Cycling Bosnia: Sutjeska, Blagaj & Stolac

This is the fifth and final part detailing a four week cycling tour around Albania, Montenegro & Bosnia in May and June 2023. Here are links to Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four.

In this final part of the tour, I cycled across the south of Bosnia, from Foča to Ivanica, before crossing into Croatia and finishing in Dubrovnik. I considered several different options along a mixture of gravel and paved roads, but in the end settled on a route which took me through the Sutjeksa National Park. I would then stay overnight in the charming looking towns of Blagaj and Stolac, before riding to Dubrovnik.

I had already visited Mostar and Trebinje, which are very nice cities and the biggest tourist hotspots in this region. so I was keen to stay somewhere new. My main concern with this route was that the M20 through the Sutjeska National Park and the M6.1 out of Nevesinje could be quite busy.

Sutjeska National Park

I decided to commit to a ride of a little under 150km, in order to spend the night in Blagaj, which looked a much more interesting town than Nevesinje. My route would be on excellent paved roads all the way, and with a slight tailwind and mostly gentle climbing, I felt this was manageable.

As I left Foča it was raining lightly, and would continued raining for much of the morning, but it was warm and so not unpleasant. I soon joined the M20, which took me nearly 60km through the Sutjeska National Park. This was a great road for cycling, with smooth asphalt, picturesque scenery, fun climbs and less traffic than I had expected.

The Sutjeska National Park is home to Bosnia's highest peak - Maglić - and is a beautiful natural area with some impressive rock formations. Due to the rain and cloud, I didn't get the best views, but was still able to appreciate the tranquility and imposing landscapes.

The Sutjeska was also the site of a famous battle during the Second World War. Here the Yugoslav Partisans, led by Josef Tito, put up a brave defence against Italian and German forces and established themselves as a legitimate fighting force. The battle became part of the founding mythology of post-war Yugolsavia, and there is a large monument in the National Park dedicated to the event.



After around 40km, I had a decision to make about whether or not to avoid the nearly 2km long tunnel at the top of the main climb. The alternative route was a gravel road with a considerable diversion. Since my route was already long, and because I hadn't encountered much traffic on the M-20, I decided to stay on the main road and brave the tunnel.

The tunnel actually turned out to be very well lit and (contrary to the profile) almost flat, so it was safe and easy enough to ride through in just a few minutes. After the tunnel, a short descent took me past Klinje lake and into the town of Gacko - a good place for a coffee stop and to buy and supplies.

I joined the M6.1 in Gacko and followed this for 50km to Nevesinje. This was another excellent road for cycling, with a good surface and very picturesque scenery. The road follows the Zalomka River and is almost completely flat, so I was able to cover the ground quite quickly.




I stayed on the M6.1 through Nevesinje, where there was a short forested climb. The traffic was a bit heavier here as it is the main road to Mostar and on to the coast, but it didn't feel dangerous. After the short ascent I was rewarded with over 20km of downhill, as I closed in on Blagaj. There were some very nice views of Blagaj Castle towards the end of the descent, and on a clear day you can see across the Mostar.

I was fairly tired by the time I arrived at my accommodation in Blagaj, but I was keen to explore the town. Blagaj is most famous for being the source of the River Buna. Here dramatic cliffs rise up above the emerging river, which flows rapidly with beautiful colours.

Also situated here is a Sufi Monastery, dating from the 16th Century. Known as the Dervish House (named after a branch of Sufism), it is the most iconic site in Blagaj and was active in the spread of Islam in the region, as well as the study of the arts and sciences. Blagaj remains a predominantly Muslim town today, inhabited overwhelmingly by Bosniaks.

I think most people who visit Blagaj do so as a day trip from Mostar, but I was happy to spend the night here. I enjoyed its tranquility; particularly the stunning area alongside the river and the hike up to the castle. In fact, I might even go as far to say that I preferred Blagaj's charm to Mostar's more touristy (although very nice) old town.

Ćiro Trail & Stolac

Shortly after leaving Blagaj, I joined the Ćiro Trail, a long distance cycling route that runs between Mostar and Dubrovnik. This would form the backbone of the final couple of days riding, although I took several detours, most notably to the town of Stolac.

The Ćiro Trail is loosely based around an old railway line and is partly off-road and partly on quiet lanes. Where I joined it, after Blagaj, it runs alongside the Neretva River and is pretty flat and easy riding.

