Time needed 60 to 90 minutes
Best light early morning or late afternoon
Crowds peak 11:00 to 15:00
Toilets limited
Footwear shoes with grip
Tickets minaret and museum small fees
Pronunciation: Stari Most [STAH-ree most] • Neretva [neh-REHT-vah]
Old Town, Mostar, spanning the Neretva River
Early morning for quiet lanes; late afternoon for warmer light and softer water colour
Free to cross; small fees for the minaret viewpoint and the Bridge Museum
Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the bridge, a bazaar loop, and one viewpoint
From Mostar bus or train station, walk 20 to 25 minutes through the centre, or take a taxi for 5 to 10 minutes depending on traffic. Old Town parking is scarce; walking is simplest once you arrive.
Stari Most is the stone arc at the heart of Mostar, a single span that links both banks of the Neretva and anchors most city stories. Polished treads rise to the crown, copper stalls line the approach, and the river folds green under the arch. The bridge you walk today is the 2004 reconstruction of the sixteenth-century original, rebuilt stone by stone after the 1990s destruction and recognised with the Old Bridge Area as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is free to cross and simple to fit into any Mostar day.
Time your visit for early morning or late afternoon. Crowds thin, light softens, and the river colour is at its best. Midday is busiest, especially in summer when coach groups arrive. For a view from above, the nearby minaret climb gives a superb angle back to the arc and old roofs; for a ground-level photo, terraces on both banks frame the curve without a crush of people. You may see local dive club members train and jump; it is a formal tradition with hours of practice. Visitors should not attempt dives. The stones on the deck are slick and ribbed; shoes with grip make the walk easier and safer.
Walk the east-bank lanes to the lower riverside terrace first, then cross to the west-bank steps for a second angle. Reversing the classic loop keeps you out of the heaviest flow.
On hot days, pause first at the shaded Crooked Bridge (Kriva ćuprija), then approach Stari Most from the quieter west side as light improves.
Now: Bazaar lanes on Kujundžiluk for copperwork and coffee sets Next: Minaret viewpoint at Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque for a high angle Nearby: Blagaj Tekija by the river spring for a calm afternoon
Stari Most is a working city crossing as well as a symbol. Expect a steady pedestrian flow at most hours. Surfaces are worn smooth, and the approaches are cobbled with short steps. Tickets apply only to nearby sights, such as the minaret viewpoint or the small Bridge Museum in the Tara Tower. Summer heat is strong. Water, a hat, and light shoes with grip make the visit easier.
There are three classic angles. From the east bank, step down to the riverside terraces for a low, wide view. From the west bank, the stone steps beside the river give a slightly higher frame with the old town behind. For an overhead look, the minaret climb at Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque gives the cleanest top-down angle; the stairs are narrow and steep, the fee modest. If you prefer a quiet corner, the Crooked Bridge a few minutes away offers a small arch over a tributary in soft shade.
Mostar’s dive tradition belongs to trained locals who know the current, wind, and river height. The club sometimes demonstrates in summer. Spectate from safe terraces only. Tourists should not jump; it is dangerous and not part of a standard visit.
Feel the gentle rise to the crown as you cross. The deck is curved to shed water. Pause at the centre to look downriver, where light carves a brighter line across the green.
On the east bank, follow a narrow lane to the lowest level. You are close to the water here, with the arc filling the frame. Late afternoon is best when the west bank glows and the river deepens in colour. On the west bank, the stone steps give you height for people-free shots.
A short walk from the bridge, the Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque minaret gives the high postcard angle. The steps are tight and steep, but the view back to the arc, bazaar roofs, and river is the cleanest top-down look in town.
In Kujundžiluk, listen for a steady tap of hammers from coppersmiths. Small trays, coffee sets, and engraved cups make sensible souvenirs. In quiet moments, look at the deck stones under your feet; you can see where centuries of steps have smoothed the line.
The original sixteenth-century bridge stood for over four centuries before its collapse in the 1990s. The reconstruction used traditional techniques and, where possible, stone from the original quarry. Walking the deck today is both a practical crossing and a link across time.
Bridge viewpoints, riverside dervish house, and a bazaar coffee stop; hotel pick up available
Emerald bowls, a hill-town climb, and late-light angles at the bridge; hotel pick up available
Short walk to east and west bank terraces, minaret climb, and an old-town evening; hotel pick up available
Yes. The Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque minaret offers the classic angle for a small fee. Stairs are narrow and steep.
Early morning or late afternoon. Midday is busiest, especially in summer.
Yes. East-bank riverside terraces for a low, wide view, and west-bank steps for a slightly higher angle.
The cobbled approaches and ribbed, arched deck are steep; assistance is usually required. Strollers need to be carried on steps.
Drone use is restricted in the Old Town and around the bridge. Follow local rules and posted signs.
