Mostar, Pocitelj and Kravice Waterfalls Day Trip from Split

Pocitelj, the stone village above the Neretva

Pocitelj is a small fortified village that climbs a steep rocky slope above the Neretva River, about thirty kilometres south of Mostar. It grew up as a medieval stronghold and came under Ottoman rule in the fifteenth century, when most of what you see today was built: the domed Hajji Alija Mosque from the 1560s, a stone clock tower, a hammam, an inn and stone houses with slate roofs, all crowned by the walls and tower of the hilltop fortress.

Damaged during the war of the 1990s and carefully restored since, Pocitelj is now one of the best-preserved historic settlements in Herzegovina and a long-time favourite of painters. On this tour you spend about thirty minutes here, enough to walk up the cobbled lanes for the view over the river, take photos and enjoy a first coffee or fresh pomegranate juice from local stalls.

Mostar Old Bridge (Stari Most)

The Old Bridge is the symbol of Mostar and of the whole country: a single, slender stone arch spanning the emerald Neretva, completed in 1566 under Ottoman rule. The city takes its name from the mostari, the bridge keepers who guarded it. Destroyed in 1993 during the war, it was rebuilt using the same local stone and traditional techniques, reopened in 2004, and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List with the Old Town in 2005.

Walking across its steep, ridged surface is a highlight of any Mostar day trip from Split. In warm months you may see the famous bridge divers, members of a local club who leap more than twenty metres into the cold river below, a tradition going back centuries. The best photo spots are the riverbanks just downstream, which your guide will show you during the walk.

Mostar Old Town and the Old Bazaar

Around the bridge spreads the Old Town, a maze of cobbled lanes, stone houses and minarets that reflects Mostar's blend of Eastern and Western influences. Your guide leads you for about an hour through the historic heart, explaining the city's Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and modern history, and pointing out landmarks such as the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, whose courtyard frames a classic view of the bridge.

Then you have free time in the Old Bazaar, Kujundziluk, the old street of coppersmiths, now lined with stalls selling hammered copper, carpets and handicrafts. It is the perfect moment to try Bosnian cevapi or burek, widely served halal in the Old Town's grill houses, or sip Bosnian coffee on a terrace above the Neretva. Altogether you spend about three hours in Mostar, the longest stop of the day.

Kravice Waterfalls

Kravice Waterfalls lie on the Trebizat River near Ljubuski, about forty minutes from Mostar. Here the river spills over a wide semicircle of tufa cliffs about 25 metres high, creating dozens of cascades that fall into a large, calm pool surrounded by green trees. It is one of the most beautiful natural sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a favourite summer swimming spot for locals.

You spend about seventy-five minutes at the falls. In summer you can swim in the clear, refreshing water, so bring swimwear and a towel; in spring the waterfalls are at their most powerful, and in autumn the trees around the pool turn gold. The entrance fee for Kravice is not included and is paid in cash at the meeting point in the morning. A short path leads down from the car park to the water.

Crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina from Split

Many visitors ask how to get to Mostar from Split, and whether it is worth the journey. The drive takes about two and a half hours each way, crossing the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, so you must carry a valid passport or national ID card that allows entry. A small border crossing fee is collected in cash at the meeting point together with the Kravice entrance.

The route follows the Adriatic coast and then the fertile Neretva valley, where orchards and fields of citrus and vegetables line the river. With your guide handling the timing, border and parking, you can relax and enjoy the scenery. The tour returns to Split, Trogir or Omis in the evening, about twelve hours after departure, after a day that feels like a journey into another culture.