Sarajevo is the perfect base for day trips. Surrounded by the Dinaric Alps, remote mountain villages, and beautiful towns. These are the day trips I'd recommend as someone who lives in Sarajevo.
Looking for the best day trip from Sarajevo? There's so much to see in Sarajevo itself— even five years after moving here, I'm still discovering new spots. But around the Bosnian capital, you'll also find plenty of options, from culture to nature to remote villages that hardly anyone knows about.
For this article, I've limited myself to destinations that are two to a maximum of 2.5 hours from Sarajevo, which I think is more than enough driving time for a day trip. After all, you don't want to spend most of your day in the car. The distances are often short, under 100 kilometers, but the mountain roads make them feel longer — which means that for most of these day trips, the journey itself is part of the destination.
You can reach most of these day trip destinations from Sarajevo by public transportation, though I'd still recommend renting a car so you're more flexible — the buses stop absolutely everywhere.
Make sure you give yourself enough time for the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina itself — I'd recommend three days in Sarajevo before you explore the surrounding area. Either with a rental car, or, if you want a deeper look into the history and culture, with a day tour. We organize those at .Cheyf, the boutique travel agency I co-founded with my husband Nermin in 2021.
Here are my 9 favorite day trips from Sarajevo.
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Short on Time? Here's the Quick Guide
Only a few days | Then take the train from Sarajevo to Mostar. Stress-free, no rental car needed, and the old bridge in Mostar is one of those places every visitor to Bosnia wants to see. Traveling with kids? The Bijambare cave system is only a 60-minute drive away.
Getting Around | I’d recommend hiring a car – that way you’ll have more flexibility and won’t be tied to bus and train timetables, which often only run once or twice a day. on Omio. I always book my hire cars through DiscoverCars with comprehensive cover. If you do want to use public transport, you can buy tickets and check timetables on Omio .
Guided Day Tours | Prefer to travel with a guide? With .Cheyf , you can put together a tour tailored to what you want. Or grab my Bosnia travel guide.
1. Mostar
- Distance from Sarajevo: 2.5 hours by car, 2.5–3 hours by bus or train
- Why go: For the most famous old bridge. And for the drive itself through the Neretva Canyon
- Must Do: Watch the bridge divers, taste Herzegovinian wine
We're starting with the most classic day trip of them all: from Sarajevo to Mostar. I probably don't need to explain why you should visit Mostar. Beyond the usual old town sights, I'd also recommend stopping by Bruce Lee and heading down to Mejdan Beach.
You can spend the hottest part of the day on a wine tasting of native grape varieties. Or with lunch at Urban Grill. You're paying for the view there, but the food is good and the view is worth it.
The most relaxed way to visit Mostar is by train. That way you're not hunting for parking, and the ride back to Sarajevo in the late afternoon, right at golden hour, is really something special.
I honestely would not recommend trying to cover Mostar and Herzegovina in a single day. There are plenty of day trips from Sarajevo that offer this – Mostar, Blagaj, Počitelj and the Kravica Waterfalls. What most people don’t realise is that this involves around 7 hours of pure travel time! That means, on a 12-hour tour, there isn’t much time left for the actual sights.
If you want to see more of Herzegovina — and taste the Bosnian wines — stay overnight instead. Villa Gunga, Kriva Čuprija or Shangri La are good options in the old town.
2. Konjic
- Distance from Sarajevo: 60 min by car, 1 hr 15 min by train or bus
- Why go: An old Ottoman bridge, views of Prenj and the Neretva
- Must Do: Coffee with a river view, visit the woodcarvers
I waited far too long before I finally spent a whole day in Konjic. The town sits on the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and has the most beautiful mountain scenery. It also has an old Ottoman bridge — maybe not quite as impressive as the Stari Most, but still worth seeing.
In Konjic, you should definitely stop at Restaurant Vidikovac or Pizzeria No. 1 for the best view of the bridge. Also visit the Muzej Drvorezbarstva, the woodcarving museum. Konjic's woodcarving craft became UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage a few years ago, and the museum shows old pieces along with how the traditional patterns are carved.
If you're into history, plan a tour of Tito's bunker too. The military site is open to the public through guided tours, and the bunker is genuinely, genuinely impressive. You need to register online at least 24 hours in advance.
