FORGET the crowds of Spain and Italy – there’s a country in Europe which has actually seen a DROP in tourists this year.
It was even dubbed the ‘new Croatia‘ thanks to its one seaside town along the Adriatic Coastline.
Official stats have revealed that the number of foreign tourists who visited Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first half of 2026 decreased by 3.2 per cent on the year to 582,541.
The country had previously been revealed as a top holiday spot for 2025 and even called the ‘new Croatia‘.
Thanks to it being lesser-visited then its neighbour, Bosnia and Herzegovina was described as a “less crowded alternative to Dubrovnik” by a team of travel experts at Wild Frontiers.
In comparison, Croatia welcomed more than 7.6 million visitors during the first six months of 2026.
But in a world where destinations are suffering from overtourism, the fact Bosnia and Herzegovina has fewer tourists means it’s an ideal time to visit if you want to avoid crowds.
It’s cheap too – in fact the country’s capital, Sarajevo was named as the best-value destination in Europe by the Post Office Travel Money earlier this year.
It calculated that a two night’s stay across a weekend for two people would cost an average of £248.29.
This includes three-star accommodation, food, drink, a three-course evening meal, travel cards and attractions including a visit to a museum, art gallery and sight-seeing tour.
As for what to do there, the city is named one of the best for its food scene.
One traditional dish is called Bosanski Lonac which is essentially a stew packed with chunks of meat and vegetables.
Another is cevapi – these are flatbreads filled with grilled meat, and burek, flaky pastries filled with cheese, spinach or even sour cherry for dessert.
The best part is that eating out is very cheap for a capital city.
According to Wise, a meal at a restaurant can cost as little as £4.41 and visitors can enjoy a local beer from £1.76.
Flights are cheap too if you book in advance – with Wizz Air next April, Brits can fly to Sarajevo from £25 which takes just 2hr40.
Something to do in Sarajevo is head to its enormous thermal spa.
Ilidža Thermal Riviera is one of the largest thermal complexes in the Balkans and has been built on the hot spring of Ilidža.
Guests can take a dip in its indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as children’s pool which has a slide.
There’s even a small go-karting area, trampolines and a Tropical Garden Restaurant – tickets into the complex cost as little as 8 KM (£3.51).
There’s also a nearby amusement park in the city centre called Sunnyland which has an Alpine Coaster zip lines and giant swings.
It’s found on Olympic Mountain Trebević which is a 10-minute drive from the city centre.
Entry to the park is free with visitors just having to pay for the rides and activities.
While most of Bosnia and Herzegovina is landlocked, it does have a short 12-mile coastline with beautiful beaches along the Adriatic Sea.
All of the coastline surrounds the pretty town of Neum which has bars and cafes along the promenade.
The town is considered an ‘anomaly’ as on a map, it sits along the Croatian coastline, but it’s actually in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Historically, the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) ceded the land to the Ottoman Empire in 1699 via the Treaty of Karlowitz.
Other must-visit spots include the Ottoman bridge in Mostar which is around an hour’s drive away from Neum.
The bridge sits over River Neretva and is considered masterpiece architecture from the 16th century.
For anyone feeling brave, you can actually jump off the 7-story high bride which is a 450-year-old tradition.
Historically, it was a way for young men to prove their courage – but nowadays anyone can do it as it’s managed by officials at the Mostari Diving Club.
There are also more natural wonders including Kravica Waterfall.
Visitors have called it ‘magical’ and ‘surreal’ with one even comparing it to looking like ‘a scene from Jumanji‘.