BOSNIA and Herzegovina has been named as a top trending travel destination for 2025.

Described as a “less crowded alternative to Dubrovnik” by a team of travel experts at Wild Frontiers, Bosnia and Herzegovina harks back to when Brits enjoyed cheap travel to countries like Croatia.

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The tour operator revealed their top trending travel destinations for next year after they crunched the numbers on Google searches and holiday booking data.

While Kyrgyzstan in Asia nabbed the top spot, Europe’s Bosnia and Herzegovina took second place.

In 2023, the country saw a 17.3 per cent rise in visitors in the last year, and bookings to the Balkans, through Wild Frontiers, rose by 70 per cent over the last 12 months.

Even though Bosnia and Herzegovina has plenty to offer – from fascinating history, amazing nature and beaches with clear blue seas – the country often slips under the tourist radar.

A sentiment echoed by travel Blogger, Dan Flying Solo, who said: “Bosnia and Herzegovina remains a relatively off-the-beaten-path – and affordable – destination in Europe.

“After two deep dive visits, I’m convinced the country’s greatest asset is the mesmerising near-photoshopped lakes, the lush countryside, and the lofty hiking trails.

Before getting to grips with the country’s natural landscapes, most Brits are likely to touch down in its capital city of Sarajevo.

Sarajevo has some of the cheapest beers in Europe, with a pint costing £1.75.

There are plenty of places to grab a craft beer too, including Zlatna Ribica and Gastropub Vucko, both of which are popular among locals and tourists alike.

Just like the booze, grub is cheap too, with three-course meals for as little as £11.

The Bascarsija – the city’s oldest bazaar and the cultural centre of the city – is a great place to find traditional dishes like cevapi, flat breads filled with grilled meat, and burek, flaky pastries filled with cheese, spinach or even sour cherry for dessert.

The city’s Turkish influence can be seen in the bazaar, with traditional coffee, clothes and rugs among the many stalls.

Other attractions include the War Tunnel, or Tunnel of Hope, left over from the Bosnian war that was originally built in 1993 to get aid and humanitarian supplies into the city.

It’s one of many sites that help people learn about the fairly recent conflicts that took place in the area.

Where else is there to go?

Perhaps the most famous place in Bosnia is the town of Mostar, with its reconstructed Ottoman Empire bridge, Stari Most, one of the country’s most famous sites, spanning the Neretva River.

Every summer, brave people throw themselves off the bridge as part of an annual diving competition, with the men of the town also jumping from the bridge as a tradition.

Other places to visit include the town of Blagaj, not too far from Mostar, which has been compared to a fairy tale by Responsible Travel.

What’s it like to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina?

SOAK up the sun along the Dalmatian Coast for half the price of Croatia – by crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina’s little-known share of the shoreline.

With its turquoise waters, pine forests and terracotta rooftops, the Dalmatian Coast is famously pretty.

But while the tourist hordes flock to Croatia for this scenery, you could enjoy it for less by going to the Bosnian beach town of Neum instead.

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This budget haven butts into Croatia in between Dubrovnik and Split, a quirk that can be traced back to 1699 when the city state of Dubrovnik, terrified of an attack by Venetians, gave a tiny tract of land to the Ottoman empire to give itself a buffer against Venice.

This means Bosnia and Herzegovina now has the world’s smallest coastline, after Monaco, at just 12 miles.

Graced with daytime highs of 25C in September and within easy distance of both Dubrovnik and Split, the only major difference is the cost.

Even in Neum’s largest and most swanky hotel, the Grand Hotel Neum, a last-minute long weekend this month starts at £49pp per night. That includes breakfast, spa access, a choice of four swimming pools and a private beach.

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Food and drink is much cheaper too.

You’d get change from a fiver for a couple of local beers and you can find Bosnian, Mediterranean and international dishes very reasonably priced.

The real crowd-pleaser is Ćcevapi, a popular Bosnian lunch to go.

Locals joke it’s the reason KFC never took off here.

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This simple yet filling meal consists of mini grilled meat kebabs and raw onion slices stuffed inside a warm pitta bread. Again, you would struggle to spend £5 on this beloved staple.

By Laura Sanders

Its highlights include a monastery, which was originally built for a Dervish cult.

