Nature and adventure | Print |

The historical, artistic and architectural heritage is not the only amenity that this charming city, set in a landscape of rare beauty, can off er tourists. Herzegovina unveils to the eyes of its visitors like a huge natural park with extremely green mountainous areas, gentle valleys, and coastal areas, all lying in a truly unique environment, characterized by forests, harsh gorges, karst grottoes, spectacular canyons and furrowed by forceful rivers, waterfalls and crystal-clear lakes. The abundance of water in this region accounts for an important economic source which is connected to the field of electricity production. Mostar is situated in a delightful valley, soaring on the slopes of the Velež and Prenj mountains, two areas of great naturalistic value, and crossed by the Neretva River that passes through it, coming down from its mountainous background to then finish its course by flowing into the Adriatic Sea. In this land so ‘blessed by nature’, as Ivo Andrić, the Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1961, wrote, there are several protected areas, notably: the Blidinje Natural Park on the Čvrsnica Mountain (between 1150-1300 metres high) with its splendid lake, and the Hutovo Blato Natural Park, a well-known chicken breeding reserve and one of the most important in the country. Then there are also, in Bosnia Herzegovina, the Kozara National Park, with its thick, coniferous forests and softly-sloping hills, and, on Montenegro’s boundary, the Sutjeska National Park, which is proud to be one of the last primordial forests still remaining on the continent. Its Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, and the particular morphology of the land, make of Mostar and its surroundings an ideal place for sport lovers and for all those who are keen on outdoor activities, the latter actually being vital resources which the local authorities are using to great advantage with ever-increasing awareness, aided by projects aimed to develop sustainable tourism of the area. The Prenj and Velež Mountains, the Boračko and Blidinje lakes, the Neretva, Trebižat, Lištica Trebišnjica, Buna and Bregava Rivers, the Kravice waterfalls, the picturesque villages of Konjic, Podveležje and Glavatičevo, are just some of the jewels of nature that can be admired while visiting these lands; maybe also making the most of the various activities to be enjoyed in this area, such as trekking and excursions, rafting and climbing (for the more adventurous), swimming, photo safaris and relaxing walks, to try to discover the still intact flora and fauna habitats.