After breakfast, you will have approximately three hours of free time to explore the historic Old Town of Mostar at your leisure.
Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city takes its name from the mostari, the bridge keepers who guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) during the Ottoman period. Today, the Old Bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country’s most visited landmarks, widely regarded as an outstanding example of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.

            The stone single-arch bridge was commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557 and designed by Mimar Hayruddin, a student and apprentice of the renowned imperial architect Mimar Sinan, who was responsible for many of the Ottoman Empire’s most important buildings in Istanbul and beyond.

            Stari Most replaced an earlier wooden suspension bridge that was considered unstable and unsafe. Construction began in 1557 and lasted nine years. According to an inscription, the bridge was completed in 974 AH, corresponding to the period between 19 July 1566 and 7 July 1567.

            Little detailed documentation of the construction process survives. Historical accounts suggest the mortar may have included egg whites, while much of what is known today comes from legends and oral tradition. It is said that Mimar Hayruddin, aware of the unprecedented scale of the project and facing severe consequences if it failed, prepared for his own funeral on the day the scaffolding was removed. Upon completion, the bridge was the widest human-made stone arch in the world.

            The 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi described the bridge as "a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other," noting that despite his extensive travels, he had never seen a bridge of such height and elegance.

            As Mostar’s economic and administrative importance grew under Ottoman rule, the need for a permanent stone crossing became essential. The earlier wooden bridge, described by geographer Katip Çelebi as hanging on chains and swaying dangerously above the gorge, was no longer sufficient. The construction of Stari Most, reportedly costing 300,000 silver drams, was supervised by Karagöz Mehmed Bey, Sultan Suleiman’s son-in-law and patron of the nearby Karagöz Bey Mosque.

            Not far from the world-famous Old Bridge in Mostar stands its smaller, charming counterpart - the Crooked Bridge. Spanning the Radobolja river, a quiet tributary of the Neretva river, this graceful stone arch is believed to predate the Old Bridge by a few years. Many locals say it served as a prototype for its larger sibling, built to test both design and technique before the grand project over the Neretva began.
            The Crooked Bridge is a beautiful example of Ottoman stone craftsmanship, with its single semi-circular arch rising elegantly about 14 feet above the water and stretching 28 feet across the creek. The bridge is made of finely cut local stone, its smooth cubes fitted tightly together with crushed stone filling the gaps. A gentle flight of steps on both sides leads up to the crest, where the curved footpath is paved with rounded cobblestones, typical of Mostar’s old quarter.

            Kujundžiluk is the historic bazaar street of Mostar Old Town, developed during the Ottoman period as the city’s main commercial area. Lined with stone-paved paths and traditional shops, it was historically home to craftsmen and merchants, particularly goldsmiths, from whom the street takes its name (kujundžija meaning goldsmith). Kujundžiluk connected the Old Bridge with the surrounding residential quarters and served as a vital centre of trade, social life, and craftsmanship.

            During his journey through Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1910, Emperor Franz Joseph visited Mostar and was photographed on 3 June walking across the city’s iconic Old Bridge (Stari Most). For the occasion, the bridge was covered with a carpet, and the Emperor was accompanied by the local ruler and the mayor of Mostar, Mustafa Mujaga Komadina.

            Once we finish visiting Mostar Old Town, we will continue by car to nearby Prenj mountain, where we will have lunch and explore the mountain. Prenj mountain is one of the most rugged and scenic mountain ranges in Bosnia and Herzegovina, often referred to as the "Bosnian Himalayas" due to its sharp limestone peaks and alpine landscapes. Located between Mostar and Konjic, it forms part of the Dinaric Alps and is known for its rich biodiversity and pristine natural environment.