However, for the more traditional holidaymakers who like to spend their getaways by the beach, there’s more than enough to enjoy.

Neum town is arguably the best place to visit the Bosnian seaside, with Beach Searcher praising its scenery and its waters.

They wrote; “Neum town is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and famous for its magnificent mountain scenery and turquoise waters of an incredible deep colour.

“It seems that nature created it for one purpose – to make your vacation unforgettable.”

Bosnia’s lakes are also another draw for holidaymakers, and among the standouts are Bilećko Lake, Boračko Lake and Perućac Lake.

The last of those has waters that are around 22C during the summer months, making it a lovely place to cool down on a hot day.

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What else do I need to know?

Both Ryanair and Wizz Air operate direct flights from the UK to Sarajevo, with flights starting from £15 for a one-way ticket.

Flights from the UK to Sarajevo take roughly two hours and 40 minutes.

Accommodation is also cheap, with overnight stays costing, on average £56 per night, according to the research from eurochange.

Sun Online Travel have found an overnight stay at the Pigeon Square Rooms, which is just 150 yards from the city centre, for £38 per night.

There are other options too, including a five-star hotel called Enjoy Apartments, which also costs £38 per night per room.

There are three local languages in Bosnia & Herzegovina, including Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian – although English is likely to be spoken at most hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.

The Convertible Mark (KM or BAM) is the country’s official currency, with £10 getting 23.43 KM/BAM.

Here’s another little-known holiday destination not far from Moldova, but with cheap flights and beer.

And we’ve recently revealed our favourite spots for an autumn break.

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A HOTEL in Scotland is one of the best budget breaks in the world, with “wallet-friendly prices that don’t come at the cost of style or substance”.

House of Gods in Edinburgh is one of the best low-cost getaways globally, according to National Geographic Traveller UK.

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The hotel is known for its extravagant decor that blends a clash of styles and broken rules.

Rooms are individually designed and feature dark colours, velvet, fake fur, and mood lighting.

Zebra-print four-poster beds, copper bathtubs and walk in showers are the norm, with past guests likening the rooms to Orient Express-style cabins. 

The hotel’s bar, Lilith’s Lounge, is a plush cocktail bar with a rock’n’roll-inspired menu.

Expect to see classic cocktails like Espresso Martini next to hotel-themed ones, such as House of Gods No.5, which pays homage to the iconic perfume Chanel No.5, and each drink comes with its own little story on the menu.

Other features at House of Gods include a cosy outdoor space and no room phones – the hotel uses WhatsApp for communication with guests.

And its location, in Edinburgh’s Cowgate, is close to major landmarks and minutes away from the city’s bars, restaurants, and shopping centres.

What really makes this 4-star hotel stand out though, is the price.

Rooms are available from £108 and to give you an idea of value, a quick search online shows that Travelodge rooms in Edinburgh are available from £109 currently.

Yes, you absolutely can get a much cheaper room at Travelodge if you plan ahead, but it’s very impressive nonetheless.

So what’s it really like to stay at the House of Gods? The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski checked in:

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If neat, simple and practical hotels are your thing, then House of Gods Hotel isn’t for you – this place is anything but boring.

Its opulent, velvet decor is what makes this spot so much more than just a room for the night, so it’s no surprise to me that it’s made it on to Condé Nast’s Best Hotels list for 2024.

The dark and extravagant bedrooms may not be to everyones taste, but there’s no arguing that it’s location is ideal, less than a five-minute walk from Edinburghs famous Royal Mile.

The whole experience of staying here is fun from start to finish, with bedrooms hidden in a maze of winding corridors and rouge curtains and in-room buttons for late night butler service.

Daylight is almost utterly shut out from the moment you enter the hotel’s unassuming front door, and we were ushered through a winding rabbit warren of rouge curtains and mirrors, eventually reaching Room 212. 

Had we left the room again that night, I’m not convinced we would have been able to find it by ourselves, but rooms have been designed not to be left for hours, maybe even days.

We booked the indulgent Treat Me Like I’m Famous package, and our bed was decorated with gold balloons and rose petals, accompanied by with a bottle of bubbles and two flutes.

The package also includes cocktails delivered to your door, a £40 bar tab, a midnight feast of milk and cookies and a breakfast hamper of bagels and juice.

