VISIT RUJISTE (A MOUNTAIN OASIS NEAR MOSTAR ) WITH ME!

Summer isn't over yet and that means one thing: wanderlust. I don't know what it is about summer that makes me want to turn into a nomad. I get this urge to wonder of, explore and be adventurous. 

Today I'm taking you with me to Rujiste (proper spelling Rujište, pronunciation  Ruyshte) a nature oasis located on mountain Prenj. This mountain is only a short drive away from Mostar city, which makes it ideal for a little weekend (or day) getaway. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to tell you a bit about this place first. Basically, Rujiste is an area located between mountains Prenj and Veles (proper spelling Veleš, pronounciation Velesh). Fun fact: Veles is named after a pagan Slavic god Velesh. Rujište is more a part of Prenj mountain, though. The altitude is around one thousand meters. The peaks of mountain Prenj are significantly higher, over two thousands meters. In fact, the high peaks of Prenj are why this mountain is sometimes nicknamed the Herzegovian Himalaya. So, let's see what this Herzegovian Himalaya has to offer!

MOUNTAIN TOURISM IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

What are some of best mountain destinations in Herzegovina? That is the questions that I've been trying to answer with a series of posts (like this one or this one). There are many beautiful mountains in Herzegovina. I think that most people aren't aware of how many mountains there are in Herzegovina, or in Bosnia and Herzegovina for that matter. Try googling mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina and you'd probably be surprised with the number of mountains with peaks over 1,500 meters. Do you know how many of them there are? 64! Yes, there really are 64 mountains with peaks over 1,500 meters in Bosnia and Herzegovina (maybe even more, I know of 64 for sure). So, when I say many mountains I don't just mean quite a few, I mean- there really is a whole lot of them. If we take into account all the mountains, not just super high ones, we're talking about hundreds. Yes, hundreds of mountains!

I've always loved mountains, so when my significant other suggested visiting Rujište again, I was one happy kitty. As I pointed out in my earlier posts, Rujiste itself is located less than 20 km from Mostar, so you can get there in a heart beat. Getting to Rujiste by car couldn't be more simple or easier. Anyhow, due to its vicinity to Mostar, Rujiste is a popular destination in all seasons. You can climb thousand of meters in a relatively short time. Click here to see what Rujište looks like in winter and here to read about my previous summer visit. 

WHERE TO STAY AND DINE IN RUJISTE? 

When we drove to Rujište we decided to stop by hotel Snježna kuća (meaning Snow house). There we ordered drinks and enjoyed the views. The mountain air must have opened our appetite because we decided to have a breakfast on spot. I ordered grilled veggies and my husband ordered a cheese  plate (if I remember well). Both dishes were yummy and we enjoyed having them. The service was friendly and I even made a new friend: a big yellow furry friend.

Let me introduce you to the most adorable  mountain dog. When we arrived at the hotel, I saw they had two dogs there and one of them was an adorable gigantic dog (a mixed breed I think) and I named him Yellow. The gigantic dog immediately responded to that name ( I wonder is it what others call him too) and when I called it, the dog immediately came, placing himself under my seat (probably in an effort to look smaller) and allowing me to pet it. The funny thing is that when I left to the toilet, I gave him the 'Guard!' order in jest, but the dog took it so seriously that it really guarded my husband while I was there, scaring two random people who were getting out of hotel. My husband joked and told them they need to show the paid check to the dog and then they and the dog relaxed. In short, I made a new furry friend. I hope I'll get to see this dog again some day. Such a remarkable animal! Both of us love dogs but we haven't been able to get over the tragedy of our last dog being poisoned. I'm worried that if I get a dog again, the same thing might happen. 

After we left the hotel (that we visited previously here), we went for a drive and walk, exploring Rujište mountain oasis further. It is really amazing how all this natural beauty is located only 25 km from Mostar city. If you are visiting Mostar, you definitely should drive here and enjoy the mountain air. I recommended quite a few mountain destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina to you, haven't I? I always say that Bosnia and Herzegovina is quite an underrated destinations. Herzegovina in particular offers all the benefits of Mediterranean climate, but at the same time you can enjoy the mountains that are only a short drive or a climb away.  My list of mountain attractions and oasis wouldn't be complete without Rujište. It is easy to get there by car and the high altitude ensures all the famous benefits of mountain air. This mountain oasis is a great place to visit for sure. Our whole trip literally lasted only two and a half hours and we were able to return to Mostar in almost no time. At the same time, we felt really refreshed. I just love these kind of improvised trips. They are easy to organize, don't take a lot of time and they still allow you to indulge your wanderlust. Do you love weekend getaways? Do you indulge in such trips and excursions? Do you like mountains?

THE STORY OF AN OUTFIT

My styling was a distinctly summer one. I wore a wrap dress I picked up in a local outlet store (called Azel) a few years ago. I paired this dress with a golden DIY necklace and some gifted bracelets. I decided to wear the most comfortable sandals I currently own, these lovely tropical print sandals from ART shoe brand. This was such a comfortable look and I enjoyed wearing it. How I wore these items before? You can see me wearing this dress before here and you can see how I styled these sandals previously here, here , here , here and  here. 

 As always, thank you for reading and commenting. I'm joining Mica's Weekly Wear Linkup. Have a lovely week ahead!