Trebinje

Trebinje - a town on the border of 3 states - Bosnia and Herzenovina, Croatia and Montenegro

Freedom of movement for Carlson Group customers!

A visa is not required, and to cross the border with a rented car, we provide you with international Green Card insurance and put a special mark in the contract. Gasoline in Montenegro is slightly more expensive than in the Republika Srpska in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to which we are heading.

From Budva we will go by car to the southernmost point of the Republika Srpska. Travel time through the ferry in the direction of Herceg Novi (Serb. Herceg Novi) will take about 1.5 hours - the distance is only 106 kilometers.

From Trebinje, as a continuation of the journey, you can quickly reach the picturesque Croatian Dubrovnik, 24 kilometers from the popular resort on the Adriatic coast.

Note: a beautiful observation deck with a view of the Bay of Kotor will be on the road to the border with Bosnia at Tajno Brdo - a grandiose view of the surroundings opens from this mountain and, as a bonus, there are ruins of ancient Austro-Hungarian fortresses.

Trebinje, a city of delicious wine and age-old plane trees on the steep rocky slopes of Mount Leotar, is considered the center of the eastern part of the country - Herzegovina.

Note: there is a 30 km dirt track for cyclists leading to Leotar, you can climb a kilometer above sea level, and in good clear weather, from the top you can see the Orjen mountain range on the border of Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska.

At the entrance to the city, 16 plane trees greet travelers!

Interesting fact: oriental plane trees (another name for plane trees is chinary, a word of Turkish origin) are called "trees of philosophers and travelers". These trees, similar to those in Ancient Greece and Persia, are historically calling card of Trebinje.

The Trebišnica River, on the banks of which the town is located, flows into the Adriatic Sea near the Croatian Dubrovnik. This is one of the largest rivers with underground streams in Europe - it flows through the whole city (Serb. and Croatian: Trebišnjica). Trebinje itself is a quiet town, with a population of only about 24 thousand people.

Huge water mills still stand on the banks of the picturesque river and supply water to the fields of the region, mainly to the most important granary of the Popovo polje region. Although the town was formed on the territory of an ancient settlement in the area between Kotor and Dubrovnik in ancient times, the atmosphere of the area since that time has remained essentially unchanged to this day. Silence, rustle of plane trees and stone bridges. Historical note: the development and name of the city go back to antiquity - the area on the Adriatic coast with the center in Trebinje, in now Croatian southern Dalmatia and eastern Herzegovina (from Dubrovnik and up to the Bay of Kotor) was called Travunia (lat.Terbounia).

The surroundings of Trebinje, the picturesque valley and the surrounding harsh ones can be viewed from the platform on the Crkvine hill at the entrance to the city. From here, the landscape is visible at a glance, and the panorama of the city and the river with stone bridges is breathtaking!

Built on a hill on the behest of the Serbian diplomat and philosopher Jovan Ducic, born in Trebinje, the architectural masterpiece of Hercegovacka Graćanica. Here you can feel the skillfully conveyed spirit of medieval Serbian architecture, and inside the monastery, art lovers will, among other things, be interested in the amazing floor with the image of mythical creatures. There is a souvenir shop, a gallery and a park with a playground on the territory. Free parking on the territory of the complex. You can dine in a wonderful open-air restaurant.

Interesting fact: the main building of the Orthodox complex resembles the 14th century Graćanica Monastery, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is located in the very center of Kosovo, 10 kilometers from Priština.

For cultural events and performances, there is an impressive summer amphitheater designed by Rashe Nevenich. It also offers a stunning, especially before sunset, view of the city far below. Graćanica on the hill can be seen from anywhere in Trebinje. Lovers of hiking and old Austrian forts familiar to the Balkans may be interested in the Strać Fortress - you can get there first by car, and then on foot you can follow the sign near the Hercegovacka monastery.