It was scenic, even though I had to take a couple of short diversions due to the construction of a new railway line in the area. In the town of Čapljina I stopped at the Mogorjelo Roman Villa - a fairly large complex dating from the 4th century CE.





From Čapljina I stayed on the Ćiro Trail as it ran alongside a quietish road, before crossing a couple of picturesque foot bridges. The route continued alongside Svitavsko Lake, which was pleasant, although not really spectacular. At the end of the lake, there was a shortish climb up towards the village of Cerovica.

Here, I left the Ćiro Trail (I would rejoin it further on tomorrow), and took a left turn to go to Stolac. A new road (the M17.3) has been built here, which takes nearly all the traffic. However, the narrow old road still runs parallel to it and is excellent for cycling. The surface is mostly very good and it is gently rolling. The scenery was nice, but a bit more barren than the impressive mountains I had been used to riding through in Montenegro and the Sutjeska National Park.

The ride finished by joining the M17.3 for the fast descent into Stolac. Similar to Blagaj, Stolac is somewhat overshadowed by nearby Trebinje and Dubrovnik, but it is a fantastic small town. The highlight is the Vidoski Fort, a sprawling castle complex that dates from the 15th century. Situated on the hillside, it offers fantastic views of the town and surrounding mountains, and there are several stone towers and fortifications that you can explore. Also in Stolac you can see some spectacular waterfalls on the Bregava River.

Dubrovnik

My final ride of the trip began with a tough climb out of Stolac on the M6. The gradient averaged about 8% for 5km on a road that had a few trucks and cars, making it less enjoyable for riding at slow speed.

Once I reached the top of the climb, and could ride at a faster speed, the traffic was less bothersome and it was a nice rolling route through the village of Ljubinje and sparsely populated countryside.

Close to Ravno I took a short cut on gravel trails through vineyards and rejoined the Ćiro Trail. I would stay on this as far as the Croatian border. The trail here clearly followed the old railway line, as I passed by several abandoned stations. Much of this area was mined heavily during the Yugoslav Wars; as a result it became a kind of no man's land with empty villages and overgrown countryside that was unsafe for farming.

It was interesting and easy riding, but not the most attractive section of my route, and I was quite pleased to leave the trail behind when I reached the Croatia border.







It was another quick border crossing into Croatia, from where all that remained was 10km to Dubrovnik - nearly all downhill. In Brgat I took a turn to delay joining the main Jadranska Magistrala road as long as possible, and was rewarded with some fantastic views over Dubrovnik and the surrounding countryside..

The final few kilometres were less enjoyable. Dubrovnik is pretty challenging to enter by bicycle, and it was necessary to go on the main road for a section. Simiarly to some of my previous experiences riding in Croatia, drivers were quite aggressive, passing close by at speed - even though I was going quite fast myself on the downhill road.

Still, I quickly arrived in the centre of Dubrovnik and would spend the next three days exploring the city. I won't write too much about Dubrovnik here, because you can find plenty of more informed guides elsewhere. Overall, I kind of enjoyed the city, helped a lot by reading a book on Medieval 'Ragusa' beforehand, which provided context for all the fantastic buildings and fortifications of the old town. However, it was so, so crowded, even in June, and also very expensive.

I really like Croatia as a country to visit, both for cycling and for exploring more generally. However, as incredible as Dubrovnik is, I'm not sure I would be in a hurry to return there soon.



I still needed to find a bike box for my flight home. A shop called Omega Bike assisted me greatly with this. They provided a box, packed up the bike and transported it with me to the airport (which is quite some distance from the city). I can't remember exactly how much they charged, but like everything in Dubrovnik it wasn't particularly cheap. However, they provided a good service and I was happy to pay for the convenience.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this tour around the Balkans. The combination of fantastic scenery, historic towns, different cultures and great cycling routes made it a fascinating trip. I will certainly return to this part of the world again soon, because there is so much more to discover here. Montenegro and parts of Albania are deservedly emerging as tourist destinations now, while most of Bosnia and Serbia are still very much under the radar.


Albania, Montenegro & Bosnia Tour Overview

Cycle Touring Guides

Part 1 - Podgorica - Krujë

Part 2 - Krujë - Shiroka

Part 3 - Lake Shkodra & Cetinje

Part 4 - Durmitor National Park