part of our journey parallels the scenic shoreline of Boka Kotorska Bay of Kotor), the only fjord in the Mediterranean, a bay of 32 km/20 miles cut deep into the stone of the Orjen and Lovcen mountains.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor was inhabited even at the times of Illyrians and Romans. Its history is also entwined with that of the Venetian Empire. Within its walls, the city of Kotor has retained a mediaeval feel.
* Please note: women must wear long sleeves and men shouldn’t wear shorts when visiting the monastery (you can borrow used clothes to cover knees or shoulders at the entrance).
Overnight in Kotor.
 
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner