Best Things to Do in Počitelj: a Unique Day Trip from Mostar

A Little Bit of History about Počitelj

Počitelj is an open-air-museum town housing examples of Ottoman influence through its architecture. It was a town of great strategic importance during Ottoman times but began to lose this importance during the Austro-Hungarian rule, resulting in many residents moving elsewhere.

During the Bosnian war, Počitelj became a target. Buildings were damaged, as was the mosque and examples of Islamic art. The bombardment caused more inhabitants to move away from Počitelj for their safety, and by the end of the war the town was largely abandoned.

Work began to restore some of the buildings; the mosque has been brought back to its former glory, however, not all of the restoration followed traditional methods. This has left Počitelj on the UNESCO tentative list.

Today, some residents have returned. They sell fresh juices, dried fruit and souvenirs to the few tourists that come to explore the area.

How to Get to Počitelj from Mostar

This is the question! So, before we headed out here, I read plenty online about people having difficulty getting there and back, people getting stranded, people saying you need to hire a car, etc., etc.

The other thing is that the bus stop at Počitelj does not appear on any bus timetables or Google Maps. It is, however on Maps.me.

But, in reality, it’s fine!

How to Get Back to Mostar from Počitelj

Getting back from Počitelj is no longer a challenge!

Stand at the side of the road and flag down the bus on its way through. Pay your 7.3 KM in cash to the driver, and you’ll be back in Mostar in 30 minutes!

If you decide that the public transport method is not for you, there are many group day trips that visit Počitelj, Blagaj and Kravice waterfalls.

Just bear in mind that organised tours generally give you a very short period of time to explore Počitelj, so make sure you check this before booking. Ask at any tourist information desk in Mostar and they will have something for you.

Where to Stay in Mostar

How to Get to Mostar

There is an international airport in Mostar (OMO) but it has very limited direct flights.

Your best bet is to get to Sarajevo (SJJ) which connects Bosnia and Herzegovina with several locations throughout Europe and the Middle East. From Sarajevo city centre, there are multiple buses and two trains each day connecting to Mostar.

Mostar has good bus connections with other locations around the country including Jajce, Trebinje and Banja Luka.

Exploring Počitelj

If arriving by bus, you will be dropped close to the lower gate. As Počitelj is a walled town built into the side of a karst cliff, it requires a lot of walking up and down (unless you work it through systematically).

Entering through the lower gate, you will see the old han (inn) and then come to an area with a couple of restaurants, souvenir shops and some locals selling fruit and juice. Start walking up from here, you will see the hammam on your left and the mosque on your right.

Taking the path to the left from here will bring you towards the northern-most part of the town and the abandoned tower.

Now, the tower does look like it is pretty dodgy. Smooth, slippery stone staircase without railings, no passing places for other people, some sheer drops, and a generally crumbling building.

Enter at your own risk as the buildings are not maintained.  The staircase spirals around the inside edge of the tower looking down into a large open space in the centre. At the top you can get some stunning views across the whole of the town: the mosque, the hammam and the Neretva river all in one frame.

Once you have had your fill of adrenaline, leave the tower and head upwards, roughly following the old town wall. Stop to venture down all the little alleyways to explore all Počitelj’s pockets of architectural charm.

At Počitelj’s higher gate, turn right and (again) more or less follow the town wall until you get to the main viewpoint for the whole town. There is a metal staircase and platform that has been added in for tourism purposes, so this felt safer. And the view is wonderful.

Working your way back down from here to the centre of town, stop in to take some photos of the mosque. The door was shut when we were there, so we asked if we could enter and they opened the door for us straight away.

I had to cover my legs, so put my trusty baggy travelling pants (or jazzy pants) over the top of my shorts. No problems.

(Jazzy pants back into the daybag), head back down towards the lower gate. Stop to buy a souvenir, some frozen pomegranate juice or some dried figs to support the locals.

How Long to Visit Počitelj

We spent about 3 hours in Počitelj, including our lunch stop. The area is small and everything is in walking distance, though in the heat of the summer sun, walking up the many steps to the top of town can be tough.

I would recommend at least an hour and a half to fully experience Počitelj.

Restaurants in Počitelj

There are several restaurants around Počitelj, but we only ate at one – Bistro Stari Grad. The food was good and there were veggie options.

We had the veg plate and peppers with cheese. (In reality, the veg plate is the same as the peppers with cheese, just with a few extra salad bits.) If you have been to this restaurant or any others, let me know what you think.

Where’s Next?

Počitelj is very close to the border with Croatia, so hopping over to Dubrovnik is a an easy journey.

Otherwise, stay within Bosnia and Herzegovina and see more of this beautiful and underrated country! Explore nearby Mostar and Blagaj, head south to taste the wines of peaceful Trebinje, jump on a quick train to get you to Konjic or Sarajevo, or get the bus to Jajce!