Bihać

Bihać is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Una River has defined Bihać, the city and municipality for centuries. The waterfalls in Štrbački buk and Martinbrod are widely known. A valley near the Una headwaters, and the upper Una River valley are a national park since 2008. Every summer Bihać hosts the Una Regatta coupled with many cultural events.

Understand

Bihać municipality occupies an area of 900 km² with around 70,000 citizens people. Since ancient times, the geographic position and favorable climate conditions have been suitable for settling in this region. The research based upon excavations and numerous remains has revealed the presence of humans in the Older Stone Age, Late Bronze Age, Late and Early Iron Age. Presence of the Japodes tribe in this area has certainly been proved. The Japodes culture marked Bihać by its extraordinary values and ancient inheritance. It began with building solutions for houses on stilts, jewelry made of bronze, iron, silver and the “Japodes horseman”. The archeological findings from many places like Bihać, Golubić, Pritoka and Ripač indicate the specific characteristics of the Illyrian culture in the Japodes area.

Get in

By plane

Bihać is 17 km from the Croatian border, which gives a favourable geographic location, proximity to major cities in Europe. Bihać can be reached by plane, through Croatian territory, the airport in Zagreb, which is 170 km away, about 3 hours drive by car from the town of Bihać.

If you decide to come through the airport of Sarajevo, Bihać is 350 km away, about 4 hours drive that leads through Travnik, Jajce, Mrkonjic Grad, Kljuca and in Bihać, which gives you a unique opportunity to explore areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

By car

Bihać can be reached by car from all European directions, regardless if coming from west, east, north or south. If arriving from the west of Europe, all major roads to Bihać lead through Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. If arriving from the north you pass through Croatia, the east from Serbia, or the directions of Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria respectively. Coming from the south requires a trip on a ferry that goes across Italy to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

By train

There is one train per day from Sarajevo.

• 1 Bihać railway station (Željeznički kolodvor Bihać). (updated Nov 2020)

Get around

By bus

• 2 Bus Station. (updated Oct 2022)

Buses to Ćukovi, Orašac and Kulen Vakuf (for Una): 07:10, 10:30, 12:30, 14:15, 15:30, and 19:30 ... in winter a few less. Price: 5-6.50 KM, depending on where you get off—it stops in most villages along the way. The bus seems to also go around east of the centre of Bihać along "Bedem St." So, you might want to catch it there, but better ask beforehand.

See

• Una National Park, ☏ +387 37221528. opening hours vary per season. This large and relatively new national park protects the area around the Una river. It has many waterfalls, hiking trails and even a few villages amongst a rich fauna and flora. You can enter the park via six different entrances. Be there before 15-16:00, otherwise the sun will not illuminate the waterfalls beautifully anymore. Check the map and details on the website, or at the tourist information center in the center of Bihać. The entrance closest to Bihać is called Gorjevac. Štrbacki Buk 3 KM, Martin Brod 2 KM. Free if your name is Una or you happen to hike in along one of the many trails that aren't passing the ticket office. (updated Dec 2017)

Do

• Una falls hike. An interesting hike to Una could be along the abandoned railway track. It is 20-30 km from Bihac, but shorter (15-20 km) from Ripac, which is along the highway by bus. Otherwise the hike from Cukovi is always worth it. (updated Oct 2022)

Drink

Bihać is home to a beer brewery which makes the award winning Preminger.

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Accommodation Hanka, Ćehajića Mahala 1, ☏ +387 37310598. Few minutes away from bus and railway station. 14 KM double, 8 KM single. (updated Jul 2022)
• 2 Hostel Una Rosa, Krupska 28, ☏ +387 61625446. The only hostel in Bihac, three rooms in a cozy house right on the river Una. Dorm 24 KM, Double 50 KM. (updated Dec 2017)

Midrange

• 3 Hotel Park, Petog korpusa 3 (in the town centre next to the park), ☏ +387 37226394. The hotel is equipped with a bar, conference room that can seat 250 people, pizza restaurant and regular restaurant, pavement cafe (seats 300 persons), and a guarded parking lot 60 double, 35 single. (updated Dec 2017)
• 4 Hotel Sedra, Ostrožac na Uni (left bank of the river Una in the direction of Cazin (12 km from Bihac and Cazin)). Single, standard double rooms and suites offering up to 180 beds. Two restaurants, bar, as well as sports terrains and recreational facilities. Vicinity of the surrounding mountains and the river provides a magnificent view. (updated Dec 2017)

Splurge

• 5 Hotel Opal Exclusive, Krupska bb. 20 double, 2 triple, 3 single rooms and one suite called „Una“. All rooms are air-conditioned, equipped with cable TV, internet and mini bar. Hotel premises include the restaurant „Obala“ with 120 seats and terrace next to the bank of the river Una. 76 double, 51 single. (updated Dec 2017)

Go next

Cross the border to Croatia and visit the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park, or go further into Bosnia-Herzegovina toward Banja Luka and Sarajevo.