Cameron Hewitt

Just wrapping up my work in Bosnia before heading back to Croatia. This cat seems to be saying, “Sretan put!”

Driving into Mostar after spending several days exploring Bosnia-Herzegovina’s off-the-beaten-path gems, I had mixed feelings. Mostar is easily the most touristy town in the country. As I say in our guidebook, it’s like Bosnia with training wheels, and an easy side-trip from Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Walking through the river-rock cobbles of the old center, I encountered crowds for the first time since I left Istria a week ago. But then, just as I was grumbling to myself about all the tourists, I turned around... and remembered that Mostar has a truly stunning location, with its Old Bridge spanning a rocky gorge under towering mountains. There’s a reason so many visitors enjoy Mostar. And this evening, I’m happy to be one of them.

There are wonderful cities that I love returning to, again and again. And then there’s Sarajevo.

There’s something special about Sarajevo that keeps drawing me back. The way it’s hugged by green mountains, prickly with minarets. The way its people are kind, open, and fascinating. The way it smells: like grilling meat and morning fog. And its stories — both the most beautiful and most horrific things you can imagine — are sublime.

I’ll always keep coming back to Sarajevo.

It was 11 o’clock in the morning, and I was already dragging from my guidebook-updating rounds. Clearly, I needed a little more caffeine. I stepped into my favorite stony caravanserai courtyard in the heart of Sarajevo’s old Ottoman district and ordered a Bosnian coffee with a slice of baklava. In the past, I’ve written at length about how Bosnians approach coffee as a social ritual. And even being here all by myself, this little “coffee break” became so much more. Sipping from my tiny, copper-clad cup, I began to notice the fine little details all around me: the geometric patterns on the wall-hanging carpets, the gentle conversation between the hijab-clad women at the next table, the ankle-tweaking round cobbles underfoot, the sweet pop of the lokum (Turkish delight) that came with my coffee. By the time my cup contained only muddy grounds, I felt energized and focused — not just by the caffeine, but by being reminded that I’m in a very special place very far from home. Back to work!

Today’s favorite photo was also a favorite meal.

People don’t think of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a culinary destination. But the country’s rustic, delicious, affordable comfort food is just one of many features that make it one of Europe’s great undiscovered destinations.

The go-to street food is ćevapi: little sausages made of minced meat that are grilled up, tucked in a warm flatbread, and topped with raw onions, kajmak (resembling clotted cream) and/or ajvar (an explosively flavorful red-pepper spread).

I stopped around lunchtime in the city of Travnik, which is famous among Bosnians as home to some of the best ćevapi anywhere. How could I resist?

You may wonder how one little grilled chunk of meat could taste that much different from any other. To find out… go to Travnik.

Another day when it was tough to choose just one favorite photo… in this case, because of the huge variety of offbeat sights I enjoyed as I drove from Croatia into Bosnia. But I think this one takes the cake.

Just a 30-minute drive from the waterfall wonderland of Plitvice Lakes National Park, deep in the mountains near the Croatian/Bosnian border, Željava was a top-secret Yugoslav-era airbase inside a mountain.

Driving a potholed road deep into the middle of nowhere, suddenly I found myself at the intersection of several huge, overgrown runways stretching to the horizon. German motorcyclists were drag racing each other as if taxiing for take-off, and black circles in the tarmac made it clear that this is the locals’ favorite spot for doing donuts.

The distinctly shaped cutout in the side of the cliff makes it clear that this was the entrance for fighter jets to access a sprawling network of giant tunnels under the rock. All of this is just a short drive from one of Croatia‘s most-visited attractions.

This is not a sight you’ll find in any guidebook, and it’s not for everyone. But as someone with a serious appetite for Yugo-nostalgia, I’ll admit, it’s one of the most exciting things I’ve seen on this trip.

One last view of Plitvice Lakes National Park before I move on. I’ve been fortunate to be here 15 or 20 times in my life. But there’s always something new to discover.

I set out to explore this morning for our guidebook and discovered the “Back Door” to this remarkable site. While 99% of tourists use the main entrances, those who are in-the-know circle around to the other side of the lakes, and lesser-known Entrance #3.

Along the way, I parked at an unmarked pullout next to a bridge and walked five minutes to enjoy a completely different view than I’ve ever seen before.

It just goes to show: Traveling with a spirit of curiosity, even when you think you’ve seen it all before, reaps huge rewards.

Today’s favorite photo was a difficult choice… since I’m at one of the most beautiful natural wonders in Europe.

People complain that Plitvice Lakes National Park is crowded. Crowds? What crowds? My secret is starting out on the hike at about 3 p.m.The first hour’s a little busy, sure. But then you have the blissful Upper Lakes all to yourself, before catching the boat to dinner.

So often, crowds are simply a matter of timing and strategy.

My favorite photo today is the first one I took this morning: Rovinj’s Old Town sparkling in the sun. What a city!

My first Croatian sunset of this trip finally happened after three days of on-and-off thunderstorms. And what a place for it!

As the sky begins to glow, people gather along the beefy breakwater in Rovinj — all lined up for the day’s spectacular finale.

I was recently interviewed for a podcast (with Emily Gracey, Meteorologist) all about sunsets. I listed Croatia as my all-time favorite place for them. Tonight, I remembered why. And I can’t wait for more to come.