What to do in Mostar with kids? Mostar is one of the most popular destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and we understand why! Even when traveling with kids, you should definitely include this destination in your itinerary. It is a beautiful, atmospheric city with a historic center, where it sometimes seems as if time has stood still. You can stroll through the narrow streets here, enjoy the old bridge across the river right through the old town and also enjoy delicious food. In addition, from Mostar you can also make some very nice day trips that I definitely recommend when visiting Mostar with kids.
Best travel time Mostar with kids
In terms of weather, the best travel time to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina is between April and September. In the months of July and August, it can get quite hot, especially in the city of Mostar. Because of the way the old town is built with the small narrow streets, you experience this even more. At most restaurants, they have a misting function that sprays every so many minutes to cool guests.
The kids find this very funny and try to grab some refreshment as we pass restaurants. Ice creams and slush puppies are also sold in a lot of places. When traveling with kids in the summer months, we really recommend booking accommodation with a pool when staying overnight in Mostar with kids.Regarding the crowds in the city, you don’t have to take anything into account. We were there in high season (July) and it was pleasantly crowded.
Transportation in Mostar
We visited Mostar by car, but once we arrived, you don’t need that. In the city of Mostar you can discover all the sights in the city center just fine while walking.You can visit the city with your own car, but of course you can also fly to Sarajevo and then visit Mostar from there as part of a nice tour through Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From Sarajevo you have the option of traveling to Mostar by train (travel time 2 hours), or you can rent a car at Sarajevo airport . You can do this with the car rental company Sunny Cars. Sunny Cars works on the principle that you pay one price, which basically includes all insurance and often the deductible. To rent a car in Sarajevo with Sunny Cars, take a look here.
Children’s activities Mostar
#1 Walk to the Stari Most (old bridge).
If you have walked a short distance through the old city, you will soon come to this famous bridge. This Ottoman-style bridge crosses the Neretva River with the old center of Mostar on either side. The light stones and the beautiful arch over the blue water make for pretty pictures. We walk across the bridge and stop in the middle for a moment.
It is a tradition for young men from Bosnia to jump off this bridge for a successful life and someone is about to do it. Not seeing us. We already found it a challenge to go down the slippery stone-inlaid bridge with flip-flops on walking.
By the way, the Stari Most bridge is not in its original state. The original bridge dates back to the 16th century but it was completely destroyed during the war in the 1990s. The bridge was rebuilt in 1999 and completed in 2004. A year later, Stari Most was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and it certainly deserves a spot on it.
#2 Stroll through the historic center
The car-free historic center is great fun to stroll through with kids. It’s not super crowded so you can also leave the kids just a little more free. The streets have a lot of atmosphere and you really experience being in another culture. Many small stores and stalls in the old bazaar selling all kinds of typical Balkan souvenirs.
Copper teapots and cups, colorful Ottoman lamps, traditional clothing, jewelry, etc.Kids are also thought of with the various toy stalls.
Cute medieval houses and cobblestones adorn the streetscape. It is so beautiful here that you can hardly imagine that there was a big war in the 1990s. When you look a little higher, however, you can still see the traces of the war. Bullet holes in the facades or a beautiful mural or text that makes you think about the victims who fell during this war.
Among other things, we also notice here in Mostar, how grateful the people are that you make the effort to visit their beautiful country and thus help them a little bit to continue building the country.
#3 Visit the mosque Koski Mehmed
Also in the center on the Neretva River is Mostar’s famous oldest mosque, called Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque. What immediately stands out is the tall narrow minaret that you can also climb, by the way, after paying about €6 entrance fee to visit the mosque. From the minaret, then, you have a beautiful view of the river and the bridge.
#4 Kravica waterfalls
This place is really perfect to visit in the Mostar area with kids. In a beautiful forest setting, these 25-meter-high waterfalls all flow into the same lake. The place is really insanely beautiful and reminds us a bit of the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. Extra nice is that you get to swim in this lake. We did this and it was delicious but ice cold!
Around the lake are small beaches where you can relax and play. We laid out our towels and enjoyed the fantastically beautiful place where we are for an extended period of time. At one of the cozy terraces we had something to eat and drink and there is also very good scoop ice cream available.
If you like it, it is possible to rent a canoe or sup or to take a small boat close to the falls. In this last section close to the falls, you are also not allowed to swim and this is clearly marked.
To reach the Kravica waterfalls, you need to drive for just under an hour by car from Mostar. Once you have parked your car and paid your entrance fee (+/- €10,- p.p.) you can choose whether you want to walk to the falls or take the tourist train (+/- €2,-). We chose the short walk along the landscaped path on the way out and the tourist train on the way back.
We were there in July and found this place pleasantly crowded . As far as we are concerned, you should really add this almost fairytale destination to your planning when visiting Mostar with kids.
#5 Dervish house
In the town of Blagaj about a 20-minute drive from Mostar, we visited the Dervish house. Dervish house is a kind of Islamic monastery from the 15th century which is built against the cliffs in a crazy place on the clear blue Buna River. From the paid parking lot (about €3) it is a short walk to this sacred place. Along the way you will have the opportunity to buy drinks and fruit which will be cooled in the river.
To visit this monastery you pay a reasonable entrance fee of +/- €5. Before entering, you will be helped to appropriate clothing. I was wrapped in a long skirt and a cloth for covering my shoulders, arms and hair. For (young) kids, this is not necessary. They need only take off their shoes.
You can walk through the different rooms and see the prayer rooms, living room, etc. From a balcony the kids throw another coin into the water for good luck and then we’ve seen it here. We enjoyed visiting this monastery and you should definitely do so, but the most beautiful thing is the sight of this monastery in this crazy place.
Also, have a bite to eat or drink at one of the cozy terraces on the other side of the river. Tip: they have very tasty ice creams there. From the terraces you have the best view of Dervish house and for the perfect photo, walk a little further and up. If you like, you can also take a boat into the cave. Make sure you are early because later in the afternoon quite a few tours come to this place.
Family-friendly restaurant Mostar
You can have a great bite to eat in Mostar with kids. You have several family-friendly restaurants in Mostar. We list below 2 family-friendly restaurants in Most
Restaurant Sadrvan; this restaurant is located in the old center of Mostar. The traditional food was delicious and the fact that the people in the service come to your table in traditional costume was something our kids found interesting.
Restaurant Vodopad; this restaurant is one of 3 restaurants at Kravica Falls. Great food but above all a very nice location. Located at the pebble beach by the lake, our kids enjoyed playing next to our table while we waited for our food.
Family-friendly hotel Mostar
You have several family-friendly hotels in Mostar where you can stay overnight with the family. We list a hotel in each price range that are best rated by families with kids.
Budget hotel: Pansion Villa Anja
Middle class hotel: Hotel Villa Nadin
Luxury hotel: Hotel Mepas
Don’t the above 3 options include suitable accommodation in Mostar for you? Then take a look at the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Mostar.
About the author: this adventurous family took a 5-month trip around the world in 2022 and have visited more than 20 countries together. You can follow their adventures on their Instagram fouropeenreis.
