The visit of ‘Via Dinarica’ to the cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina started today in Sarajevo, where an installation, a symbol of the mountain and tourist locations with three Via Dinarica trails that pass through BiH – white, green and blue – was placed in the city center.
The Via Dinarica hiking routes stretch across the Dinarides, through seven countries from Slovenia to Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the heart of the Dinaric Arc. The white trail follows almost all the highest mountain peaks in the countries it passes through, the blue trail runs along the shores of the Adriatic Sea and is a unique combination of sea, mountains and forests. The green trail follows the lower mountains of the Dinarides and is the northernmost of all three routes.
The goal of this project, which started in 2014, is to promote the natural and cultural beauties of the countries in the region, as well as to support the sustainable development of local tourism and economic growth. The trails are further developed every year.
Via Dinarica, as the project manager Božena Kaltak said, provides an experience, adventure in nature, rest, relaxation and a healthy environment that we all need today more than ever, especially in the situation in which we find ourselves together with the whole world.
“Via Dinarica is an area visited by tourists from all over the world, and in the coming days we want to bring it closer to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and invite them to have vacation, weekend, adventure on Via Dinarica, in beautiful areas enjoying our tradition, food, visiting monuments and everything that Via Dinarica has to offer,” said Kaltak.
One of the symbols that deserve to be highlighted is the Hajdučka vrata located on the eastern part of the Čvrsnica mountain. This characteristic ring in the rock represents a natural phenomenon that has been created for centuries. Hajdučka vrata is located at 2000 m above sea level and is a destination for hikers and nature lovers. There are, Kaltak added, beautiful rivers from the south to the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an experience, not only of mountain, but also of river tourism.
Through support for the development of nature tourism, Via Dinarica helps small businesses, households and NGOs located and operating on its white, blue or green trail. During the implementation of the project, it became obvious that Via Dinarica has the potential for further development and affirmation as a world-class hiking and adventure trail.
The Via Dinarica project is implemented and co-financed by the United Nations Development Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNDP BiH), with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID BiH) and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The project is implemented in cooperation with domestic partners, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of Republika Srpska.
Today, visitors had the opportunity to learn about what the Via Dinarica trails symbolize, what attractions are represented on them and to find something for themselves. Competitions, quizzes and fun games were organized, and participants had the opportunity to take photos on the “top of the mountain” (located on the installation) near Hajdučka vrata, as well as to win valuable prizes.
After Sarajevo, Via Dinarica ‘travels’ to Zenica, Tuzla, Bijeljina, Mostar and Banja Luka.
