Although it is not yet among the most popular tourist destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kozarska Dubica is one of those municipalities whose natural, gastronomic and cultural-historical assets will surely attract an increasing number of domestic and foreign guests in the future.
Due to its geographical position in the northwest of Bosnia, along the border with Croatia, Kozarska Dubica is equally close to locals and guests from Croatia, Slovenia, as well as Serbia and other countries from our wider environment.
Marijana Kotur from the Tourist Organization of Kozarska Dubica points out that in the coming period, she will work much more actively on the arrangement and promotion of the tourist offer, because, as in many other local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, tourism is recognized as an economic opportunity.
“The goal is not to be a stopover for visitors, but to attract guests with our offer who would actively spend two, three or more days there. We certainly count on our diaspora, but also on other guests. It is certain that there is a lot to see and experience here, and with a possible connection with the neighboring local communities, the tourist offer would be much richer” , Kotur points out.
In addition to the Sava and Una rivers, which attract swimmers and fishermen, Kozarska Dubica is already attractive for lovers of active vacations due to the numerous hiking trails that start from the foot of Kozara. One of the favorite starting points for mountaineers and nature hikers is the Moštanica monastery, which is also the center of religious tourism in this area. It is one of the most important monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which preserves the memory of five centuries of long and stormy past. On the border of two great empires, the fate of the monastery was difficult – it was burned and looted eight times, then rebuilt. Nearby are the grave and monument of the famous hajduk Petar Popović of Pecija.
Other religious communities have existed in Kozarska Dubica for centuries, and the beauty of the Sulejmanija City Mosque, whose harem has been declared a national monument of BiH, and the Čaršijska Mosque – Cerića-beg in the center of the city attract the attention of visitors. Ten years ago, the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was completed, which also completes the colorful religious image of Kozarska Dubica.
This area has long been known for its thermal and mineral water sources. Today, one of the main springs is home to a specialized institution for physical medicine and rehabilitation “Mlječanica”, and additional development of spa facilities is planned.
Like the whole of Potkozarje, Dubica can boast of a rich gastronomic offer, including rural farms near the town. What is particularly interesting is the renewal of viticulture in the area of Kozarska Dubica. Although few people associate the area of Bosnia in general, even the Krajina, with winemaking, data from the time of the Austro-Hungarian administration show that there were mass plantings of grapevines precisely on the slopes of Kozara. This tradition was lost in the later period, and in the last two decades, several families bravely set out to revive viticulture in Kozarska Dubica.
In the vineyard of the Panić family, there are plantings of top grape varieties, the most common of which are chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon. Quality wines are made from these varieties in “Podrum Panić”, which many visitors enjoy tasting in an authentic natural environment. The owner of the winery, Predrag Panić, announces new plantings of vines and an increase in wine production, which is slowly threatening the dominance of brandy as the signature drink of Kozara and Potkozarj.
Unlike most smaller towns and municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kozarska Dubica does not have a problem with hotel accommodation. One of the most famous residents of Dubica, Milan Janković, known to the general public as Philip Zepter, decided to open a modern hotel in his town, which today is part of the Zepter hotel group. On the banks of the Una, the hotel offers accommodation and numerous services that make Kozarska Dubica an even more attractive destination for tourists from BiH, neighboring countries, and the rest of the world.
Source: akta.ba
