Konjic and Jablanica

Konjic and Jablanica sit on the Neretva river in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 65 km and 80 km south-west of Sarajevo respectively. The M17 road and the ŽFBH Sarajevo-Mostar rail line both run along the river, so the trip takes roughly one hour to Konjic and 1.5 hours to Jablanica by car, bus or train. Konjic is known for its 16th-century Ottoman Stara ćuprija (Old Bridge), a stone arch over the Neretva, and for its woodcarving tradition, with workshops and small shops in the old town. Just outside town, Tito's Atomic War Command (ARK), a huge Cold War bunker carved into a mountain, is visited on pre-booked guided tours. Boračko Jezero, a glacial lake about 18-20 km from Konjic, is popular for swimming and walking. The Neretva near Konjic is the main rafting area in the country, with half-day trips on the Neretva rapids priced around EUR 41-65 and often including a return transfer from Sarajevo. In Jablanica, the rusting remains of the railway bridge blown up in the Second World War Battle of the Neretva sit beside the Museum of the Battle of the Neretva, and roadside grill restaurants serve lamb roasted on spits, a regional speciality. A workable day runs as follows: depart Sarajevo around 08:00, visit the Old Bridge and the workshops in Konjic in the morning, take a rafting session or tour the bunker, have lunch on the river in Jablanica, visit the museum and bridge ruins in the afternoon, and return in the early evening. Rafting suits May to September, while spring brings higher water and stronger rapids. Many visitors combine the two towns with Mostar on a longer journey, since the train stops at both.