A Day Trip From Dubrovnik to Trebinje: A Complete Guide

Our day excursion from Dubrovnik to Trebinje, was by far the most exciting day trip we’ve done recently.

In my opinion, Trebinje is the most beautiful small town in the region. It has a nice geographic location, close to Herceg Novi, Neum, and Dubrovnik and in the last few years this hidden gem benefited a lot from those mega tourist cities.

Here is everything you need to know about visiting  Trebinje, including how to get there from Dubrovnik, things to do, and where to eat.

How To Get From Dubrovnik to Trebinje

You have two options to get from Dubrovnik to Trebinje: car or taxi. That’s right, those are the only options. There is no bus service between the two cities, which is surprising given the number of people who travel daily. There used to be a line, but it was discontinued a few years ago due to low interest?!

We arrived at the airport in Dubrovnik from Belgrade and took a taxi from there to Trebinje, but we didn’t rent a taxi in Dubrovnik. We called for a taxi to come from Trebinje to pick us up because it was a cheaper option. A taxi from Dubrovnik costs 100 euros, but we paid 70 euros.

The journey took about 40 minutes, without any delay at the border crossing. When we arrived in Trebinje, we saw an advertisement that a taxi to Dubrovnik cost 35 euros. It was explained to us that we paid for both ways, which sounded logical to me because 35 euros is really unrealistically low for a 30 km route (60 for both ways) with border crossing.

Things To Know Before Coming to Trebinje

Prices in Trebinje are like in the rest of Bosnia, you can eat and drink without having to overthink your budget.

If you’re on a budget, in the Bingo shopping center next to the bridge, you have cooked meals. I don’t remember the exact prices, but it wasn’t expensive for a complete meal.

The official currency is the Bosnian Mark, but euros are generally accepted as well. The exchange rate is one euro for two marks, just so you know.

12 Things To Do In Trebinje

With 1 day in Trebinje you can see the city highlights, view the old town Arslanagic bridge from multiple perspectives, and fit in a few other places. Here is my suggested itinerary, and things to do in Trebinje.

City Center

Don’t be surprised that everything in Trebinje is in the sign of Jovan Dučić. The central pedestrian street is dedicated to Jovan Dučić, and so is the name of the City Park.

Right at the entrance to one of the most beautiful green oases in the Balkans, you will see two large monuments – to Dučić and Njegoš.

The latter was a gift to his “dear Trebinje” from Dučić himself and it was the first monument to Njegoš in the world.

Platan Square

The plane trees are one of the most recognizable symbols of Trebinje. A circular tour of the city starts and ends at Platan Square. The square is planted with 16 plane trees, as that was the space available, and they are now 125 years old.

When the Austro-Hungarians came to Trebinje after the Turks, they were appalled to find a cemetery in the city center.

In one night, they relocated the cemetery, and the next day they planted 16 plane trees, which today create the most beautiful garden in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a fact that has been officially confirmed. For the people of Trebinje, everything starts and ends with the plane trees.

When a child is born, the father first treats his friends to a round of drinks under the plane trees; when a daughter gets married, she throws candies under these trees, and when someone dies, the obituaries are posted on the boards at the ends of the plane tree garden.

Near the square is also the medieval green market. As the people of Trebinje say, it’s the only market without stalls, where fruits and vegetables are sold on wooden tables.

The Green Market

The sight of colorful fruits, vegetables, honey, cheese in olive oil, and figs under the canopy of huge trees is surreal.

There at the market, among improvised stalls and trees, high on a pillar stands an angel with a sword in hand, while stepping on a snake with its foot, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.

Old Town with the Museum of Herzegovina

Experienced tourism professionals always recommend that when you visit a city, you should first explore its museum to acquaint yourself with the history of the place you are visiting.

The city of Trebinje has a truly rich history, remembering civilizations like the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, and goes all the way to the creation of the state of Travunia, which speaks volumes about the multiculturalism that is still felt at every step in the city.

This multiculturalism is best seen in the old town, where, in a really small area, you have a Catholic and an Orthodox church, as well as a mosque.

Trebisnjica

Walking along the Trebisnjica River is an integral part of a trip to Trebinje. The cold water will make the warm days more pleasant, and you’ll enjoy the romantic atmosphere in the evening.

The river is 187 km long above and below ground, making it one of the longest sinking rivers in the world. Due to its calmness, it’s ideal for sports fishing, attracting a large number of enthusiasts to this sport.

My older son and I swam in the Trebisnjica. The water was cold but to me, it didn’t seem much colder than in Dubrovnik.

