Nonetheless have not determined the place to journey this summer time however wish to keep away from FOMO? This Balkan nation is getting plenty of buzz within the digital house as certainly one of Europe’s standout locations.
In April, social journey information Tripscout introduced the winners of its Most Engaging Vacation spot Award. The award relies on the platform’s “Social IQ” evaluation, which tracks social media efficiency throughout digital platforms by way of total engagement, together with likes, feedback, reposts, and digital follower development.
In Europe, Scotland took residence two awards because the trendiest and most engaging area, whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina took the highest spot as probably the most engaging nation, as customers tapped ‘like’ greater than 2.4 million instances throughout the nation’s official tourism profile.
“Bosnia has one of many highest rankings for total engagement in Europe, which is why we acquired this award,” Jim Brody, TripScout’s world vice chairman of locations, advised Euronews Journey. “There was no editor involvement in any award choices; they had been decided purely by the algorithm that generated the rankings.”
For Brody, whereas Bosnia might not get the model recognition or media consideration it deserves, social media is a platform for locations to interact with potential guests individually with significant content material, put up by put up.
“Traditionally, we’ve got discovered that social permits curious customers to study extra about unknown locations,” he says. “It is not that there are extra curious and passionate vacationers on social than there are on different types of media, however that is a part of why lesser-known locations can go viral. It is extra about how social is structured. Customers can go far past partaking with the content material itself.”
Bosnia’s ranking by Tripscout comes after the Balkan nation recorded greater than 1.9 million guests in 2025, a slight improve of 0.3% year-on-year, elevating questions on what’s behind this quiet surge in vacationers.
Should-see well-liked vacationer points of interest
Positioned 126 kilometers southeast of the capital Sarajevo, Mostar is residence to the rebuilt Outdated Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Website. Initially inbuilt 1566 in the course of the reign of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, it was destroyed in the course of the battle within the Nineteen Nineties after which restored in 2004.
Positioned within the metropolis of Mostar, whose identify comes from Mostari, which means “bridge keeper,” the bridge’s centuries-old historical past consists of mosques, church buildings, and synagogues, and its restoration represents the communal life between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities in Bosnia.
“The rebuilt Outdated Bridge and Outdated City of Mostar are symbols of reconciliation, worldwide cooperation and the coexistence of various cultural, ethnic and non secular communities,” UNESCO mentioned.
In the meantime, the colourful capital Sarajevo blends historical past and fashionable tradition with Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav influences, as seen within the metropolis’s structure and delicacies.
Bascarsija’s cobblestone streets are a spot the place town’s previous lives on, and it’s mentioned that the aesthetics of the market district have remained largely unchanged. Time Out journey author John B. Wills says, “What you see is fairly near what individuals have seen for hundreds of years.”
The capital’s distinct modern pulse is clear in its evolving gastronomic scene, with tremendous eating eating places like Mala Kuhinja serving Asian/Balkan-inspired hen and seafood fusion dishes.
Modern artwork galleries like Manifesto have helped form Sarajevo’s inventive scene, providing up-and-coming artists an area to exhibit their work and join with cultural organizations and collectives. On the Ukrstenica exhibition, which opened in April, six Bosnian and regional artists explored the construction of crossword puzzles by way of visible artwork.
The place to test in
Over the previous few years, the nation’s tourism development has led to a wave of latest resort developments, together with upcoming worldwide openings.
Marriott Bonvoy has designated the Mostar Marriott Lodge as its new Balkan vacation spot and can supply 182 rooms and suites, 5 eating places, an outside pool and a enterprise heart.
Opened to the general public in February 2026, Lodge Nova Inn Sarajevo is a 4-star residence providing 8 studio-style furnished flats for enterprise and leisure vacationers. This aparthotel is situated a stone’s throw from Bascarsija Road, and breakfast is included within the price.
Lodge Eleven in Sarajevo opened in June final yr. Unsurprisingly, this 4-star resort affords 11 keys, together with double and twin bedrooms and flats. Rooms can accommodate 1 or 2 individuals, whereas flats can accommodate as much as 4 individuals. The resort’s white interiors and decorations distinction with polychrome art work and is inside strolling distance of Sarajevo Nationwide Theater.
journey suggestions
Though Bosnia is a candidate nation for EU membership, guests from throughout the area and from Schengen nations, together with Liechtenstein, Monaco and Switzerland, can enter the nation for as much as 90 days inside a six-month interval, so long as they’ve legitimate journey paperwork and ID playing cards.
Different nationals might select a short-stay visa, which permits vacationers to enter Balkan nations a number of instances for as much as 90 days inside a 180-day interval. This visa is especially helpful for enterprise, instructional and sports activities vacationers, in addition to for different occasions, together with visits for scientific, cultural and non secular occasions.
For touring inside and across the nation, buses go away incessantly from Sarajevo, with most worldwide and intercity buses providing quick service in and across the capital.
In addition to boasting a community connecting over 91 cities within the nation, buses from Sarajevo are additionally near Sarajevo’s primary worldwide airport, Měžnarodni Airport Sarajevo. Cities reminiscent of Banja Luka and Mostar are additionally vital transport hubs.
If practice journey is extra your factor, the nation’s rail hyperlinks hook up with each home flights and worldwide hubs, with the Sarajevo-Ploce-Sarajevo route taking you to and from neighboring Croatia.
Bosnia’s nationwide forex is the convertible mark, with 1BAM equaling roughly 0.51 euros. International vacationers can even obtain a VAT refund on items bought for greater than 100 BAM (51.12 euros), excluding merchandise reminiscent of oil and tobacco.
