Ljubuški

Overview

Ljubuški is the closest town to Kravica Waterfall — about 10 kilometres down the road, 40 km southwest of Mostar. Population is around 27,000. The town sits at the foot of the Butorovica hills in the Trebižat river valley, surrounded by vineyards, tobacco fields, and pomegranate orchards.

The defining landmark is the ruins of Herceg Stjepan Fortress on the hill above town — a 15th-century stronghold built by the Kosača noble family who ruled the region before the Ottoman conquest. The fortress walls and three towers remain; the climb up takes 20 minutes and offers a wide view across the Trebižat valley and Mount Čabulja in the distance. Access is free and the site is open year-round.

The Trebižat river flows through Ljubuški before dropping over Kravica and continuing toward the Neretva. It's one of the few rivers in Herzegovina that disappears underground and re-emerges nine separate times along its course — karst hydrogeology at work. The river hosts the smaller Koćuša Waterfall (5 m high, a quieter alternative to Kravica) about 10 km east of town.

Wine country: Ljubuški is part of the Žilavka-Blatina wine zone. Several family wineries (e.g. Rubin, Čolić) offer tastings by appointment. The climate is hot and dry in summer with long autumn ripening — comparable to Dalmatia but with local grape varieties.

Pomegranate season runs September through October. Roadside stands between Ljubuški and Kravica sell fresh fruit and cold-pressed juice. On a Kravica tour in autumn, expect to see pomegranate vendors at the park entrance and along the drive.

How it connects to Kravica: every tour on this site ends up passing through or near Ljubuški — it's the administrative town that contains the Kravica Nature Park within its municipality boundary. The entrance fee you pay at the Kravica gate (€10 / 20 BAM) goes to the Ljubuški municipality, which operates the park. If you're staying in Ljubuški (rare, but there are a couple of small guesthouses), you can walk, cycle, or take a short taxi to Kravica.

For travellers: Ljubuški is not currently a dedicated stop on our tours — the drive between Mostar and Kravica bypasses the town centre. On the Mostar Private Driver tour we can add a 30-minute fortress stop on request, and in autumn we can add a pomegranate-farm visit. Otherwise the town is usually passed through, not visited.