Travnik Old Town, Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine, Bosnia and HerzegovinaTravnik is a very historical city in Bosnia I first visited in 2007. It left a lasting memory to this day as I slipped on the gravel on the fortress steps damaging my camera and casting a shadow over the rest of the 2007 trip. I am very careful walking on steps and slopes now with any camera.
This historical significance is it was the Capital of the Ottoman Province of Bosnia and home of the Bosnian Viziers. The capital of Bosnia shifted in Ottoman times several times but Travnik held the seat for the longest period.
Travnik - 1553
Banja Luka - 1553-1638
Sarajevo - 1639-1697
Travnik - 1697-1833
Sarajevo - 1833-1839/40
Travnik - 1839/40-1841
Sarajevo - 1851-1878
I left my Jajce overnight apartment at 8.20 and stopped at the bakery beside before getting to the bus station. I could not make out the times yesterday for the return bus to Travnik and the information they gave me did not match what was online.
There was a bus heading to Zenica at 8.30 which would stop at Travnik so you have to know all these local routes instead of direct buses. Fare was 10.50 BM (5.25 EU).
Local custom were locals were part of an elaborate package relay system. Either bringing packages on board, dropping packages at people waiting on roadsides. or collecting roadside loads.
On arrival at Travnik first I checked the onward bus times to Sarajevo as nothing online was reliable. The next bus was 12.10pm giving me about two hours to explore. The new bus station is about half a km from the town centre. All of this has changed from 2007 as I remember a roadside bus stop.
I headed first to the fortress at the top and would work my way back down as this would require the most time and was furthest from the bus station
Entrance to the fortress was 4 BM (2 EU) and again there was not really anyone else here so I had the place mostly to myself
Inside the fortress is a small ethnographic and city museum. I remember this and have photos from 2007 so not much had changed.
I still had memories of smashing my camera in 2007 so was watching every step
You can climb to the top and walk around the walls. There are views of the many Mosque Minarets in the Old Town
There was a long staircase with loose gravel so I watched my every step so as not to repeat history and break another camera. Fortunately there were no mishaps this time.
Leading down from the Fortress will take you past the Clock Tower and some more local Mosques leading to the famous painted Mosque across the main road.
Bosnian custom is to lock Mosques until prayer time unlike other countries where they are open all day. As I arrived there was a big tour group from Turkey so I took my opportunity and went inside with them
I don't think I was able to come inside in 2007 as the door was locked. The interior art and paintwork seems more local in custom and not particular to Mosques in other regions. There is also painted artwork on the exterior which is quite rare.
The Mosque has now become the main town square and has closed traffic on one side which wasnt the case in 2007 when cars drove right past.
I tried to find the City Museum but it turned out to be closed today and not sure what else they would have had from the Fortress museum.
I was heading back to the bus station for my 12.10pm bus to Sarajevo and wanted to stop by a bakery for some lunch for the trip. I was learning the different types of burek and got a meat and potato one for 6 BM (3 EU). The way the potato was diced I thought it was corn.
There are more official tombs towards the bus station. The road has been made pedestrian which is new from 2007 when this is the road the bus had driven down. I remember walking down here in 2007 looking for a camera shop, finding one, but that they only wanted cash and would not take my card.
The bus back to Sarajevo was 21.90 BM (11 EU). I had lifted my curse of Travnik and survived this trip with no broken camera.
See also Vlog - Exploring The HIDDEN JEMS of JAJCE And TRAVNIK | Kingdom of Bosnia (21 mins) - https://youtu.be/Q5Y75zr7gJg
2025-05-22