PLACES · EASTERN BOSNIA

East Bosnia: Višegrad and the Drina valley

Višegrad gives the Drina valley a memorable starting point: a stone bridge, a river running through the town and steep, wooded country beyond. Give this part of the journey its own time rather than treating it as a quick detour between Sarajevo and Mostar.

The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge and the Drina valley at Višegrad

IN THIS CHAPTER

Read at your own pace. Take the ideas that fit your trip, and leave room for your own route.

Begin with the bridge

The Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge crosses the Drina in Višegrad. Designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and built between 1571 and 1577, it is a UNESCO World Heritage property. Walk the town with the bridge as your reference point, then pause beside the river to see how the arches sit within the valley.

Choose the river experience you actually want

Tell us whether you picture a quiet riverside afternoon or an active day outside. Boat outings and rafting are different requests, with routes and arrangements to confirm for your dates. Leave time to enjoy the valley as well as travel through it.

Make space for remembrance

The Srebrenica Memorial Centre at Potočari is a place of mourning, research and education about the 1995 genocide. If you choose to visit, give it unhurried time and follow the centre’s guidance. The centre welcomes advance requests explaining your group and interests. Plan it as a considered visit, with space afterwards for reflection.

Build an eastern chapter

Start with your available nights, where you will arrive from and where you need to go next. Tell us whether the priority is Višegrad’s heritage, time beside the Drina or a considered memorial visit. Those choices will shape a more useful route than trying to include everything under the label “East Bosnia”.

A starting point.
Make it yours.