Although there are many similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and identity, Herzegovina's history is quite distinct from Bosnia's. Herzegovina has been settled for over 12,000 years and each civilization has left a mark on its rich cultural heritage.
This cultural heritage, coupled with the impressive natural beauty of Herzegovina, makes it the most diverse and attractive tourist area in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many tend to characterize Herzegovina as an arid moonscape. Though some areas of Herzegovina are indeed like that, it also possesses some of the greatest freshwater springs, crystal-clear rivers and endemic types of flora and fauna. The areas around Jablanica, Prozor and Konjic have dense green forests and beautiful serene lakes. The Trebizat River has created a wonderful green belt along its banks in Western Herzegovina, as has the Bregava River from the southeast. A warm Mediterranean climate dominates most of Herzegovina, creating a very different bio-system than that of Bosnia's central and northern regions. Figs, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, rose hip and mandarins all grow in this sunny region.
Many of the finest wines in southern Europe are produced in the small vineyards of western and southern Herzegovina (www.vinskacesta.ba). There are some impressive monuments and stretches of nature here, but for many, the real attractions in Herzegovina are merely the simple but beautiful villages dotting the hillsides and the people therein who work this precious land. Regardless of what you do or where you go, Herzegovina will leave a lasting and positive impression.
NERETVA RIVER
Since ancient times the Neretva has permitted the prosperity and growth of human communities and, as such, omitting the Neretva from the account of Herzegovina would be like writing about Egypt without reference to the Nile. This turquoise gem has created fertile valleys from Glavaticevo to Doljani and upon which most life in the region thrives. The Neretva River has its beginnings in Zelengora Mountain in the Borac region and like all rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina the river initially flows towards the north, or, more precisely in this case, the northwest. In this upper section, the river forces its way between the massifs of the Visocica and Bjelasnica mountains in the north and the massifs of the Crvanj and Prenj Mountains in the south. It flows through numerous canyons and a smaller number of fertile valleys.
Unlike the other rivers in the country, the Neretva River does not succeed in forcing its way exclusively north. Passing to the north of the Prenj massif, the river turns south near the mouth of the tributary Rama. It then forces its way through the canyons between the Prenj and Cvrsnica mountains until it reaches the Mostar Valley where it loses the character of a rapid mountain river. The Neretva then pleasantly meanders through Capljina into the delta between the Croatian towns of Metkovic and Ploce, from where it flows into the crystal clear Adriatic Sea.