Now the city belongs to the Republika Srpska (Serb., Bosn. And Croatian Republika Srpska), but walking around the city, it is easy to notice the centuries-old influence of the three religions and the trace they left in architecture. The Cathedral Church of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord at the end of the 18th century, surrounded by dark green dense cypresses, stands out. The snow-white Orthodox church stands in the middle of a beautiful city garden with a small pond.

As in every city in the Balkans, Trebinje has its own Old Town, with densely standing buildings behind the fortress wall.
After passing through a long stone tunnel-gate through the fortification wall of the Old City and following one of the streets, we will come to the Osman Pasha Mosque of the 18th century, restored after the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. This is a valuable monument of Muslim culture. Old Turkish houses have survived in the city center, which stand out from the rest with their high walls.

The central square is surrounded by magnificent shady plane trees, here is also the best hotel in the city "Platany". Also in the center of the city is the Viv hotel, on the way to the most picturesque place - Hercegovin Gracanice.

Exploring the alleys of the old city, in the very center of Trebinje we will see the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the early XX century - the main Catholic shrine of the city. The Old Town also has an ancient clock tower in Osman Pasha's colorful medieval style.

Now Trebinje is full of restaurants, cafes and hairdressers.

The center of the Old Town has preserved the look and atmosphere of the times of Austria-Hungary. The largest cafe will be noticeable from afar, occupying an entire square. The stately trees around them bring aesthetic pleasure and convey an elusive trail of the distant past - this is especially noticeable here. Taking a break from a walk, it is nice to have a cup of coffee, watching the measured life of the inhabitants of this cozy southern town.

A reminder of ancient antiquity. From Trebinje there is a pointer to the ancient ruins of the Brankovic stone tower. Now a historical monument, Kula Branković is located on a picturesque hillside.

Picturesque Serbian chesmas (Serb. Chesma, a word of Turkish origin), often called drinking fountains, are scattered across Trebinje. While exploring the area, travelers will notice ancient monuments with name plaques, erected in memory of the poet Jovan Dučić and Baron Babić, who were born here, and modern white marble ššmě made by master Gojko Šišković. It's so nice to quench your thirst on a long walk.

Monument to Njegosh. To the right of the monument to the ruler on the city wall, craftsmen made a bas-relief of the patroness of the city of St. Helena of Anjou - the Serbian queen made a great contribution to the development of culture in the Balkans.

The Trebišnica River, on whose waters the city has stood since ancient times, deserves its place in the list of attractions in Trebinje and its surroundings. The most famous of the bridges on Trebishnitsa is the Turkish pedestrian bridge of Arslanagic, or Perovic, built during the reign of Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha Sokolovich in memory of his son who fell during the battle with the Venetians. The watermills at Trebišnice near this active bridge connecting the two banks of the river attract the attention of tourists.

Historical fact: it was built on the medieval trade route that ran from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi through Bosnia and further to Istanbul. Like the Old Bridge, Mostar attracts attention for the quality of its arched medieval architecture. The bridge of the 16th century, during the construction of the dam in its old place, ended up at the bottom of an artificial lake and was moved due to its historical value to its modern place, to the Gradina region. Perfectly visible from the Crkvine hill!

Promenade along the river in Gradina.

There is a Stone Bridge on Trebišnice, built in 1953. You can drive along it from the historic city center to the left bank of the river. Jumping from the Stone Bridge into the river is both an annual competition for the residents of Trebinje and entertainment for active tourists! Directly opposite the Kamenny Bridge there is a simple road bridge named after Ivo Andric, Gelov Bridge and the Roman bridge Vuchia. It is pleasant to look at the clear, clear water from the Trebinje bridges - the bridges are especially romantic in the pre-sunset time, and noble trout can be found in Trebišnice - walks in the surroundings awaken a feeling of harmony with nature.

Wine tasting in Trebinje. In the large local winery Vinski podrum Petijević, you can taste and buy wine from friendly hosts. The Petievich cellar is located by Lake Gorichko, 5 kilometers from the center of Trebinje. A very old family tradition of winemaking and grape growing dates back to 1900. The cellar offers tasting in the countryside for 50 people at the same time, who can taste попробоватьilavka, Vranac, Merlot and Chardonnay wines, as well as local grapes.

