History of travel and tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina goes back to the Roman times. The grand road project of 550 mile length on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1st century by Cornelius Dolabella was the fundamental for the further branching of the road network in B&H. It had determinate Bosnia and Herzegovina as the strategic road route of the Romans towards Central and Eastern Europe. With the fall of the Roman Empire and sinking in the Middle Ages, the roads were partially or entirely ceased to be in use, so many of them today we know only from the written sources or narratives. Great B&H narrator Ćamil Sijarić in the book “Herceg-Bosnia and your cities” states: “The roads are not eternal. Many of them are dying, and new are born in other directions. Therefore, today countless cobbles end into thick forest, where no one treads. Our desire to travel on them could take us to magic places where once were cities, and today there’s hardly anything or maybe if we search hard we can find some walls, or a sign written on the stone…” The best preserved Roman road can still be seen on the Nevesinje plateau and near Stolac, a small town in southeast of Bosnia.
In the most of Europe with fading of ancient times travellers faded too, it was the Renaissance that awoke traveler’ masses. Yet, the Middle Ages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, unlike the rest of Europe were a golden age of Bosnia both in territorial terms, as well as cultural, religious and social. The unique monuments and landmarks from that period are proof of such elaborations. These unique monuments can be found only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and their symbol is the Bosnian Middle Ages tombstone “Stećak”.
“Stećak” is without doubt a unique symbol of medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tens of thousands of them scattered from the Adriatic to Sava, Una and Drina River. People called them marble, from the Greek word “mnimorion” or the Latin “memory” in both cases means remembrance, a monument! On them were carved antique symbols of Bosnian residents – Bogumil – with the earth, sun, moon, family, life sounds, hunting, dancing and prayer. Epitaphs on the tombstones are inscribed in “Bosančica”, unique script, which was used in medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina, similar to today’s Cyrillic latters. These tombstones are unique in the world and originate from the time Bosnia was ruled by Ban Kulin (1180-1204). For medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina can often be heard Silver Bosnia, the reason for such epithet was the production of silver. In the Middle Ages from Bosnian mines in the world was exported 25 tons of silver annually, while production of silver in the whole of Europe was 27 tons, annually. Various items of silver made in Bosnia (ad modum bosensis) were in high demand in Europe. The extraordinary and unusual weight had a female Bosnian band of 1 kg and 700 g of silver that were sold around the Mediterranean.
With the arrival of the Ottomans in the 16th century, Bosnia and Herzegovina got new cultural characteristics, which are today particularly evident in the architecture of some cities of B&H, as well as the demographic structure. During the Ottoman Empire in the cities were erected “hammams” (baths) and “bezistani” (shopping stores), on the roads were built khans and caravanserais (inns) The difference between the han and the caravanserai is that the passenger in the han paid for night inn and heating, while the caravanserai was free, while the care of food had to be taken by passenger himself. There were three types of the hans: those for gentlemen, the middle class and peasants. The hans were usually erected on each four-hour walk. With the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian 1878 in hans appeared tables, chairs and beds.
During the time of the Ottomans Bosnia and Herzegovina has become one of the leading spa resorts in the Balkans, the reason for this are abundant richness of these areas with thermal and mineral springs whose healing properties have always been known to people. Springs such as: Kruščica, Fojnica water, salt water in Tuzla, thermal water in Dobruna, spring Guber near Srebrenica, which in itself has arsenic, Sarajevo sorrel, sulfuric water at Ilidža, men’s water in Kladanj, Tešanj’s sorrel and many other springs, have had for a long time attracted people . It is noted that the Jews especially appreciated the hot sulfuric spas in Ilidža for treatment of gout where they remained on treatment for one month or more. In addition to thermal and mineral waters, in the 16th century Sarajevo was well known for a few “atar stores”, which are precursors of modern pharmacists. In the 18th century. Sarajevo has gained first asylum for the mentally ill which influenced Sarajevo to become one of the leading health destinations in the Ottoman Empire.
Sarajevo has heritage as the origin of the modern tourism in the Balkans. To meet the needs of guests who were arriving by train into the city the first large European-style hotel was built in 1882, today’s Hotel Europa. It was also the first major hotel of this kind in the Balkans. The Austro-Hungarian Minister Kallay particularly invested in the development of thermal spas on Ilidži. Until the First World War, Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the leading tourist destinations in the region. The strategic decision of the former state of Yugoslavia was that Bosnia frost heavy industry, metal, military and energy industries. In spite of such a strategy in Bosnia has been organized the largest cultural, sports and tourism events and the largest among has been ’84 Winter Olympics Games.
Touristic breakdown or complete collapse in Bosnia and Herzegovina was in late 1991 due to war escalation. In these unfortunate years until the end of the 20th century tourism in Bosnia and the region was on it’s knees. The dark past of the 20th century is behind of us, an Bosnia and Herzegovina today is amazingly beautiful and safe country with a vast array of symbols such as the magnificent natural landscapes, rich culture and traditions and hospitable and kind people, Bosnia and Herzegovina can be proud of its hospitality and treating our guests as if they were family members. And we know that families are in the heart.
If you want to experience unique Bosnia and Herzegovina or maybe discover the roads of the people and travelers from the past check one of our packages or handcraft it to your preferences. See more on tours packages…