Trebinje is a city with more than 20 bridges, which is why locals proudly call it “little Venice”. The bridges located on this river are Arslanagic Bridge, Stone Bridge, Geljov Bridge, Andrić Bridge, and Roman Bridge.

Arslanagic Bridge

One of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture in Bosnia, the Arslanagic Bridge was originally built 10 kilometers upstream from its current location.

According to some legends, the bridge was built by Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic, although there are no exact historical sources for this legend. When the Turks were pushed out of Herceg Novi in 1687, many Turkish families moved to Trebinje.

Among them was Arslan-aga, who collected tolls on the bridge over the Trebisnjica. Since then, the bridge has been named after him, the Arslanagic Bridge.

With the construction of the hydroelectric power plant on the Trebisnjica, the Arslanagić Bridge ended up underwater in the reservoir. At the request of local authorities and the Institute for the Protection of Monuments, the water level was lowered and the bridge was relocated to a new location.

Since 1993, the bridge has been called “Perovic Bridge”. This is explained by claims that Arslan-aga’s ancestors were actually the Perović family before converting to Islam. Formally, it is still called that today, although most locals continue to call it by its old name.

City Park

The “Jovan Ducic” City Park spans 28,000m2 and is one of the most beautiful parks in the whole of Bosnia.

At the entrance of the park, there is a statue of the poet Jovan Ducic, and opposite it stands a statue of Petar II Petrović Njegoš, which is why this square is known as the poets’ square.

In the city park, there’s also a fountain and a statue of the god Plakir, as well as two lions on pedestals located near the statue of Jovan Ducic. The fountain attracts attention with its alternating water jets and colors that adorn it during the evening hours.

Here is also the Park of the Liberators of Trebinje, dedicated to the fallen fighters of 1918 who liberated Trebinje from the occupiers. The monument was created based on an idea by Jovan Ducic.

Within the park, there is also a monument erected in honor of the fallen fighters from the Trebinje region in World War II and the victory over fascism.

Behind this monument lies a beautiful cultural center that you definitely should visit and check the program for the days you are staying in Trebinje.

The entrance to the courtyard of the incredible Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is located in the park and it perfectly fits with the architecture of the park, both in its dimensions and beauty.

Wine Cellars

Visiting Trebinje and not trying some of the wines of this region would indeed be a sin.

If you want to fully enjoy wine and food, the best time to visit any of the wineries is definitely sunset. The most famous wineries in Trebinje are Tvrdos, Vukoje, Anđelic, Sekulovic, and Bojanic Winery.

Humsko Brewery

If you have the chance, visit the Humsko brewery. They are located in the old town and have a beautiful garden by the river. You can try their craft beer. I must admit, it’s the best beer I’ve ever tasted.

Right next to it, you can rent a boat or a stand-up paddleboard. Half an hour of rental costs 4 KM, which is quite cheap. My children enjoyed the ride with a view of the Old Town, the landscape along the Trebisnjica with willows and flocks of ducks, Leotar, and the Arslanagic Bridge.

Tvrdos Monastery

This is one of the oldest monasteries in the whole region, dating back to the fourth century, built by Saint Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena. Do you need a bigger reason to visit it?

Also, this is the second most visited monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with about 250,000 visitors of different faiths, religions, and nationalities passing through it every year. The most visited is, of course, Ostrog, which you must visit on a day trip from Kotor or any other city in Montenegro.

Brankovic Tower

Although not located exactly in the city center, but less than three kilometers away from it, Brankovic Tower is another interesting place that is definitely worth visiting while you are in Trebinje.

Make sure to wear long sleeves even if you are coming here in the summer. The vegetation around the tower is quite overgrown, so it’s easy to get scratched.

Aquapark

Five kilometers outside of the city there is the City of Sun complex. The aquapark there is nice, but nothing special. IMO it is not worth the money but my kids thought differently so we went. The entrance fee is 25 marks, and children up to 120cm enter for free. 100 marks, or 50 euros for entrance is too much.

Where to Stay in Trebinje?

Hotel Etage: This hotel is less than a 10-minute walk from the city center. It’s a smaller hotel, equipped with an elevator. All rooms are new, and beautifully furnished, with air conditioning, TV, and a hairdryer.

Hotel Platani: An excellent hotel with a great location and outstanding service. Their garden is amazing, and I wouldn’t have believed that there’s a market there in the morning if I hadn’t seen it myself because everything is so clean afterward, as if there had been nothing there before.

Hotel Leotar: The hotel’s location is good, and the room I stayed in was comfortable. However, I also saw some mini rooms where two people can barely pass by each other. Some rooms have a view of the Trebisnjica, right on those houses that are seen in the typical pictures of Trebinje.