Only for a day, while we were in Croatia. We went to Kravica and then had dinner in Stari Most.

Kravica was a beautiful spot to swim, that springs up out of nowhere.

We had a delicious meal in Stari Most, where we sat on a terrace watching men jump off the bridge. This bridge was originally built in the 1500s, bombed during the Bosnian War and rebuilt with the same techniquess and local stone. We were told the bridge symbolically unites Muslim mosques on one side with Christian churches on the other side. Supposedly divers have been jumping from it for 100s of years -- Red Bull Cliff Diving has taken place there too.

I would say, the town is a bit run down and I am not sure there were any high quality hotels, but I cannot say I looked. Have you been to Croatia? We stayed in Dubrovnik and did day trips to Bosnia and Montenegro, and that was perfect to us.

Yes, I want to go there, and also Sarajevo. It does not look like there are any really high quality hotels, though there are places that look "atmospheric." But the trip seems to me like a good combination of historic, cultural, city, and nature oriented. Supposedly there's some great hiking (if one stays on marked paths so as to avoid tripping any remaining landmines).

I haven't been to Croatia-- but tell me, is it wall-to-wall tourists? That's something I wouldn't mind avoiding. We just came back from the Asturias region of Spain, and one thing I just loved about the area was that while there were, of course, tourists, there weren't throngs of tourists. Bosnia seems like it could be less touristy than many destinations in Europe, although I'm sure they get their share of them.

Dubrovnik is wall to wall, quite literally. When we went is was better than usual because it was round 2 of COVID. But there are a lot of other spots along the coast that would be less touristy. I am guessing most itineraries will have you fly into Dubrovnik anyway? I might go South from the airport to Montenegro for a night or so, then Dubrovnik if only for a day, than maybe Kravic and Mostar and Sarajevo, and end in Split for a few days.

Driving was easy for us everywhere, but we did not go to Sarajevo so I cannot vouch beyond Mostar.

The connections I've seen have been through Istanbul, Vienna and Frankfurt, but I haven't really done an exhaustive search yet. But sounds like it's worth looking into adding Dubrovnik, Montenegro, or some similar combination. Thanks for the input.

oooh ooh have you ever been to Istanbul? My DDs are there right now with friends. That is one of my fave cities.

No, I haven't. That could be something else to check into. I keep going back to the same Western European countries. What is it about Istanbul that you like so much?

It is so beautifully exotic. Feels like visiting the middle East but safely. The architecture! The history. The food, the shopping, and excellent hotels. Side trips to Ephesus for Roman ruins and Cappadocia for hot air ballon rides over the karst

“””hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia is a bucket-list experience where you float above Göreme’s fairy chimneys, Uçhisar Castle, and lunar-like valleys at sunrise. “

That would be interesting to me. We have been to the middle east (Abu Dhabi, Dubai) several times because I have family living there. But IMO, it's kind of a wasteland. Turkey has always seemed more interesting to me in every respect. Thanks for all the good ideas.

@sas95, I haven’t been but my niece’s husband went to college in Bosnia - he had a soccer scholarship. I still shake my head at a Texas boy going to Europe to play soccer! I believe he was in Sarajevo. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to see if he can answer them.

@bbstx, that is so interesting that he went to college there. That must have been quite the experience. How long ago was this?

BFF's daughter just got back from Istanbul and is raving about it. She said it was one of her best travel experiences.

@sas95, maybe 10 years ago. He’s in his early 30s now.