BA
Trebinje
“City of the sun and plane trees”: an Ottoman bridge, monasteries and wine, 30km from Dubrovnik
“City of the sun and plane trees”: an Ottoman bridge, monasteries and wine, 30km from Dubrovnik
Built in 1574 on the orders of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolović, the stone bridge has two large and two small arches. It was moved stone by stone to its current position after a hydroelectric dam raised the river.
Visit in the late afternoon light.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
The walled old town (Kastel) by the river dates from the Ottoman period. Next to it, the square shaded by plane trees hosts a daily market selling cheese, honey, wine and fruit.
The morning market is the liveliest.
Photo: BrankaVV, CC BY-SA 4.0
This Serbian Orthodox church on Crkvina hill, completed in 2000, is modelled on the medieval Gračanica monastery in Kosovo. The hill offers views over the city.
Photo: Teodora Mijanovic, CC BY-SA 3.0
About 5km from the centre, this 15th-century monastery is known for its wine cellar, where monks produce and sell wine.
Dress modestly.
Photo: Stolbovsky, CC BY-SA 4.0
The calm river flows through the city, with riverside paths and, upstream, old wooden water wheels (norias) once used for irrigation.
Photo: BrankaVV, CC BY-SA 4.0
Herzegovinian food features cured ham (pršut), cheese aged in sheepskin (sir iz mijeha), lamb, and dishes slow-cooked under a bell (ispod sača). Local wines include Vranac and Žilavka.
Cafés and restaurants line the plane-tree square and the old town.
Trebinje is about 30km from Dubrovnik; taxis and tours make the crossing, and there are occasional buses. Dubrovnik Airport is the closest international airport. Buses also link Trebinje with Mostar, Sarajevo and Montenegro.
The centre is walkable. A car or taxi helps for Tvrdoš and the wineries.
Bosnia and Herzegovina uses the convertible mark (BAM, KM). Trebinje is far cheaper than Dubrovnik.
Many visitors come as a day trip from Dubrovnik.
One day covers the city and its monasteries.
Start at the morning market, walk the old town and riverside, visit the Arslanagić Bridge, then Tvrdoš Monastery and sunset at Hercegovačka Gračanica.
Taste local wine with lunch.
Bring your passport for the Croatia–Bosnia border.
Convertible marks are needed; euros are sometimes accepted.
Try Vranac and Žilavka.
July and August can be very hot.
Quick answers for planning time in Trebinje.
About 30km, typically under an hour by car including the border.
Yes, for its relaxed old town, bridge, monasteries and wine, at much lower prices than the coast.
The convertible mark (KM).
Yes, it is a popular day trip from Dubrovnik.
Spring and autumn, when it is warm but not too hot.
Planning a wider trip? Our Bosnia travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.