Fuelled by the booze, we had a great night’s sleep and an unplanned lie-in, as we were blissfully unaware that morning had broken in our windowless boudoir, totally shut off from the outside world.

What do the other guests say?

One hotel guest who stayed in August this year for their anniversary described their stay as “10/10”.

Why wrote on Tripadvisor: “This hotel goes above and beyond and you will have one of the best experiences staying here.

“This was the perfect choice for our wedding anniversary and I wish we had stayed longer as one night wasn’t enough!

“The staff cannot do enough, the rooms are unreal and the cocktails are some of the best I’ve seen. We will be back! Thank you for making our anniversary one to remember.”

Prices for bed and breakfast at House of Gods start from £102.

As part of National Geographic Traveller UK’s annual hotel awards, House of Gods was announced as a runner-up in the Best Budget Breaks category.

The winner was INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, with its rooftop infinity pool and open living lobby inspired by Bangkok’s temples, and room rates starting from £88.

Another runner-up in the Budget Breaks category was Interno Marche in Italy.

The design hotel pays tribute to the history of Italian design and the legacy of Italian fashion designer Franco Moschini, with prices for rooms starting from £140,

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The World’s 50 Best Hotels were recently announced with three English hotels making the list.

One of these was Raffles London at The OWO, which has only been open since September last year.

HOLIDAYMAKERS could save themselves money this winter with a new package holiday deal that’s just been launched.

Holiday company On The Beach has launched month-long all-inclusive stays at three top hotels from just £18 per day.

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The Escape the Winter Blues holiday deal starts from £18 per day and includes food and drink, hotel and flight costs.

Brit holidaymakers will be able to stay at either a four-star or five-star hotel from just £18 per day, working out to £531 for 28 days.

Research by the Office for National Statistics found the average UK household spends £2,700 per month on living expenses like housing, food, clothes and transport.

This means a couple could save nearly £2,000 by booking themselves onto the package holiday.

Three hotels in Turkey are included in the deal, each rated four-stars or higher.

One of those is the five-star Port River Hotel where breaks start from £18 per day for holidaymakers travelling on December 1, 2024.

Not only does the hotel have five outdoor swimming pools, but it’s also located 300m from the beach.

There are also several dining options at the hotel, including the Port Restaurant, three a la carte restaurants and a bistro that serves pizza.

Other features include a spa, with a Turkish bath, a sauna, a steam room and a fully-equipped gym.

The £531 28-day deal includes economy flights from various UK airports and an all-inclusive stay at the hotel.

From £19 per day, Brit holidaymakers can book to stay at the four-star Avena Resort & Spa, travelling from January 7, 2025, until March 3, 2025.

The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool and a children’s pool with a waterslide that’s lined with sunloungers and parasols.

Other on-site facilities include a playground, fitness centre, a spa and access to watersports.

There are three restaurants on-site, including a patisserie and a bar.

The deal also includes economy flights from various UK airports and an all-inclusive stay at the hotel.

Holidaymakers can also choose to stay at the four-star Grand Park Lara Hotel.

Month-long stays here are a little pricier, starting from £26 per person per day for travel between January 3, 2025, to March 15, 2025.

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The Grand Park Lara Hotel has its own private beach and an aqua park with four slides.

Other on-site facilities include four restaurants and six bars, a spa and a host of evening entertainment.

Just like the other two deals, economy flights from various UK airports are also included.

Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach said: “Everyone dreads it when the winter nights draw in, the days become shorter and colder, not to mention household bills go up.

“This year, we’ve created some winter escape packages which means Brits can skip the wintery weather for a whole month while not having to pay for utilities, food, drink and transport bills back home. A £18 a day that’s an offer that sounds too good to be true, well I can assure you it is true!”

The news comes after On the Beach launched a similar deal called the Winter Fuel Escape back in December.

Aimed at pensioners aged 66 and over, the deal launched after MPs voted to cut Winter Fuel Payments for millions of pensioners. 

On the Beach’s holiday deal, for just £20 a day or £560 a month, means pensioners can save up to £640 a month just by being on holiday. 

Meanwhile, this airline’s sale has discounted city breaks and beach holidays.

And this is the holiday booking ‘sweet spot‘ that saves passengers hundreds of pounds.

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