Trebinje was one of the biggest surprises on our trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina – in a good way! We liked the city at the southernmost tip of the country from the first moment. The barren landscape, the mountains on the horizon, the beautiful location on the river – it just clicked between us and Trebinje.
Trebinje is not nearly as exciting as Sarajevo or as picturesque as Mostar, but scores with a pleasant calmness. If you are looking for a travel destination in Bosnia and Herzegovina off the beaten track is in the right place.
In this blog article we will tell you what you can experience in Trebinje and which sights you should not miss. Curtain up for our personal tips for Trebinje.
1. Trebinje in Bosnia: Interesting facts & first travel tips Where is Trebinje and how do I get there? Trebinje is the southernmost town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The borders towards Montenegro and Croatia are only about 10 kilometers away. Popular travel destinations such as Kotor (Montenegro) or Dubrovnik (Croatia) can be reached in 1 to 1.5 hours.
It is a good idea to visit Trebinje as part of a Balkan road trip. In this respect, it is common to arrive by car. If you are not traveling with your own car, you can of course book a rental car (e.g. in Sarajevo). We are happy to use Sunny Cars for this.
Important if you are traveling with your own car: Because Bosnia is not part of the EU, you need the “green insurance card” to enter the country. for your car. This is also checked frequently. If you don’t have it with you, you may have to take out additional insurance for your car at the border.
The roads in Bosnia are by and large well developed. (“Broadly speaking” because potholes are not uncommon and you can unexpectedly end up on a gravel road.) Most of the time you drive on ordinary country roads. Motorways are currently under construction and some sections are already open.
We will tell you more tips for driving in Bosnia in this article: Bosnia travel tips
What can I expect in Trebinje? Untouristy destination
We’ll admit it: before our trip to Bosnia we had never had before heard from Trebinje. We were all the more surprised when we arrived. Such a nice little town and hardly any tourists. If you want to get to know Bosnia and Herzegovina from its authentic side, this is the place for you. Great locationTrebinje is beautifully situated in the valley of the Trebišnjica river and surrounded by spectacular mountains. Although Trebinje is located in the barren hinterland of Bosnia (and therefore a few kilometers away from the sea), we immediately felt like we were on holiday. This may also be due to the fact that Trebinje is a well-known wine-growing region and there are numerous vineyards on the hills around the town. Surprisingly impressive sights We were also very enthusiastic about the great sights. The Hercegovačka Gračanica monastery deserves special mention here. We would never have expected such an impressive building in Trebinje. How many days should I plan for Trebinje? The old town of .000 inhabitant town of Trebinje is comparatively manageable. In one day you can easily explore the most important sights. We would definitely recommend staying the night.
If you also want to head for a few excursion destinations in the area or pay a visit to a winery, then it makes sense to two to three nights to stay.
2. Overnight stay in Trebinje: Our hotel tip That we have one of the most beautiful accommodations in our Bosnian trip in Trebinje we would never have expected before. But we have! We can warmly recommend the beautiful Herceg Vila for a stay in Trebinje.
It is run by a Canadian-Bosnian couple. You can tell from the first moment the love for detail. (And unfortunately that is still a rarity in the accommodations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.)
The rooms are very comfortably and comfortably furnished with many extras. We had a room with a view of the river, which of course was particularly nice. The hotel’s own pool is also great, which is ideal for a refreshment.
The extremely friendly staff deserves a very special praise, especially the Canadian boss. Not only did she have great tips ready, every wish was read from your lips.
Our conclusion: A little insider tip in the Southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. We would not hesitate for a second and stay here again. Highly recommended!
You can book the hotel here: Herceg Vila
3. Sights in Trebinje Hercegovačka Gračanica The most important and probably also most impressive sight in Trebinje is the Serbian-Orthodox monastery Hercegovačka Gračanica. It is enthroned on a hill above the old town and cannot be overlooked. One should definitely not leave Trebinje without having been up here once.
