14th December 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the end of the Bosnian War. In that time, a lot has changed. Bosnia and Herzegovina has rebuilt and it’s now a fascinating country to explore with Ottoman ruins, a rich history, an eclectic fusion of cultures and creeds, and breathtaking landscapes for outdoor adventures. But despite the time that has passed, many ask: ‘Is Bosnia safe?’
“It’s a question that understandably comes up considering our past,” says our guide Skender. “But today’s Bosnia is peaceful and very welcoming to tourists. In my years of guiding, I’ve seen countless tourists experience our country’s beauty without any safety concerns. It’s a testament to how far we’ve come and the peace that now defines our homeland.”
Those who know this first-hand are our guests Katy and Mark Latymer who visited this summer on our Bosnia Multi Activity Holiday. The Balkans had already captured their hearts on previous visits to Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, so they weren’t complete newbies to the region. But Bosnia has left a lasting impression.
“Bosnia just pips it in my affections because of the magnificent scenery, the food and of course the coffee!” says Katy. “Bosnian food surprised me. It’s not a country people think of for great culinary joys but my goodness did I LOVE the food…Slow cooked meats and peppers with very tasty sauces, wonderful fish and sides, etc. Just such great food which is at least 50% of enjoyment for any holiday.”
“In addition the whole group just couldn’t get enough of Bosnian coffee. It’s like Turkish [coffee] but better. (We went to Turkey as well this year and agreed Bosnian coffee was another level up).”
Related:
- Meet Skender, our Bosnia adventure leader
- Bosnia: 9 things to see and do with kids
- What to see and do in Sarajevo
“I also really enjoyed learning more about the history and mix of Ottoman, Christian and communist influences,” adds Katy, “and how Tito is highly regarded still compared to how foreign countries view that regime and time. Our guide put simply that he gave every citizen a house and a job and there isn’t that sort of security in life anymore.”
“I would definitely go back,” says Katy. “Bosnia can offer incredible landscapes, great activities, superb accommodation and food and the best coffee you’ll come across. I loved it.”
Bosnia then and now
Another one of our guests, Simon Crowther, has seen Bosnia’s transformation first-hand. He first visited the country in 1997 when he was deployed by the British army to assist with the process of normalisation following the Bosnian War and he drove to lots of different areas of the country. “The war had only just finished so there was no shooting but there was devastation everywhere,” he says. Even then, amid the wreckage, he could see Bosnia’s potential as a tourism destination.
“I saw a heck of a lot of the country and it really blew me away just how stunningly beautiful it was,” says Simon. “I thought, ‘this is definitely going to be, it was obvious, a holiday destination for outdoorsy types, eco-tourism, adventure tourism.’ That without a shadow of a doubt was going to happen.”
“Mostar is completely different. It’s a stunningly beautiful town, it’s got this river, that fantastic bridge—the bridge had been hit when I was there.”
“Sarajevo’s interesting, it’s very mixed. It’s still quite touristy because it’s a capital city but if you look up at the blocks of flats you can still see the flash marks from where RPGs have hit the side of the walls and there are bullet holes. They’re quite hard to see in places like Mostar and Sarajevo which are quite touristy and they’ve been done up, but if you look up you can still see them.”
20 years after his deployment, Simon returned to Bosnia with his family and has been back several times since. “We’d fly into Split and drive up to Mostar, Sarajevo, drive back the other way and go through the hills, and then spend a week on an island in Croatia somewhere chilling out.”
“It absolutely blew me away, I absolutely loved it. We just kept going back,” he adds.
Bosnia has certainly come a long way since 1995 and it’s now a thriving destination for off-beat adventures. We look forward to seeing what the next 30 years brings and showing as many travellers as possible how amazing this Balkan country is.
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