Sightseeing in Banja Luka - what to see. Complete travel guide

Banja Luka is a capital of Republika Srpska and a city with long and rich history. Banja Luka has never been considered a popular tourist destination as this is a large industrial center, but the city has become very popular recently. The reasons for that lay in mild climate and picturesque nature.

The capital is unmatched with any other city in the region in terms of the number of boulevards and parks. The main entertainment of tourists is walks or bicycle rides along tennis valleys and watching wonderful flowered beds and greenery. A huge part of the city’s historical heritage was destroyed during the tragic incident in 1993, when Serbian citizen soldiers destroyed 16 ancient mosques – the main architectural value of Banja Luka.

Now the main sight of Banja Luka is an ancient fortress built on the shore of Vrbas. The Temple of Christ the Savior has been opened after renovation not long ago, the same applies to the President Palace. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

However, architectural buildings are not the only value of this resort. It is famous by its natural sulfurous springs, around which are built modern balneological centers that are so popular among tourists from Europe. Despite the fact there are not so many hotels in Banja Luka and so the choice is not so wide, vast majority of hotels are very comfortable and cozy. Each one has restaurants on its territory, where people can try dishes from national and other European cuisines. Each year the city celebrates Winter Festival on February 21. This is a grand celebration, during which visitors can see colorful parades and concerts. The festival ends on March 7 and this period is known as the best time to visit Banja Luka.

One of the most unusual symbols of the city is the Cathedral of St. Bonaventure, looking at that, it is difficult to assume a religious use of this facility. From outside the cathedral is more like a television tower, it was built in 1974 on the ruins of the old church. Today, the cathedral with a spiral staircase is one of the most photographed sites in the city. 

For those fond of interesting museums, Museum of Modern Art it is definitely worth a visit. It was opened in 2004, the museum is housed in a renovated old train station building. Today, the foundation of the museum collection consists of paintings of famous Yugoslav artists of the second half of the 20th century, also in the museum temporary exhibitions of famous contemporary artists and photographers are often held. In addition to paintings, the museum has a rich collection of sculptures and old photos of the city, as well as interesting theme installations. 

The best place for hiking in the city is considered to be the manor street, as many beautiful historic buildings were rebuilt here. Covered in cobblestone, today this street looks exactly the same as a hundred years ago. Today, in many historical buildings are located popular national restaurants and souvenir shops, making the trip even more interesting. 

Banski Dvor in the city centre is one of the most famous cultural symbols. The building of the cultural centre was built in the 30s, and is one of the few that was preserved despite the natural disasters and public unrest. Today, this cultural centre has a concert hall, several exhibition rooms and special rooms for academic activities. Many activities that are held here are open to the public. 

Those fond of natural attractions will be able to climb to the top of Banj Brdo hill. Here is a beautiful park, a walk through which will be interesting at any time of the year. On top of the hill there are some excellent lookouts with views of the city and the river flowing through on its territory. The Vrbas River is also worth mentioning separately; for many years it is very popular among rafting enthusiasts. You can learn how to do it in the warmer months, with the support of the local sports complex.