Journey through the Balkans

settembre 2022

A photojournal of travelling through Montenegro, the bottom of Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and then Dubrovnik in Croatia with Explore Travel. Leggi altro

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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 23 set 2022, 16:00
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Altitudine: 556 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Hrid Latin Bridge 43.857869, 18.42895143°51’28” N 18°25’44” E
Giorno 7
Sarajevo 2; Old Town District
23 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
When the Austro-Hungarians took over Sarajevo, they built around the Turkish Quarter in a circular fashion; thus, within a few blocks of Bascarsija, there are examples of Cathedrals, Synagogues and traditional European architecture - as well as other mosques.

This post focuses on these (see captions).Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 24 set 2022, 09:30
- ☀️ 9 °C
- Altitudine: 533 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lipe Ars Aevi 43.85533, 18.41349843°51’19” N 18°24’49” E
Giorno 8
Sarajevo 3; Old Town and some New Town
24 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
More Old Town buildings and a walk up to the Yellow Fortress; this is a cannon fortress thst served as one of the defenses against the Austro-Hungarian troops. We also visited an old 1984 Winter Olympics venue....

See captions for information.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 24 set 2022, 10:30
- ☀️ 8 °C
- Altitudine: 523 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Donji Kotorac Tunnel D-B 43.820326, 18.33715443°49’13” N 18°20’14” E
Giorno 8
Sarajevo 4; Besieged New Town (1992-5)
24 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
We take an optional trip with Insider Tours to visit the Tunnel Museum in Butmir. For much of the 1990s conflict, Sarajevo was surrounded by hostile Serb forces and Butmir was the last Bosniak part of the city linked to the outside world. However, the airport runway lies between Butmir and Dobrinja inSarajevo.... A hand-dug 800m tunnel beneath it was the solution, and this kept Sarajevo supplied with arms and food during the three year siege (it is known as both Tunnel D-B and the Tunnel of Hope). Most of the tunnel has now collapsed, but a 20m section still remains.

Later on, I visit the The Museum of Crimes against Humanity and Genocide in the Old Town. Many personal statements and quite moving.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 25 set 2022, 10:00
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitudine: 263 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Konjic 43.65123, 17.96221843°39’4” N 17°57’44” E
Giorno 9
Konjic and Tito's Bunker
25 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
We drive to Konjic; ARK D-O, aka Tito's Bunker, 10 minutes from here. This is a cold-war era Nuclear Bunker / Command Centre to protect President Tito and his inner circle of 350 in the event of nuclear conflict (thankfully, it was never used); its existence was a state secret until the break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Construction started in 1953 and it was finished in 1977 at a cost of 4.6 billion USD. It has an underground horseshoe shaped structure and entrance is via a row of three normal looking houses in an isolated setting. It now functions to protect cultural heritage and has many art installations.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 25 set 2022, 14:00
- 🌧 15 °C
- Altitudine: 54 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bjelušine Old Bridge of Mostar 43.337596, 17.81511743°20’15” N 17°48’54” E
Giorno 9
Mostar
25 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Mostar is the historic capital of Herzegovina (just as Sarajevo is for Bosnia). It is situated by the Neretva River and this is crossed in the Old Town by the famous Stari Most (Old Bridge). The Bridge dates from 1566, but was destroyed in the Bosnian War; it was reconstructed and had a grand re-opening in 2004 - it is now UNESCO protected.

We vist an old 16th centuryTurkish House (Katjaz House) and the walk the cobbled streets of the Old Town, before returning to the Koski Nehmed Mosque; this has a beautiful interior and it possible to climb the steep steps of the minaret for magnificent views of the city.