Want to stay overnight in Konjic? Here are some good options..
3. Travnik
- Distance from Sarajevo: 1 hour 45 minutes by car, 2 hours 15 minutes by bus
- Why go: For top-quality ćevapi, mountain views and Bosnian history
- Must Do: Visit the colourful mosque. Have Ćevapčići at Plava Voda or Hari Ćevapčići
Travnik was the capital of Bosnia for around 150 years, and you can see the Stari Grad fortress from a distance. The architecture here is quite different from that in Herzegovina or Sarajevo – old Ottoman houses and medieval buildings stand side by side.
Take a walk through the birthplace of Nobel price winner Ivo Andrić, check out the fortress, visit the Colorful Mosque, and definitely go eat ćevapčići — there's a lively debate in Bosnia over whether the best ones are here or in Sarajevo.
If you want to continue on to Jajce: I'd plan a separate day for that instead of squeezing Travnik and Jajce into one day trip from Sarajevo. If you're staying overnight in Jajce, Konoba Slapovi is my favorite hotel there.
4. Jablanica
- Distance from Sarajevo: 1 hr 55 min by car, 1 hr 30 min by bus or train
- Why go: For nature: kayaking, climbing, swimming, and the most beautiful stretch of river in Bosnia
- Must Do: Kayak on the Neretva.
Jablanica is the right stop if you've had enough sightseeing. Here you can either find a quiet spot to swim at Jablaničko Jezero, an artificial reservoir, take a covered raft across the river, or — my favorite — rent a kayak and paddle through the Neretva Canyon. The destination of this self-guided trip is Diva Grabovica, a hidden beach in a calm side arm of the Neretva, where you can either get picked up or paddle back.
I haven't tried it myself yet, but the Via Ferrata Prenjska Vrata is on my to-do list — the views over the Neretva Canyon from up there are supposed to be stunning. And on the drive back (if you're traveling by car): janjetina, grilled lamb, is a regional specialty you have to try if you eat meat. Even though I don't eat lamb myself, I can still recommend a restaurant: Kovačević. For the view (and Numa says the lamb is the best here).
5. Srebrenica: Potočari Memorial Center
- Distance from Sarajevo: 3 hours by car
- How to get there: by car or a guided tour from Sarajevo
- Admission: free, donations welcome
Earlier I said 2.5 hours was the max driving time. One exception: the Srebrenica Memorial in Potočari. I'm a big believer in enjoying Bosnia and Herzegovina's nature, food, and culture — but if you want a trip that also engages with the country's history, a stop in Srebrenica belongs on it too.
The memorial in Potočari sits on the site of the former UN base, where tens of thousands of refugees sought protection in 1995 — in vain. Directly across from it is the cemetery. Inside the memorial, you'll be guided through the exhibitions by genocide survivors.
Plan the entire day for a trip to Srebrenica — including some quiet time afterward. The visit is emotionally demanding and deserves to stand on its own. A guided tour is your best choice..
6. Bijambare and ethno village Begovo Selo
- Distance from Sarajevo: 50–60 min by car
- Why go: A nature reserve that's ideal for a half-day trip
- To Do: Have lunch at Begovo Selo after visiting the cave
A total of eight caves formed here in the limestone, and you can visit the largest one. Admission costs just a few marks, and from the parking lot, you walk through the forest to the cave system. The whole nature park is perfect for bringing a picnic and settling onto one of the meadows or benches.
Or have lunch at the Begovo Selo ethno village. The owner has also collected antiques and tools from various Bosnian trades and displayed them in small houses there. On summer weekends, craftspeople demonstrate how work used to be done.
The cave itself, nicknamed the “Concert Hall,” impressed even someone like me who isn't usually into underground activities. This day trip is perfect for families with kids.
Heads up:the cave is closed between December and April.
7. Bjelašnica
- Distance from Sarajevo: about 50 min by car
- Why go: One of the four Olympic mountains, with plenty of outdoor activities and good infrastructure
- Must Do: Hike to Lukomir
On Bjelašnica, you're spoiled for choice: rent an e-bike and ride one of the trails, hike from the Babin Do ski resort to Restaurant Javorov Do, relax at Boračko Jezero, or hike to Lukomir.
