Travnik

Travnik is an Ottoman-era town in the Central Bosnia Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 90 km north-west of Sarajevo. It was the seat of the Ottoman viziers of Bosnia from 1699 to 1850, and its old centre still reflects that history. Buses run from Sarajevo bus station in about two hours for roughly 12-18 KM one way, while a car takes about 1.5 hours via the M17 and M5. Travnik Fortress (Stari Grad), a medieval and Ottoman stronghold on a hill above the town, anchors the visit and offers views over the Lašva valley. In the centre, the Sulejman Pasha Mosque, better known as the Colourful Mosque (Šarena džamija), is a standout, along with the Clock Tower (Sahat-kula), the Blue Mosque-area lanes, and the Plava voda spring and its watermills, where trout restaurants serve fresh fish beside clear water. The Ivo Andrić Memorial Museum, in the house where the Nobel Prize-winning author was born in 1892, is a short walk from the main street. Travnik is also known for ćevapi, typically served in flatbread with raw onion, and for Travnik cheese (travnički sir), a white brined cheese; a plate of ćevapi and cheese costs about 8-12 KM. A relaxed day begins with an early bus, arriving by about 10:00, followed by a walk through the market street and the clock tower, an ascent to the fortress, lunch at Plava voda, and an afternoon visit to the museum and the Colourful Mosque before an early evening bus back. Travnik works well on its own or paired with Jajce on a longer tour from about EUR 50-70. April to October gives dependable weather, while winter can be cold and foggy in the valley.