VISIT STOLAC CITY WITH ME! HERZEGOVINA IN SPRING TIME

My last post was all about Stolac fortress and the medieval fair that is held there annually. This post is going to be about Stolac city itself. Stolac is located at the far east of region Herzegovina and it is a part of a touristic route. If you're visiting Herzegovina, do stop by this place as well. If you ask me, Bosnia and Herzegovina is still an underrated destination. It has a lot to offer, especially in terms of history, natural beauty and cuisine. Since I moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina, I've discovered many lovely places here and Stolac is definitely one of them.

STOLAC,  AN UNESCO PROTECTED CITY WORTH A VISIT

The area surrounding the present day Stolac city has been populated since prehistorical times, which only makes sense, given the natural beauty and the climate benefits of this location. 3, 500 year old material evidence of urban life were found here, so that says something of the kind of urban tradition this place can boast of. Through its rich history, many have called Stolac its home, from ancient Illyrian tribes to Romans and Slavs. 

WHAT TO DO IN STOLAC CITY? VISITING SIGHTS AND MONUMENTS

First thing most tourist do in any place is visit the sights. Stolac has a rich history, so there are plenty of sights to visit. The old part of the town is wonderful and the city park is quite lovely as well. Whatever direction you take, you'll probably won't be wrong. The city isn't large, so it is quite easy to explore it on foot. When it comes to temples, you can find both Christian ones (Catholic and Orthodox christian) and Islamic ones. Tourist attractions of Stolac and the surrounding area are too numerous to be included in a single post, so today I'll just show you some of them. Check out this site to see them all. 

STROLLING THE CITY & TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS

Since we didn't actually visit the medieval fair (we didn't have time to wait for the opening), we devoted our time to strolling around and discovering the city on foot. If you ask me, that's the best place to explore any place. Stolac is very photogenic city. The nature surrounding it is simply divine, and the city itself is quite charming, so taking photographs here is a joy. I definitely recommend strolling around this little city. The architecture of Stolac city is quite interesting, mostly because of its history. Read this wiki article about Stolac to find out more about it

 

 RELAXING, SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS  & ENJOYING SPRING TIME

Stolac is a great destination to visit in spring time. You can really relax in this little town. Spending time outside is a joy when a city is as lovely as this one. Spending time in Stolac in spring time is definitely something I would recommend. I had a really nice time there last weekend. As I already noted, this comfy folkore inspired styling was the perfect choice for exploring this city.

MEDIEVAL TOMBSTONES SIGHT NECROPOLIS  RADIMILJA

One of must see places in Stolac is Radimilja, a necropolis counting hundreds of medieval christian stone graves known as 'stećak'. Basically, stećak is a name for a medieval tombstones unique to this area. Many of them have interesting written epitaphs. These medieval tombstones have a really interesting history.  I'm going to cite wikipedia to give more information to potential history lovers: 

STEĆAK is the name for monumental medieval tombstones that lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the border parts of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. An estimated 60,000 are found within the borders of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina and the rest of 10,000 are found in what are today Croatia (4,400), Montenegro (3,500), and Serbia (2,100), at more than 3,300 odd sites with over 90% in poor condition.^[1][2] Appearing in the mid 12th century, with the first phase in the 13th century, the tombstones reached their peak in the 14th and 15th century, before disappearing during the Ottoman occupation in the very early 16th century.^[1] They were a common tradition amongst Bosnian, Catholic and Orthodox Church followers alike,^[3] and are often related to the autochthonous Vlach population,^[4] however the original ethnic and religious affiliation is still undetermined.^[5] The epitaphs on them are mostly written in extinct Bosnian Cyrillic alphabet. The one of the best preserved collection of these tombstones is named Radimlja, west of Stolac in Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[2] Stećci were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. It includes a selection of 4,000 stećci at 28 necropolises – of which 22 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from Croatia, three from Montenegro, and three from Serbia.

It is worth noting that you can actually see Radmilja necropolis from the road, however, you can also visit the site itself for a small fee. There is also a souvernir shop on the stop if you're interesting in picking up something to remember this place for. 

STOLAC SURROUNDINGS

We drove around a bit and let me tell you Stolac surroundings are beautiful. Everything is so green and the landscapes are enchanting. The rivers and the creeks are absolutely magical. If you're a nature lover, the area surrounding Stolac surroundings will surely enchant you.  All that greenary is really soothing for both the mind and soul. Perfect destinations for hiking and exploring the nature.

  As always, thank you for reading and visiting. I wish you all a lovely day!