Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Photo: Saša Knežić/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Višegrad is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is resting at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. The town includes the Ottoman-era Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Tourist Information Office at the south end of the bridge (opposite Visegrad Hotel) is the best source of reliable information.

Get in

By bus

Daily bus departures from Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Trebinje, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Užice.

From Sarajevo, Višegrad can be reached by the M5 road after 120 km. There are a few daily buses from Sarajevo to Višegrad. All buses go from the Eastern Sarajevo-Lukavica station. To get there catch a city trolley from Skenderija centre to Dobrinja and get off at the last station. From there, it is 150 meters to the Istocno Sarajevo bus station. The trolley ticket was €0.90 in summer 2009, and the bus ticket from Sarajevo to Višegrad is around €8.

From Belgrade, Višegrad can be reached by the road M5 via Čačak and Uzice, after 280 km in total. Daily buses during the whole day. Užice to Višegrad 470 Serbian Dinars (€4.70) (2010).

If your bus terminates in Višegrad, try to get off somewhere in the town centre, otherwise you will end up at the terminus on the south edge of town by the sports field, (passing through a tunnel). If this happens it is just a 0.5Km walk downhill to the town, 1km to the old bridge.

By train

The nearest railway station in Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in Sarajevo, which is 120 km from Višegrad.

By plane

The nearest international airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in Sarajevo 120 km away.

Get around

It is a small-enough, compact town best explored on foot.

What to See in Višegrad

• Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic Bridge (Na Drini ćuprija). Historic bridge from 1577 over the Drina river, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic Bridge. Photo: Aleksandar Dekanski/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Ivo Andric Monument (Spomenik Ivi Andriću).

• Ivo Andric House (Kuća Ive Andrića). Can be seen only from the outside.

• Lotus Hotel Building (Lotikin Hotel). The former Lotus Hotel described in the novel Bridge on the Drina, can be seen only from the outside.

• Marko Kraljevic Tower (Kula Kraljevića Marka). Old medieval stone tower.

Marko Kraljevic Tower. Photo: Branevgd/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Town Art Gallery (Gradska Galerija). Exhibition of pictures and sculptures.

• Ivo Andric Memorial Classroom (Spomen učionica Ive Andrića).

• Virgin Mary Church, (Crkva uspenja presvete Bogorodice). Ortodox church from 1884.

Virgin Mary Church. Photo: Bojana Wiki PG/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Dobrun Monastery (Manastir Dobrun) (12 kilometers from town). 14th century monastery, with frescoes from 15th century, Art gallery, Museum of the First Serbian Uprising, Museum of the Dabrobosnian Metropolitan.

Dobrun Monastery. Photo: Zavičajac/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

What to Do in Višegrad

• Visegrad spa (Višegradska banja Vilina Vlas) 5 kilometers from town, old turkish bath from 16th century, one hour rent available, Hotel Vilina vlas with closed swimming pool with warm mineral water, St. Jovan church, summer terrace in spa.

• Boat ride on Drina river, a few of tourist boats available. Info about boat ride at Hotel Visegrad reception.

• Town tour, alone or with the local tourist guide.

• Cruising the Drina river canyon.

• Fishing on Drina river.

• Swimming, boat drive, kayaking and other water sports (Jaz beach).

• Dinner in one of the Višegrad restaurants.

Eat

• Kruna restaurant, Kralja Petra bb, +387 65 626 561. 07-23. Etno restaurant Kruna, one of the best restaurants in Višegrad, national cuisine.

• Hotel Višegrad restaurant, Trg palih boraca bb, +387 58 631 051. 07-23. This restaurant has a best position in the town,only 50 meters from the old bridge, it looks directly on the old bridge, it also has summer terrace which is opened during the summer season. Big variety of local food.

Drink

Night life- live local music on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sleep

• Hotel Višegrad, south end of the old bridge. Easy to find, bright yellow and pink building! Recently modernised, clean. €43 for double room with breakfast.

Go next

• Visit Mokra Gora in Serbia, by bus (take your passport!). It is possible to explore Drvengrad ("Wooden town") - the film set for Kusturica's film "Life is a Miracle" - and take a trip on the Sargan-8 narrow gauge mountain railway, and get back to Visegrad in one day.

• Catch the Uzice-bound bus at approx 09:45, and ask to get off at Mokra Gora station (not the village). The 13:25 train takes you up in the mountains and is due back at 15:48, just in time to miss a bus back to Visegrad. Next bus is approx 18:15-18:30 but check with the owner of the station restaurant, who seems to have the most reliable information. The narrow gauge railway all the way from Visegrad to Mokra Gora is being restored. (Wikivoyage)

See also Višegrad in Pictures.

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