Bosnia's most remote mountain village is still often marketed as a hidden gem — that's not really true anymore. Lukomir can get crowded these days, especially in summer and on weekends. Still, the 15-kilometer hike along Europe's second-deepest canyon to the village, as well as a visit to the village itself, is worth it. If you don't want to rent a car, book a guided day tour from Sarajevo. .
There are also some great places to stay on Bjelašnica, like Kućica na Brdu or Koliba Umoljani.
8. Blidinje Nature Park
- Distance from Sarajevo: about 2 hours by car
- Why go: One of Bosnia's lesser-known nature parks
- Must Do: Kayak on the lake, eat uštipci
Blidinje Nature Park is a hiker's paradise. But you really need to be up early for it — for example, if you want to hike up to Hajdučka Vrata, the “Bandit's Door.” Shame on me, I still haven't done it.
But Blidinje is also great for more relaxed activities, like kayaking on the glacial Blidinje Lake or a walk along the shore. If you don't make it to Stolac, you can also see stećci here — the old tombstones from the era of the Bosnian Kingdom. There's a well-preserved necropolis right here in the nature park.
The park's only restaurant, Hajdučke Vrleti, is also a must. Every time we're there, the food is so good! Try the uštipci — but bring your appetite, the portion is huge.
An overnight stay at Barrelland Blidinje is worth it too.
9. Prokoško Jezero
- Distance from Sarajevo: about 2 hr 10 min by car, 15 km of gravel road
- Why go: For the most remote spot on this list, and pure nature
- Must Do: Walk around the lake, eat pita
The word “magical” is so overused, but I can't think of a better one for Prokoško Lake. The first time I came here, I couldn't believe a place this remote and secluded existed right in the middle of Europe — one that's only livable from late May through October. The photos really speak for themselves: Prokoško has no cell phone reception, but it has everything modern life is missing.
Just walk around the lake and grab a bite at Prokoško Resort, which also has the best view over the lake and the village. Our friend Damir's mother cooks fresh here in the summer, and her pita is perfect. Up here, it also gets cool fast even in summer, and the weather can change within minutes — bring a jacket, and bring cash.
In recent years, though, the lake has become more popular with cross-country bikers and quad tourists, which is such a shame. If you want to visit, please don't do it with a tour like that.
More must-sees in Bosnia!
I've been living in the country since 2021 and now know it really well - from restaurants and must-sees to real hidden gems!
For anyone exploring Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first (or second) time, I've put together this handy travel map and app for you. over 300 spots that you should not miss.
Getting Around & Practical Tips
A few more practical tips for planning your day trips from the capital, Sarajevo.
Renting a Car | You'll have the most flexibility with a rental car (always get full coverage). I compare prices on DiscoverCars. Check whether you need to pick up the car in the city or at the airport.
By bus or train | You can take the train or bus to Mostar, Konjic, or Travnik. It's best to buy tickets directly on the Centrotrans website for the bus, and at the station for the train (arrive 15 minutes early, partly to secure a window seat — sit on the left from Sarajevo to Mostar, and on the right from Mostar to Sarajevo, for the best view).
Guided Tours | You'll find plenty of options on GetYourGuide and Viator ; for custom, sustainable tours, we're also happy to help at .Cheyf . But one more time: please skip the day tours that try to cover all of Herzegovina, or Jajce and back. In my opinion, it's really not worth it.
Where to Stay in Sarajevo
For all of these trips, it's worth booking a central place to stay in the Marijin Dvor neighborhood. That way you're within walking distance of Sarajevo's main sights, but you can also get out of the city quickly. Make sure to book somewhere with parking. You'll find more on the city of Sarajevo and its must-see sights in my Sarajevo Travel Guide.
Which Day Trip Will You Take?
Whether it's culture and religion or nature and the outdoors — I hope you found something for yourself among these day trips. Either way, you're now well prepared for a multi-day stay in Sarajevo. And if you're continuing your trip afterward, you'll find information here on traveling from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik or from Sarajevo to Split.
I cover all of Bosnia and Herzegovina in my digital Bosnia travel guide , which — alongside these exciting day trips from Sarajevo — also covers the best viewpoints, restaurants, and routes.
Have fun exploring.
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