Banja Luka is a picturesque city located in the middle of the green hills of western Bosnia and Herzegovina on the banks of the Vrbas River. $ | Despite the "not serious" nature of the charming old streets and cozy squares, Banja Luka is proudly the capital of the Republika Srpska and is the second the value of the city in the country is . . The rich and multinational history of these places has given Banja Luka a lot of interesting sights: the ancient Roman fortress, monasteries, mosques and medieval mansions . expanse for active recreation - hiking, rock climbing, white water rafting in the canyon of the Vrbas and more .

How to get to Banja Luka

preferred airport Banja Luka by bus. Most often here comes transport from Sarajevo - six buses a day with departure from the capital from 5 am to 4:30 pm. The trip will take approximately 5 hours and cost around 40 YOU.

Buses also run between Banja Luka and other cities of the country, the routes are usually direct, without interchange. Even on the bus you can come here from neighboring Balkan cities - Podgorica, Belgrade, Novi Sad and Subotica, Zagreb, Pula, Split, etc.

The train from Sarajevo to Banja Luka goes the same five hours, the trip less comfortable, but gives the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful views outside the window. A day from Sarajevo usually leaves one train, the journey costs about half cheaper. The railway station of Banja Luka is 2 km from the city center, which can be reached on foot or by taxi.

At the airport in Banja Luka, 23 km from the city, regular flights from Zurich and, in the summer season, charter flights from the cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and from abroad - $

Transport in the city

On Banja Luka you can move for your two - the historic center of the city is quite small, and the walk is not threatened with great physical effort..For more distant trips, it is more reasonable to use municipal transport provided by buses .The fare will cost 1, 80, you can buy tickets directly from the driver when boarding or in advance, at the ticket kiosk at the stop .For 5 YOU you can buy a pass for a day and drive around the city without any restrictions .Also in Banja Luka there are taxis, the cost of an average trip around the city is about 5 YOU .

Fans of bike tours can advise you to rent a two-wheeled friend in the Tourist Office. Rental costs 1 YOU per hour or 15 YOU per day. Bicycles are only 15, so in the season you may not be enough - which is why it is better to leave for the means of transportation from the very morning.

Also in Banja Luka you can rent a car at a price of 60 YOU per day. It's very reasonable if you do not mind driving yourself - there are a lot of interesting places in the vicinity of the city.

Weather

March 1, Sunday Clearly +12 ° С in the day +5 ° С at night ° С water	March 2, Monday Clearly +16 ° С in the afternoon +4 ° С at night ° С water	March 3, Tuesday Overcast +11 ° С in the day +8 ° С at night ° С water
Weather forecast in Banja Luka for 10 days

Hotels in Banja Luka

In Banja Luka it is not difficult to find an option for accommodation. To the services of tourists are "starless" hostels, motels and boarding houses, an impressive number of "three-stars" and a few very worthy four-star hotels. Breakfasts are usually included in the price of the room, but half board is infrequent. However, it is also not difficult to dine "outside" - at every step you will find cafes and restaurants. In general, you should count on the amount of 40-60 EUR for a double room in the "three stars" and 70-90 EUR for a similar accommodation in a four-star hotel.

Kitchen and restaurants

In Banja Luka, a real expanse for meat-eaters - the capital of Republika Srpska is famous for its gastronomic traditions, and the meat here is overhead .To zamorit worm can be a local variation of hot dogs - sausages "banyaluchi chevap" from mutton and beef .Usually they are served with rings of fresh onions and a pita of .Lunch is more reasonable - the "teletina" cutlets are understandable, grilled "yanetina" chops, meatball pie, stuffed peppers "filovane paprika", dried ham "prsut" .Authentic and very tasty dish - "shed" - stew baked in a container closed on all sides, buried in coals .

Shopping and Stores

For souvenirs from Banja Luka, it is worth going to the spontaneous market that stretches near the fortress - by the way, they sell not only souvenirs here, but also "non-tourist" things. Another "fish" place - the store "Doug" at the town hall: all souvenirs here are made by folk craftsmen according to old technologies, authentic and real, prices are acceptable. Among other things, from time to time, there are "class-concerts" for spinning, embroidery and other techniques.

Clothing, footwear, accessories and household goods can be purchased at the central department store "Boska" on the main square of Banja Luka, as well as in shops on the main pedestrian street.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Banja Luka

The first thing in Banja Luka is going to the ancient Roman fortress, towering on a low hill on the bank of the river Vrbas. Here the massive walls are well preserved, but there are not too many buildings inside. The building of the municipality of Banja Luka, built in 1932, refers to the best examples of medieval Serbian architecture - there is an elegant light facade and high false arches and white stucco. Another notable secular building is the Governor's Palace, now housing a concert hall and an art gallery.

Also worth seeing is the Cathedral, built in 1887, but destroyed by an earthquake a century later. The current building was recreated according to the original plan only in 1974. The Church of Christ the Savior is one of the richest in the Balkans

In the monastery of Gomonitsa there is a magnificent collection of icons of the 18th century, and the monastery in Pivara-Banja Luka is known for much more mundane things - excellent wines and cheeses. Well, the most remarkable building of Islamic architecture is the Ferhata Pasha mosque (16th c), which is listed in the UNESCO List until 1993, when it was destroyed. Restoration works are being carried out here.

A lot of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops are waiting for visitors on the main street of Banja Luka - Gospodskaya.

Surroundings of Banja Luka

24 km from Banja Luka there is a natural rock formation Stone Bridge, a favorite place for leisure of adepts of rock climbing. In 15 km to the south of the city, in the canyon of Vrbas, there is a rafting club with the logical name "Canyon". Another popular place for rafting is the canyon of the stormy river of Svracavy, and along the tranquil waters of Tsvrtski (40 km from Banja Luka) you can make a relaxed 18 km journey.