Bosnia & Herzegovina

Broken hearts and broken bridges have characterized the recent past of this Balkan country. After seceding from former Yugoslavia, civil war ensued, with everybody fighting everybody. The Serbs gained the upper-hand and atrocities followed in ‘liberated’ areas. After years of fighting a peace-agreement was finally agreed upon, which has held until this day. The broken bridges have been rebuilt, the broken hearts will take longer to heal.

It’s not the first time shots were fired in Bosnia with far reaching consequences. It was in Sarajevo that the opening volleys of the First World War (aka The Great War) were fired, when a young Serb shot the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, which ended up dragging the whole of aristocratic Europe into war with each other. So much for its history, let’s look at the present. Political inertia and high unemployment have led to grumbling and protests as of late. But it is not all doom and gloom. Peace there is, and tourist have returned.

And why not? There is plenty to see and do, and the mish-mash of cultures has not only led to war, but also to a diversity of food, architecture, religions, and traditions. East meets West here, not only East as in Ottoman or Asian, but also East as in Eastern Orthodox and Russian, with the West being Croatian and Austrian influences, and Catholicism. You will find mosques, Catholic churches and Orthodox monasteries, medieval castles, and small villages. All set in a gorgeous landscape of craggy mountains, deep gorges, raging blue rivers, and fertile valleys. Perfect for hiking, rafting, or in winter, skiing. And there is even a minuscule portion of Adriatic coast you can visit, if you are simply dying for the sea.

What are you waiting for? Hop on down to Bosnia and Herzegovina!