Trebinje in Republika Srpska

Trebinje is located in the southernmost part of Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), on the crossroads between the towns under protection of UNESCO (Kotor, Mostar and Du-brovnik), and only 25 kilometers away from the Adriatic coast.

Very favorable traffic-geographical position and Mediterra¬nean climate with a lot of sunny days (260 a year) make it an ideal place for living or spending a perfect vacation and it also favors cultivation of various agricultural crops.

It has 32.000 inhabitans and occupies an area of 904 km2, at an altitude of 273 meters.

Trebinje is an economic, cultural and tourist center of the East Hercegovina region. It is rather harmoniously bulit and well planned city.

Trebinje is famous as the city with the largest number of national monuments in Republic of Srpska (serbian part of Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Center of the city, among other things is famous for its beautiful park where there the magnificent orthodox church of Holy Transfiguration of God. Also the city park is well known as the Ducic’s park (Jovan Ducic was famous serbian poet and diplomat, born in Trebinje) where the poet enjoyed his peace and wrote poetry.

Further onwards on Jovan Ducic Square, there is the catholic cathedral of The Blessed Virgin Mary, located near a hundred years old plane trees.

The plane trees are trade mark of the city and are simply irresistible, inviting everyone for a break and refreshment in their shade and there is a local saying “The visit to Trebinje doesn’t count if you haven’t had a coffee under the plane trees”.

The center of the city is a small green oasis with buildings from various epochs, where Mediterranean, Turkish and Austro-Hungarian styles are intertwined.

It is most recognizable for the old town “Kastel”, bordered by walls from the Ottoman period. In its center there are two mosques – Sultan Ahmed mosque and Osman-pasha mosque, as well as the Museum of Herzegovina which can help visitors experience the ancient and rich history of Trebinje, and there is also a exibition of Ducic’s gifts to Trebinje inside museum.

With its shades of blue color, Trebisnjica river (once a biggest underground river in Europe) peacefully flows through the heart of the city. Its banks are connected by several bridges, and one of them (Perovic/Arslanagic bridge from 16th century) is a true gem of the Ottoman architecture and is considered to be one of the most beautiful bridges in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For the ones who possess the spirit of adventure, there are activities such as canoeing, diving or fishing, and for the ones who seek more peaceful leisure we recommend taking relaxing walks along the river banks. During the summer, many picnic sites on Trebisnjica river and its tributary Susnica offer refreshement for visitors, as well as the aqua park “City of Sun”, which also offers a vast selection of activities that guarantee a lot of fun for all visitors.

The best possible view of the city, is from the Crkvina hill, where lies the gem of Herzegovina – monastery Herzegovacka Gracanica, the resting place of Jovan Ducic. This location offers a magnificent view of the city, where visitors may find peace enjoying in colorful sunsets.

The oasis of peace and tranquility can also be found along Trebisnjica river, where visitors shall find Tvrdos monastery lying on the river’s right bank. Its walls are decorated with frescoes in such a harmony that it will surely grasp every visitor’s attention.

Numerous restaurants offer a wide selection of Herzegovinian food, such as fritters (priganice) with oil cheese, cheese pie (prijesnac), roasted meat under the bell, dried lamb ribs (kastradina), brown trout, but you can also find international cuisine in Herzegovinian restaurants.

Locals are known for their hospitality, so the portions in restaurants are quite big.

Tourists who visit the main city market will witness the rhapsody of colors, scents and aromas. Market vendors are cheerfully offering authentic Herzegovinian products, so there is the opportunity to taste some of them,such as figs, pomegranate juice, cornelian cherry juice, various types of tea, honey…

Vendors are usually willing to briefly inform visitors of how those products are made, so every visitor can know the secret of true Herzegovinian products.

Trebinje is also well known for its many wineries. Visiting one of wineries, where every host has an interesting story to share, visitors will enjoy good wine, cheese and prosciutto.

Indigenous sorts are Vranac and Zilavka, and there are also various other sorts of wine, brandy and liqueur.

The city is lively throughout the entire year. But if there is to single out the most beautiful period, it would be from spring to summer, when the city lives its life to the fullest and gives out an impression of a truly special and magical place.

It also offers all sorts of accommodation – from luxurious hotels, motels, and hostels to private apartments.

photo: Pixabay