A River Runs Through It

[Djamila]

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

The Neretva River is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's greatest natural treasures, in a country that is rich with natural wealth.

It is known as the bluest river on earth, but that's just local folklore. What is known about this beautiful river is that it is one of the coldest and, in certain stretches, deepest on earth.

The Neretva River begins in the Alps of southeast Bosnia and Herzegovina, and flows down into the Herzegovinian valleys.

The first major city it runs through is Konjic, a religiously diverse community with a economy based largely on tourism. Tens of thousands of tourist pass through Konjic every year, and more than a few stop to take advantage of the city's Neretva-related activities, including white-water rafting and para-gliding.

 

[Djamila]

From Konjic the Neretva river winds its way past the town of Jablanica and a number of large lakes. These likes - Jablanica and Boracko - host a variety of riverside resorts and villages. Thousands of Bosnians from Sarajevo and other major cities to the north own vacation homes along the lakeshore as well.

From there the river makes a sharp turn south all the way to the Stari Most, or old bridge - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Bosnia's most popular tourist attraction. Here the river is part of 439-year-old tradition - the annual bridge jump, during which the bravest men prove their worth to local bachelorettes by diving off the bridge. Nothing has stopped this tradition, which has been held uninterupted through two world wars and the 1992-1995 siege of the city.

South of Mostar the Neretva passes through some of the most beautiful and historic villages in the country, including the Sufi Muslim shrine of Buna. The most famous of these villages, though, is Pocitelj - which is home to one of the most prestigious art colonies in the Balkans.

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[Djamila]

South of Pocitelj the river spreads out across a wide flood plain, one of the most fertile and productive in this part of the world. The Neretva River Delta, as it is known, has sustained local people since the stone age.

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The Neretva River then crosses the border, and becomes a natural treasure of Croatia. One of the first Croatian towns on the Neretva is the village of Opuzen, which is the economic heart of agriculture on the Croatian side of the Delta.

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[Djamila]

It is then that the Neretva's beautiful journey comes to end. It flows into the Adriatic sea at the Croatian port city of Ploce, which the Croatian government allows Bosnia to use as its own principal port. This historic agreement is often held up as an example of international cooperation, although residents in Bosnia's own port city of Neum are none too happy about it.

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Hope you enjoyed the ride!​