24 Hours in Konjic

A gorgeous view of darling Konjic // © Shutterstock.com

Is Konjic named after a horse? It could be, but the likelihood is that it isn’t. After all, there is no proud stallion on the city flag, only the gorgeous bridge and the glimmering Neretva flowing underneath. Also, a strange green blob, but hey, design. The town where Bosnia kisses Herzegovina is a charming place to stop for a night, breaking up that arduous journey from Mostar to Sarajevo (via Jablanica, obviously). Here’s your perfect day in Konjic.

The Zavičajni Muzej in Konjic tells the story of the town and more // © Adnan Sose // Shutterstock.com

Morning

Who doesn’t love cake for breakfast? Me, to be honest, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who could get down with a sweet treat first thing in the morning. Oaza also has burek, so you could always go for that if a big slab of chocolate immediately after waking up isn’t your thing. You can’t quite see the Stara Ćuprija from Oaza, but that is only because of the high school and a couple of other buildings. The gorgeous stone bridge that adorns the flag is well worth some serious attention, so stop to take the requisite snaps and then take your time crossing it into the old town. There is an inscription in the middle of the bridge denoting its building and builder, and the views over the Neretva are a delight. Be sure to look both ways while on the bridge, not for traffic, but for lovely vistas of old fashioned Ottoman buildings. Very, very yes.

From here you can explore the old town, which is a pretty lovely way to enjoy a morning. There isn’t a whole lot going on here, but there doesn’t need to be, you’re here to gawp at old buildings and transport yourself back to a very different Konjic, after all. Nip into the city museum to check out the usual ethnographic notes before doubling up with a look at the Zuko Džumhur Museum. Who? Shame on you reader, shame on you. Born in Konjic in 1920, Džumhur was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s great Bohemian character, a tremendously creative polymath who wrote, painted, made people laugh and was beloved all across Yugoslavia. Not bad going that, at all. If you need another coffee, head down to Cafe Music. You might even feel inspired to become a great composer, but be realistic.

The not-so-top-secret-anymore nuclear bunker just outside Konjic // © Fotokon // Shutterstock.com

Afternoon

Where to stop for lunch? Konjic has a few excellent food options, so get ready for some grub. Novalića Kula is a friendly option across from the bridge, while Vidikovac offers a little bit of class and a darling view of the same bridge, albeit from up a stairway. This gives you a chance to check out the city cemetery too, if you’re into that sort of thing, you big weirdo.

Either way, both are close enough to the city’s tourist office, which is where the afternoon activities begin. You’ll need to book this one in advance, but boy is it worth it. The time has come to explore the top-secret nuclear bunker that Tito had built at the height of the Cold War, a vast underground facility that was completely unknown to even the people of Konjic until 1992. The whole ‘nuclear bunker’ thing is plenty interesting enough, but the facility doubles up as a showcase for contemporary art, with some seriously fantastic works hidden within. The tour takes 90 minutes or so, is completely worth it, and contains more pictures of Tito than any other place in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’m sure of it.

An evening view of the bridge in Konjic // © Shutterstock.com

Evening

For the evening meal, saunter out to the cosy setting of Restoran Han, with a delightful spot across the river from one of the many mosques of the city. Oh yeah, I’ve not mentioned the mosques, how foolish of me, but you’ll bump into them frequently. If I said ‘check out the mosque’, it would be a little bit pointless really, because the mosque is right there. Anyway, Han, great food, and the name gives a clue as to the sort of atmosphere to expect. By that, I mean friendly and feast-worthy. Feast-worthy is not a word.

Konjic isn’t exactly a great place if you’re looking for a beer, but hey, not everywhere has to be. The main street has plenty of cafes on either side, places to stop for an evening coffee, tea, kisela voda or whatever else. Then you can get an early night (at Hotel Oaza) before jumping the early train to Sarajevo or Mostar, or Jablanica…