Things to do in Pocitelj

Pocitelj is a fortified Ottoman-era village on the Neretva, about 30 minutes south of Mostar by car and an easy stop on a day loop through the valley. Its stone lanes climb steeply from the riverbank to a hilltop tower, past a 16th-century mosque, so wear proper shoes rather than sandals.

Entry to the fortified site itself is free, but the tower and the mosque can keep restricted hours or close outright depending on the season and who is around to open them, so treat a climb to the top as a bonus rather than a given. Summer heat is severe here, often into the high 30s Celsius with little shade on the way up, so an early morning or a stop after 4pm works better than midday.

Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour, enough to walk up, look back over the river bend, and buy dried figs or pomegranate wine from the stalls near the entrance.