Exploration of the surroundings of Trebinje. Past the endless vineyards along the Trebišnica river, we are heading to the 15th century Tvrdosh Orthodox monastery (Serbian monastery Tvrdoš). On the way to the place famous for ancient history and wine cellars, huge water mills - dolapi - are also noticeable, as in the old days, regularly irrigating fields. Tvrdos is located not far from the city - after driving just 5 kilometers from Trebinje in a monastery covered with dense greenery, you can enjoy the picturesque views, the beauty of nature on the banks of the Trebisnica River and delicious local wines.

One interesting fact: the novice of this monastery - the future Saint Basil of Ostrog, who was born near Tvrdosh in the village of Mrkonichi on Popov Pole at the beginning of the 17th century - later founded the Ostrog monastery, the most popular among pilgrims.

The Tvrdosh Monastery keeps a sacred relic - the right hand of Queen Helena of Anjou. You can dine in the town of Yazina, which is often visited for swimming, fishing and outdoor recreation, especially in summer. On the bank of the river, you can have a great rest in the Studenac restaurant - the place attracts with an excellent fish menu, in the courtyard of the restaurant there is an artificial pond where perches and river rainbow trout swim.

The town of Petrovo Pole is located away from the highways leading to Herceg Novi and Dubrovnik. Here, a 10-minute drive west of Trebinje, is the early Christian Peter and Paul Monastery of the 4th century. In Herzegovina and Dalmatia there are many monasteries from the late antiquity. In our time, next to the Church of St. Peter, the Church of St. Paul was also restored. Monastic olive groves and vineyards are beautiful. In 2003, the monastery of St. Peter and Paul was recognized as a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the decision of the Commission for the Protection of National Historical Monuments.

One of the natural attractions of Petrovo Pole - the mysterious Pavlova Cave (pećina Pavlova) - is located just 2 kilometers from this monastery on the Dolovi hill. In the cave arranged inside, you can explore several rooms with stalactites and stalagmites and a small lake. The stone altar and the icon of St. Peter the Apostle attract pilgrims.

Another amazing place in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the unique Vetrenica cave (Pećina Vjetrenica, Špilja Vjetrenica).

An entertaining fact: the higher the outside air temperature, the stronger the wind blows from the bowels of the Vetrenitsa. With a length of 7 kilometers, this creation of nature and its artifacts - ancient man-made reliefs and deep secret passages - have been constantly studied by researchers and speleologists since the end of the 19th century. Equipped cave with artificial lighting.

It is worth stopping at the Kravice waterfalls - one of the most beautiful places in the country - to take a walk and admire the wonderful landscapes or refresh yourself in the clear cool water of the waterfall!

Families with children will also appreciate the new water park in Trebinje.

The Višegrad town's surroundings also deserve attention!

In the northeast of the Republika Srpska, you can stay in the town of Vysehrad between the Drina and Rzav rivers. A special attraction of Vysehrad is the artificially created city of Kamengrad, renamed in honor of the Nobel laureate, writer Ivo Andric in Andrichgrad, the author of the novel "The Bridge on the Drina". This is the second city brought to life by Yugoslav filmmaker Emir Kusturica with the assistance of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik after Serbian Drvengrad - the so-called "city within a city". Balkan-Bosnian style of architecture, restaurant "Zlatna Moruna" with delicious national food, "Byzantine city", its monument to the Montenegrin poet Petar Negos and its bridge in honor of Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic - this is a calm and vibrant tourist attraction on the peninsula, not far from the center of Višegrad... Arrange a boat trip along the Drina and enjoy the views of the surroundings of the calm Višegrad.

After driving 348 kilometers from Trebinje you can visit the town of Banja Luka, or "Bath of St. Luka" in the Republika Srpska.