The Good Detour Through Bosnia picks up where Croatia leaves off - a thoughtfully paced, seven-day small-group journey that crosses from Split into the heart of Bosnia and Hercegovina before returning to Zagreb. Travel through Mostar, Sarajevo, Konjic, Visoko, Kreševo, Jajce and Banja Luka, discovering medieval royal history, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian heritage, dramatic landscapes and living traditions. Along the way, explore historic towns, visit Tito’s secret bunker, meet local artisans and share a home-cooked dinner and wine with the Matekalo family. With carefully chosen hotels, meaningful encounters and time to explore independently, this journey reveals a warm, surprising and deeply personal side of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This journey is designed for travellers who want to experience more than a list of famous sights. We travel in a small group, take time to meet local people and include places that are often overlooked by conventional tours. From family hospitality and living craft traditions to Bosnia’s complex history and remarkable landscapes, every stop has been chosen to create a genuine connection with the places and people we encounter.

Leave Split behind and travel through the rugged Dalmatian hinterland into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our first stop is Mostar, where minarets, stone houses and the graceful Stari Most rise above the emerald Neretva River. After lunch, explore the cobbled lanes of the Old Town before following the river valley toward Sarajevo. Settle into Hotel Austria & Bosna and gather for a welcoming dinner at Mahala Restaurant—our first taste of Bosnian hospitality.

Discover a city where centuries and cultures meet within a few streets. Walk through Ottoman Baščaršija, past Sebilj, coppersmiths’ workshops, Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the Latin Bridge. Continue along Ferhadija to encounter Sarajevo’s Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish heritage, including the Old Jewish Temple. After a traditional lunch at Nanina Kuhinja, the afternoon is yours to enjoy—linger over Bosnian coffee, browse the bazaars, visit a gallery or ride the cable car to Trebević.

An early departure takes us to Konjic for a guided visit inside Tito’s Bunker, an extraordinary Cold War command centre hidden deep beneath Mount Zlatar. After exploring this once-secret complex, enjoy Konjic’s historic stone bridge and lunch beside the Neretva. In the afternoon, travel to Visoko to enter the Ravne tunnel network and learn about the theories surrounding the Bosnian Pyramid complex. Return to Sarajevo for a free evening and dinner at your leisure.

Begin at Sarajevo’s Tunnel of Hope, where the story of everyday survival during the siege comes powerfully to life. Continue into the mountains to Kreševo, a town shaped by mining, Franciscan heritage and generations of skilled metalworkers. Visit the monastery museum, stroll through the historic centre and watch a local craftsman demonstrate the remarkable art of shoeing an eggshell. Later, slow the pace in Vranci, a peaceful village of traditional houses, streams and blacksmithing heritage, before checking into Hotel Adriale.

Travel to the Franciscan monastery at Guča Gora, set high above the Lašva Valley, before continuing to the lakeside Hotel Plivsko Jezero. In Jajce, explore a town of medieval kings, underground catacombs, Ottoman streets and a spectacular waterfall in the heart of town. Choose your own lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring independently or relaxing beside the Pliva Lakes. In the evening, join Nevenka and Ivo Matekalo for home-cooked food, local wine and warm family hospitality.

Start the morning beside the Pliva Lakes, visiting the enchanting wooden watermills between the Great and Small Lakes. Follow the dramatic Vrbas Valley north to Banja Luka. Depending on timing and confirmed access, enjoy either a relaxed introduction to Banja Luka’s riverside heart or a visit to the historic Marija Zvijezda Trappist monastery. After lunch in Banja Luka, cross into Croatia and continue to Zagreb. Check into Le Premier Boutique Hotel before gathering for a farewell dinner and one final evening together.

Enjoy breakfast at Le Premier Boutique Hotel before checking out. Airport or onward transportation can be arranged according to individual travel plans. Leave with memories of royal towns, secret tunnels, mountain villages, family tables and the people who brought Bosnia and Herzegovina’s stories to life.