Bugojno city guide — John W Bills

Bugojno was my generic answer for a long time when people said I had been everywhere in BiH. “I haven’t been to Bugojno!” Well, I’ve now been to Bugojno several times and have a soft spot for this central city. What it lacks in glittering tourist attractions, it makes up in authenticity and honesty, and I mean that in all sincerity. People have lived here forever (the oldest written monument on BiH territory was discovered here), but the Ottomans brought organisation, and the 20th century brought industry. Bugojno was relatively wealthy during the Yugoslav years, and Tito was a big fan of hunting in these parts. Bugojno isn’t packed with attractions like other towns of this size, but whoever said that the world revolves around tourism? Bugojno doesn’t have shiny landmarks and hokey gimmicks, but it does have a splendid atmosphere and one of the country’s best cafe cultures.

TRANSPORT

Bugojno is a central transport hub in BiH, so you can get from here to a whole heap of places. The station (+387 30 251 490) isn’t particularly fancy, but it has a ticket window, timetables, a kiosk, a cafe and a town centre location. That isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of things. Actually, the more I consider it, the more I put this in the upper tier of bus stations. Yes, it is run down and ugly, but it does everything you need it to, so why complicate the matter? The timetables are accurate, the staff are friendly, and the kiosk is occasionally open. Bugojno is connected daily to Sarajevo, Travnik, Mostar, Jajce, Banja Luka, Livno, Tuzla, Zenica and the rest.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Sultan Ahmed Han II Mosque

The original was constructed at the end of the 17th century and was the centre of life in the growing town before being levelled in the war and rebuilt in the years after. The neighbouring mekteb was actually Bugojno’s first educational institution. This isn’t your typical mosque, at least in an architectural sense, as the building resembles some sort of old functionary structure as opposed to a mosque. It even has a little jutting part, which is cute. The minaret is massive. Like, stare at the sky and hurt your eyes, that massive. Sultan Ahmedova bb

Gimnazija

Undoubtedly the most beautiful building in Bugojno, the city centre Gimnazija hits many of the same notes that charm in the city halls of Sarajevo, Brčko and others. Of course, you can’t go and explore the inner workings of the school, it being a school and all that, but the beauty of the building is more than enough. There are plenty of cafes around it, too, so you can sit with a cup and admire the architecture from a distance. Yes, I understand that this means I am advocating staring at a school. (Zlatnih ljiljana bb)

Martyr’s Graveyard and Youth Park

Located across the road from the Sultan Ahmed Han II Mosque, the first park contains a monument to those who died defending the city during the most recent war, along with several gravestones honouring the lost. The two parks provide a bit of verdant respite in the town centre, perfect for strolling and ambling, or both, if you are so inclined.

Princess Dževher Mosque and Cultural Centre, Bugojno © John Bills

Princeze Dzevhere Mosque and Cultural Centre

I’m not a big fan of these hulking modern mosques, but the world doesn’t revolve around me (at least as far as I am aware). Completed in 2001, the Princess Dževher Mosque and Cultural Centre is a massive structure in the centre of Bugojno, a Saudi-financed structure with a 60m minaret and a unique landscaped garden. The complex contains educational rooms, lecture halls, a theatre, a kindergarten, a library, a cafeteria and much more. Nugla II, +387 30 260 230

Architecture

While I am loathe to use the generic ‘look at all the buildings’ approach, the architectural soul of Bugojno is difficult to pin down. At times, the range is jarring. It is as if a class of schoolchildren were tasked with each designing a building, and those buildings were then constructed. It is a hodge-podge of design and desires that charms in its own strange way, from the residential buildings on Nugle to blocky would-be hotels and offices and elegant houses in the pedestrian centre.

Church of St Anthony of Padua

Bugojno’s central Catholic house of worship is dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of Lisbon, barrenness, pregnancy, lost souls, mail carriers, swineherds, fishermen and much more. The carvings on the doors are the highlight, but the structure itself is alarmingly large, with a standard interior ticking boxes rather than exciting eyes. Kulina bana 31, +387 30 252 099

Hunting and Fishing

Tito was a big fan of hunting and fishing in and around Bugojno, and there is a delightful uncredited photo doing the rounds on social media of Big Joe on a horse, surveying his kingdom. Contact the PD Koprivnica (Bosanska 51, +387 30 251 100, pdkoprivnicabug@hotmail.com) and see what can be arranged. Either you’ll hit a wall, or you’ll find yourself donning camo and heading out into the hills in search of wild game and the rest. On the fishing front, Vrbas (14. Septembar bb, Donji Vakuf, +387 61 978 944) is the way to go, so get yourself something organised and wait patiently for rainbow trout, grayling, catfish and others. Vrbas is based in Donji Vakuf, so expect to see this copy-pasta over there.

BREWS, BOOZE AND BITES

You don’t need to do too much exploring to find decent food here because Sarajlić (Sultan Ahmedova, +387 61 329 447) is right in the pedestrian centre and serves some delicious ćevapi. Hemba (Zlatnih Ljiljana 3) is a fun time for traditional meat and old dudes being old dudes. I had a decent pizza at Kameleon (Vrbas Naselje I, +387 30 252 888), although there are a few pizzerias dotted around Bugojno. The centre of town is 90% cafes (I need to double check that statistic), so take your pick, but nip into Burence (Zlatnih Ljiljana, +387 61 907 903) for your (especially) evening beer; it has a fine selection of craft beers from around BiH. Elsewhere, Broadway (Zlatnih Ljiljana 16, _387 63 807 761) is a decent spot opposite the Gimnazija, while Amadeus (Nugle I, +387 61 102 702) and Hollywood (Nugla II, +387 63 212 333) are within earshot of the Princess Mosque. My Bugojno expert also recommends Mačak (Kulina bana), referring to the latter as having a kul ambijent.

Hotel Villa Grande, Bugojno © John Bills

SLEEPING

Hotel Villa Grande (Kulina Bana 1, +387 30 257 700) went under a small renovation not too long ago (a sentence that will date this guide horribly) and has some of the friendliest staff in the country. It is right in the town centre, a 5-minute walk from the bus station. The internet can be a bit patchy, but you can’t have it all, buddy.

READ MORE

The Ballad of Bugojno

BUGOJNO