Guide to Visiting Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jajce is a beautiful town in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina that is absolutely worth a visit. It reminded me of a landlocked version of the fortified towns you might see on the Dalmatian Coast, kind of like Kotor without the hordes of tourists and much cozier. Jajce is a gorgeous town tucked between mountains with a castle with walls comprising the center of the town. Just under Old Town Jajce is a beautiful waterfall. The town is a beautiful example of what makes Bosnia and Herzegovina great. Gorgeous scenery, friendly people, and good food. Jajce is a great place to spend a daytrip, but it’s even better if you can spend a night there when you’re in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I spent one night there on my Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip, which was enough for me to see all the awesome sights below. This was one of my favorite overall stops during my roadtrip. Sufficiently off the beaten path, but very friendly for tourists passing through. Here’s my guide to the great things you can do in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina!

What to do and see

Pliva Waterfall

Pliva Waterfall is the crowning glory of Jajce. By far, it’s the most popular tourist attraction in the town. But even so, it isn’t overwhelmingly busy in my experience. Viewing the waterfalls from a variety of vantages is beautiful, and I’ve provided some of my favorite ways to get to know this gorgeous natural feature in Jajce.

Viewpoints

Seeing the waterfalls from above is the very first and probably most important view! There are a few nice viewpoints above the falls. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see all the food and souvenir vendors. Plus, these views are free. There’s also a cool viewpoint which requires walking across the bridge over the river and toward this point on the other side of the valley. If you see where the first zip-line leads across the river, head over to that area to get a nice view of the waterfall plus the fortress.

Close-up View

The cost to get down to the waterfalls are approximately $2-4 depending on the season. You won’t get the whole town plus waterfall view, but it’s pretty impressive to see the waterfall rushing down right in front of your face. But be warned! The mist is freezing and the viewing platform takes you right up into it. You will get wet and potentially pretty cold!

Zip-line

There’s a zip-line that takes you from near the Pliva Waterfall viewpoint for about $15 USD. This is one of the most exciting ways to see the waterfall! You’ll first take the line from the viewpoint across the river with a distant view of the waterfall. Then you’ll take a second line straight at Jajce skirting right above the waterfall. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking a tiny bit of adventure!

Jajce Fortress

Jajce Fortress is on top of the hill that makes up the town.The historic fortress was first established in the mid-1400s. It offers stunning views of the surroundings and is a fun little area to explore. You don’t need to take a ton of time to explore the fortress. Maybe just 30-40 minutes to admire the views and soak it all in. You can walk around the interior of this fortress, then walk along the walls afterward.

Catacombs

This is reportedly the historic burial place of the founder of Jajce, Hrvoje Vukčić. This underground chapel and crypt doesn’t take long at all to visit. And it’s not necessarily a must-see. But its haunting vibe is worth checking out if you’ve got the time. The catacombs aren’t huge, so you can be in and out in about ten minutes at most, feeding your inner Indiana Jones.

Clock Tower

You can easily visit the Clock Tower (so-named on Google Maps) on your to or from the Jajce Fortress. Also known as St. Luke’s bell tower located net to the ruins of St. Mary’s Church. There’s really not much to see since you can’t really go in, but it’s a beautiful contrast the verdant surroundings. Supposedly the original church was built in the 12th century before being restored and redesigned in the 15th century. Snap a photo or two, peek in at the ruins, and continue on your way.

Temple of Mithra

The Temple of Mithra is tied to the cult of Mithraism that spread during Roman times. Mithra was an invisible Persian sun god. The temple itself is relatively small. Its protected by a steel and glass structure, which allows you to check it out without paying for any ticket or entering the facility. If you want to visit the interior of the protective facility, you have to contact the Ethnographic Museum in advance. Take a peek at it, snap a photo, and you can be on your way in just five minutes.

Ethnographic Museum

The relatively small ethnographic museum introduces the history and culture of Jajce. It’s good for a primer on the area. You can also get a guided tour if you’re particularly interested in learning more about the crafts, culture, and lifestyle of the area. Good if you’re interested in niche topics of history or generally learning about what a slice of life was like in Jajce throughout its existence.

Walled City Core

The walls around the historic center of the city encompass a variety of shops, stalls, and stores. While you’ll see a few touristy stores, this place isn’t just built for tourists. Plenty of locals will be hanging around to eat ice cream, share drinks or grab a bite to food. You can walk up and down the road in front of Esma Sultana Mosque to check out the local vibes. Even just outside the gates, you’ll find more shopping, art galleries, and dining.

Plivsko Park

Plivsko park is a gem of a park outside of Jajce. Built next to Plivsko Park, there are playgrounds and even wading pools to enjoy. You can take a dip in the lake, picnic, or grab a bite to eat at the many cafes and restaurants throughout the park. A few viewpoints let you admire the lake and the surrounding mountains. But most stunning and iconic are the watermills. It’s easy to spend an hour or two strolling through the park and admiring the views depending on how relaxed you want to talk it. Highly recommended visit when you’re in the Jajce area.