If you suspected a historical building, we have to disappoint you: the monastery dates from year 2000. It’s still impressive, no question about it. The monastery was built in the Byzantine style as a tomb for the poet Jovan Dučić. The Gračanica monastery in Kosovo served as a model.
It is definitely worth taking a quick look inside , but we personally found the outside view and of course the view particularly impressive down towards the city.
From up here, Trebinje lies at your feet – a really brilliant panoramic view. You should definitely go a few steps further in the direction of the open-air theater. From there you can see great down towards the Arslanagić Bridge.
Arslanagić Bridge One of the most famous sights in Trebinje is the Arslanagić Bridge. The medieval stone arch bridge spans the Trebišnjica River about a kilometer north of the center.
The bridge dates from the 16. Century. Originally it was at a different location (about 5 kilometers away) and was moved to the 30relocated, i.e. dismantled and rebuilt.
You can reach the bridge from the old town in about 16 minutes walk. On the east bank you can walk all the way along the river.
Serbian Orthodox Church (“Church of the Holy Transfiguration of God”) One of the most important sacred buildings is the Serbian Orthodox Church called “Church of the Holy Transfiguration of God”. It is located in the extensive, very well-kept and worth seeing park of Trebinje.
The church combines several architectural styles. Your construction was completed at the beginning of 16. Century completed. It is definitely worth visiting the interior of the church as well.
Old Town & Trg Slobode Within the historic city walls is the old town of Trebinje. It is accessible via several gates and, in addition to many cafés and bars, is also home to the two most famous mosques in Trebinje.
Osman Pasha MosqueSultan Ahmed Mosque Before the gates of the old town stretches the spacious Trg Slobode (“Freedom Square”), so to speak the main square of Trebinje. In the cafés in the shade of the gigantic plane trees, locals and holidaymakers enjoy their coffee. In the morning there is a farmer’s market at Trg Slobode.
Monastery Tvrdoš About five kilometers outside of Trebinje another sight awaits you that you should not miss: The Serbian- orthodox monastery Tvrdos.
The monastery was founded in 15. Century. The complex is not very extensive and consists of several buildings. The church with its magnificent interior is particularly worth seeing.
The monastery is famous for its winegrowing – it is wonderfully idyllic in the middle of grapevines. If you are interested in wine, a cellar tour and tasting might be of interest.
Important: make sure you dress appropriately (shoulders and knees covered). If necessary, towels are also provided on site to pull over. In the adjoining souvenir shop you can buy wines and spirits from our own production. (Unfortunately, the olive oil came from Greece, otherwise we would have taken it with us.)
4. food & drink ken in Trebinje: tips for cafes and restaurants Restoran Kukurića Vrtovi : A great, highly recommended restaurant, located right on the riverbank, just outside the center. Bosnian cuisine is served – lots of meat and fish, but also some vegetarian dishes. Make a reservation, the restaurant is very popular.
Botany: A surprisingly hip café near the old town of Trebinje. Here you will find a wide variety of coffee specialties and homemade cakes. At the time of our visit, you were allowed to smoke indoors (as is unfortunately often the case in Bosnia), but fortunately there is a wonderful green inner courtyard.
Pekara Leotar: A nondescript bakery, but perfect for a quick burek on the go (e.g. on the return trip from the Old Town to the Arslanagić Bridge).
Herzeg House: Looking for culinary souvenirs to take home? Then we can warmly recommend the Herzeg House. There’s honey, jam and many other delicacies.
Café Botany Herzeg House Restoran Kukurića Vrtovi 5. Map: All sights and tips at a glance For a better overview we have you in this Interactive map shows all sights and tips for Trebinje. A little tip: If you click on the rectangle at the top right, you can save the map on your smartphone (Google Maps app) . (Important: Bosnia is not part of the EU and therefore there is no free roaming. Either organize data volume in advance with your network provider or buy a local SIM card locally.)
Transparency: Affiliate Links This blog article contains our personal recommendations in form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
38761 Have you ever ended up in Trebinje? Do you have any other tips? Or are you planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina and still have questions? We look forward to your comment.
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