Bosnia & Hercegovina

Ringed by mountains, Sarajevo is a singular city with an enticing East-meets-West vibe all of its own. It was once renowned as a religious melting pot, earning it the epithet 'the Jerusalem of Europe'. Within a few blocks you can still find large Catholic and Orthodox cathedrals, Ashkenazi and Sephardic synagogues, and numerous mosques. However, the Jewish population was decimated during WWII and Sarajevo is now a divided city, with most of the Orthodox Christians living in Istočno Sarajevo (East Sarajevo) on the Republika Srpska side.

During the 20th century, two violent events thrust Sarajevo into the world's consciousness: the assassination which sparked WWI, and the brutal almost-four-year siege of the city in the 1990s. The scars of the longest siege in modern European history are still painfully visible, yet Sarajevo is once again a wonderful place to visit – for its intriguing architectural medley, vibrant street life and irrepressible spirit.

The world-famous Stari Most (meaning simply 'Old Bridge') is Mostar's indisputable visual focus. Its pale stone magnificently reflects the golden glow of sunset or the tasteful night-time floodlighting. The bridge's swooping arch was originally built between 1557 and 1566 on the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent. The current structure is a very convincing 21st-century rebuild following the bridge's 1990s bombardment during the civil war. Numerous well-positioned cafes and restaurants tempt you to sit and savour the splendidly restored scene.

Jajce's impressive 21m-high waterfall forms where the Pliva River tumbles abruptly into the Vrbas. A viewing platform (adult/child 4/2KM) has been built opposite the waterfall's base, accessed from stairs that start between the bus station and petrol station. If you don't want to get sprayed (nor pay), you can look down on it from either lip.

By far the prettiest city in Republika Srpska, Trebinje has a compact centre with a tiny walled Old Town flanked by a leafy market square. The Trebišnjica River is slow and shallow as it passes through, its banks lined with swimming spots and replicas of waterwheels, which were once used for irrigation. Mountains provide a sunbaked backdrop, while hills topped with Orthodox churches punctuate the suburbs.

It's barely 30km from Dubrovnik, but in tourist terms it's a world away – not to mention vastly cheaper. Some canny travellers base themselves here and 'commute'.

Trebinje's always been a Serb-majority town but more so since the war, with the proportion rising from 70% to 94%.

There's a slightly unreal Disney-esque quality to this outstanding natural attraction, where the Trebižat River plummets in a broad 25m-high arc into an emerald pool. In spring, this gorgeous mini-Niagara pounds itself into a dramatic, steamy fury. In summer it's a more gentle cascade, but the basin offers an idyllic respite from the sweltering heat for hundreds of locals and tourists.

The stepped medieval fortress village of Počitelj is one of the most picture-perfect architectural ensembles in the country. Cupped in a steep rocky amphitheatre, it's a warren of stairways climbing between ramshackle stone-roofed houses and pomegranate bushes.

The village was badly damaged by Bosnian Croat forces in 1993, including the beautiful Hajji Alijia Mosque, which was deliberately targeted. This 1563 structure has now been restored, although photos displayed within show how much of the decorative paintwork has been lost.

Nearby is a 16m Ottoman clock tower, while further up the hill is a partly ruined fortress, capped by the octagonal Gavrakapetan Tower. You can climb up the tower or save your energy for even better panoramas from the uppermost rampart bastions.

This reliable extreme-sports outfit specialises in rafting (35KM-70KM) but also offers guided hiking and canyoning trips in spring and autumn (40KM, six-person minimum). Rafting requires at least four people, but joining with others is sometimes possible in summer; phone to enquire. It's based 11km south of Banja Luka, attached to a large, pleasant riverside restaurant.

The modest ski resort of Bjelašnica, around 25km south of Sarajevo, hosted the men's alpine events during the 1984 Winter Olympics. There's usually enough snow to ski from around Christmas, and New Year is the busiest time, though February is more reliable for good piste conditions. Floodlit night skiing is offered, and the main lift also operates May to October, allowing walkers easy access to high-altitude paths. In summer there are magical mountain villages to explore.