Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Medjugorje is a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, not far from Mostar. Since the 1980s it has attracted Catholic pilgrims from around the world because of reports of apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

They claim that six schoolchildren saw the Virgin Mary appear in 1981 and that they still receive messages from her to this day.

Since then more than 40 million visitors have come to Medjugorje and an average of one million visitors visit annually. The streets of Medjugorje are full of shops selling souvenirs and Catholic artifacts such as rosary beads and prayer cards.

Unfortunately, many of them seem rather commercial and vulgar, but it is still an undeniably spiritual and powerful place to visit.

The best way to visit Medjugorje is to either drive on your own or go on an organized pilgrimage. There are even options to stay in the homes of the original people (now clearly adults!) who received the ghosts.

We took a day trip from Croatia and apart from a short wait at the Bosnian border, it was very easy to get there by car with no parking problems, even in August.

While you are there you can also visit the Church of Saint James, where regular services are held and some images can be seen.

It is believed that true pilgrims should also climb to two holy places in Medjugorje - the rocky path up to Mount Podbrdo, also known as Mount of Apparitions and where the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time, and also to visit the 16-ton concrete cross at the top of Mount Krizevac.