After dinner we walk around the beautiful Old Town again.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 26 set 2022, 11:00
- 🌧 19 °C
- Altitudine: 277 m
- Bosnia Erzegovina Republic of Srspka Trebinje Old Ottoman City 42.710985, 18.34702642°42’40” N 18°20’49” E
Giorno 10
Tvrdos Monastery and Trebinje
26 settembre 2022, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ 🌧 19 °C
We drive south towards the Adriatic and visit the 15th century Serbian Orthodox Tvrdos Monastery, situated on cliffs above Trebinje. The Monastery was destroyed by an earthquake in the 17th century and rebuilt in 1920; the original 4th century roman church foundations are still visible inside the church. Tvrdos Monastery is renowned for its wine production and, yes, we sampled the white and the red.

Trebinje is the southernmost city in BiH; it is situated on the River Trebisnjica and is only 28km from Dubrovnik. The small, walled Old Town is 18th century Ottoman and this is surrounded by Austro-Hungarian (1878-1918) buildings; there are also 10 forts on the hills surrounding the city.

We have a tour of the Old Quarter and see the two mosques; the taller one cost the life of its builder as it was larger than that of the more dominant sultan. Outside the Old Quarter we see sites of the Austro-Hungarian period.

We then walk along the river to see the Arslanagic-Perovia Bridge; this was moved downstream due to the building of a dam. Because of this fact, this historic Bridge is not able to obtain UNESCO status.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 27 set 2022, 10:00
- 🌧 19 °C
- Altitudine: 10 m
- Croazia Dubrovačko-Neretvanska Županija Grad Dubrovnik Ploče Sponza Palace 42.641029, 18.10968142°38’28” N 18°6’35” E
Giorno 11
Croatia - Dubrovnik 1; The Old Town
27 settembre 2022, Croazia ⋅ 🌧 19 °C
Dubrovnik is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the southeast of Croatia; it is a UNESCO site in recognition of its medieval architecture and fortified old town. The Old Town is surrounded by a series of defensive stone walls and is one of the Mediterranean's top tourist destinations.

It is a fantastic place and we joined a guide for his tour of the Old Town (mainly following the blue line on the free city tourist map, but with a few diversions), starting at the Gate of Ploce. We see many of the Old Towns churches and main sites (see captions on pictures) as we criss-cross the southern part of the Old Town to the Stradun (main street) and reach the Gate of Pile.Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 27 set 2022, 13:24
- 🌧 20 °C
- Altitudine: 12 m
- Croazia Dubrovačko-Neretvanska Županija Grad Dubrovnik Ploče Sponza Palace 42.640895, 18.11015242°38’27” N 18°6’37” E
Giorno 11
Dubrovnik 2; More of The Old Town
27 settembre 2022, Croazia ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
From the Gate of Pile - without the guide - we walk round the north part of the Old Town and look into one of the many Games of Thrones shops in the town. Back on the south part, we exit a small gate through the walls and descend down to a cafe and onto the rocks on the sea. Then it is back to the harbour area for a visit to the Porporela, a breakwater in the old city port; this is an old town landmark and 19th century pier which is popular for short walks and sea views.

There is a lot more to do in Dubrovnik - the museums, a walk around the walls, a visit to Lokrum Island - but these will have to wait for the next visit here.....Leggi altro
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Viaggiatore Some lovely photos 😃
30/10/22Risposta
2 mi piace
Viaggiatore Journey through the Balkans
- Mostra viaggio
- Aggiungi alla lista dei desideriRimuovi dalla lista dei desideri
- Condividi
- 27 set 2022, 16:30
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitudine: 8 m
- Croazia Dubrovačko-Neretvanska Županija Tiha Uvala Tiha 42.58134, 18.21724242°34’53” N 18°13’2” E
Giorno 11
Cavtat
27 settembre 2022, Croazia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Cavtat is the most southerly Croatian resort of all, located around 20 km south of Dubrovnik and only 22 km from the border with Montenegro; it is a village by the sea in a small bay with a seafront promenade.

The final night of our Journey through the Balkans is spent here and we have the chance to explore this lovely place (see picture captions) before a farewell dinner with our fellow Explore travellers.Leggi altro
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