How to get there

Getting to Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina isn’t really accessible with public transit. I’d recommend instead either going with a group tour, hiring a driver/transfer, or renting a car.

Group Tour

A variety of group tours visit Jajce and the surroundings. These is a great way to see this gorgeous town if you’re short on time or don’t particularly want to drive. I’d recommend checking out Funky Tours based in Sarajevo. They offer a lot of great day trips or transfers and get rave reviews. If I hadn’t been on my own scheduling driving around, I would’ve used Funky Tours. Generally, the day trips to Jajce start out of Sarajevo, which is where I’m assuming you’ll be coming from if you’re looking to do Jajce in a day. Most of those day trips include a couple other stops which definitely add to the fun.

Hire a Driver or Transfer

There are a few different services that offer one-way or in some cases round-trip transfers between Sarajevo and cities or towns like Jajce throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. You could check out a service like Sarajevo Transfer, Balkan Chauffeur, or daytrip. Services like daytrip are kind of cool because they also give you the option to stop at multiple places along the way for a small added cost. Still hiring a private transfer or driver is generally going to be the most expensive option.

Rental Car

My recommended method of visiting Jajce is by renting a car. I had a good experience with AVIS from the Sarajevo Airport but you can find all kinds of car rental companies in Sarajevo or elsewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina depending on where you’re entering the country. The drive from Sarajevo to Jajce is between 2.5-3 hours depending on traffic. It’s a relatively easy to drive. However, I would be careful because I did notice some rather aggressive drivers. Just be careful around blind turns and when getting around trucks. Otherwise, it’s worth it to have your own car to explore the area at your own leisure. Plus you can visit other locations around Jajce like I did when visiting Una National Park and Travnik.

Where to stay

Jajce is a relatively small town, and hotel options are pretty limited. If you do a search on Booking.com, for instance, you’ll find a lot of apartments and guesthouses. I put a couple hotels below that I would recommend for their convenient location.

Stari Grad Hotel

I stayed in the Stari Grad Hotel. It’s a quaint hotel with a gorgeous little restaurant that serves up good food. Plus, it’s located over Ottoman ruins which you can see through some plexiglass panes on the floor in the lobby/restaurant. The rooms can be small and a bit dated, but it’s a good option for an overnight stay. Plus it’s located right in the middle of the old town area, making it super convenient for walking to all the sights. The included breakfast here was pretty good too, and I enjoyed my dinner there.

Hotel Tourist 98

Hotel Tourist 98 is a bigger hotel than Stari Grad Hotel. I can’t speak to the food offerings here, but parking is easily accessible. It’s not as cool of a location as the Stari Grad Hotel, but it’s close enough to make visiting the sites in Jajce easy. The rooms here are a bit bigger and more modern, so if that’s what you’re going for, this would be a good option.

Where to eat

While the options are somewhat limited since Jajce is relatively small, you’ll find plenty of options on the main pedestrian street in old town. If you’re staying in the Stari Grad Hotel, you won’t miss it. Otherwise, it’s the road that runs perpendicular to the Esma Sultana Mosque. That being said, I do have a couple recommendations if you’re looking for a good place to eat in Jajce.

Cevabdzinica Dedo

Cheap food, cheap beer (and other drinks), and a pretty simple menu. It’s a no frill kind of restaurant, and you’re not going to go wrong with their cevapis. The owners were very nice as well. But the best part of this restaurant are the bird’s eye views. You can see up and down the river from the open air restaurant, along with the forested mountain slopes. I can definitely recommend this place for the ambiance alone. Find it here.

Stari Grad Hotel

Stari Grad Hotel is back! I enjoyed a late dinner here, which was great. Home-cooked Bosnian food plus some international favorites are available. The restaurant is perhaps one of the nicer ones in town, while the prices are still outstanding for a tourist location. Besides the great food offerings, as mentioned above in “Where to stay”, the most unique aspect is the glimpse below your feet straight into some Ottoman ruins. Might be worth it for the archaeological view alone!

Final Tips

• The easiest way to get to Jajce is by private car. There is ample parking around most of the major tourist areas, so you don’t have to worry too much about where to park.
• Jajce is small enough to visit on a day trip, but I recommend an overnight if you can. It’s the type of place that is best enjoyed leisurely and it can feel more magical around the old city at night. The sunset views of the city can be particularly beautiful.
• Accommodations in Jajce are pretty affordable. I recommend staying around the city gates or within the walled section if you can for easy access to the tourist sites listed here.
• Getting to Plivsko Park is easy with your own car. You can of course hire a cheap taxi between the park and Jajce if you don’t have a car and aren’t on a group tour, but it’s also close enough to walk to from town if you’re down for a ~45 minute stroll.