Only a short distance from Mostar, the monastery in Blagaj stuns visitors with its exquisite natural setting. The modest, Ottoman-era building sits at the base of an enormous cliff, where the Buna river seeps out from a mysterious cave and over a small crescent waterfall as it courses towards the larger Neretva. The water flowing by the monastery is a stunning hue of blue and is said to contain mystic properties.

The monastery itself was built in 1520 by the Dervish, a mystic branch of Sufi Islam known for rituals that involve various forms of whirling. The monastery was considered a tekija or tekke, a place of spiritual retreat and reflection. Between the beauty of the monastery itself in its impressive setting, the quiet of the nearby village, and the peaceful sounds of rushing water, even the most non-religious visitors can’t help but succumb to its calming influence.

Visitors of all faiths and persuasions are welcome to visit and permitted to spend as much time as they like at the monastery. This is not a destination to be checked off a list, but a truly peaceful place to be experienced in full.