Neum: Beaches and Culture on the Coast of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Accommodation in Neum
Neum is located on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s only stretch of coastline. Neum Bay is considered calm and crystal-clear. More than 20 kilometers of coastline with different beaches give the town a clear setting between the sea, the waterfront promenade and the cultural and historical destinations in the surrounding area.
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Geographical Setting
The coast of Neum stretches for more than 20 kilometers and features different beaches. Four central town beaches are located directly along the waterfront promenade. The beaches mentioned are pebble beaches; the seabed slopes gently into the sea. Tiha Luka Bay is suitable for swimming. This makes it possible to view the coastal area both as a continuous landscape and through individual sections within the town, without equating the named bay with the general description of the beaches. The information combines a longer shoreline with a clearly defined area along the promenade and a separate bay.
Culture and History
The Neum Summer Festival is a series of cultural and entertainment events held annually in Neum. A historic religious building is located in the village of Gradac: the Catholic Church of Saint Ana was built before 1619. It is considered one of the oldest preserved religious buildings in this part of Herzegovina.
The archaeological exhibition at the Museum of Neum also preserves a specific find. It includes the helmet of an Illyrian warrior from a grave discovered during construction work on the modern Neum–Stolac road. In old Neum, the Church of Saint Anthony is regularly used for Masses and religious ceremonies, especially in summer.
In the wider area around Neum, the old town of Hutovo is considered an important cultural and historical landmark. The hinterland of Neum contains numerous medieval stećak necropolises; some of them are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The historical references thus extend from an individual religious building in the village of Gradac through a museum object and spaces used for religious purposes to sites and necropolises outside the immediate coastal area. Different periods, functions and geographical contexts stand side by side here: A festival is part of the annual cultural life, while churches, a museum find and historical sites provide further ways to explore history. In this way, the cultural section is not limited to a single place or a single era.
Activities and Trails
Recreational diving is available in Neum and is supported by members of the local diving club. In addition to activities on the water, longer routes are also part of the town’s thematic surroundings. The Camino Dubrovnik is approximately 145 kilometers long and divided into seven sections. The Ćiro Trail is a cycling route from Mostar to Dubrovnik. The two routes represent different forms of travel and distances: One is divided into stages, while the other connects two named cities along a cycling route. Together with diving, they create a combination of water-based activity and routes extending beyond the immediate coastal area.
Other Places
Other destination pages in this selection: Čitluk, Prozor, Stolac, Višići, Dračevice, Lakševine, Čapljina, Počitelj.
To the higher-level travel overview: Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.
