Bosnia and Herzegovina

Two Regions, One Country

The north, Bosnia, is green, forested and cut by rivers such as the Drina and the Bosna. The south, Herzegovina, is drier and stonier, with a Mediterranean climate, vineyards and the Neretva river flowing under the rebuilt Old Bridge of Mostar.

A Village of Pilgrims

All of the country's cameras are in Medjugorje, about 25 kilometres southwest of Mostar. Since 1981, when six local children reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the village has become one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in Europe. Webcams show the twin towers of St. James Church, its open-air altar and the paths up Apparition Hill and Mount Križevac.

Crowds and Seasons

Pilgrim numbers peak in summer, above all during the youth festival in early August, when tens of thousands gather around the church. Summers in Herzegovina are hot and dry, and the stone hills glare white at midday.