The nearest village to Apparition Hill is Medjugorje, located about 25 kilometers southwest of Mostar. You can arrive to Medjugorje from Mostar via the 48 bus, which runs throughout the day and is about a 45-minute ride. There is also a daily bus from Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia. For those wishing to stay overnight in Medjugorje, the town experienced a development boom after the Bosnian War and now has more than 1,000 hotel and hostel beds available for visitors.
The site includes a steep and rocky footpath up to the top of Apparition Hill, and is not accessible to wheelchairs. The hike may be challenging to beginning hikers, and it is not recommended to climb if there is a decent chance of rain, as the hike gets very slippery. If visiting the site in June and August, consider taking an early morning tour to avoid the high temperatures.
Apparition Hill is situated in the town of Međugorje, and devout visitors usually hike up to the top of the hill, praying the rosary as they make their way up. It’s customary for pilgrims to also pay a visit to St. James Church to attend Mass. Apparition Hill is frequently visited on day tours from Split in neighboring Croatia, along with destinations such as the medieval city of Mostar and Kravica Waterfalls.
Apparition Hill provides an interesting lens into culture and spirituality, and is worth visiting whether you’re religious or not.
Out of respect for local cultures, remember to cover your shoulders and upper legs before entering a church.
If you’re visiting Apparition Hill on a day trip from Croatia, don’t forget to bring your passport—you’ll need it to cross the border until Bosnia and Herzegovina joins the EU.
Make sure to bring sun protection, especially in the summer months, when the sun in this part of Europe can be brutal.
Climbing up the hill can be difficult, particularly for travelers with limited mobility.
Many people visit Apparition Hill and Međugorje on a day trip from Split, a 90-minute drive away, or Trogir, a 2-hour drive away. It’s not easy to reach by public transportation, so if you want to visit, you can either rent a car and drive independently, or join a guided tour.
Apparition Hill is best visited in the spring or fall, when the weather is warm and dry, but not as hot as in July and August. Winters can be cold and rainy. Masses are held in English every morning at St. James Church, and the rosary is recited every afternoon, followed by Croatian Mass.
Perched atop a karst cliff overlooking the Neretva River, a 20-minute drive from Međugorje, the historic town of Počitelj is a great place to see some of the region’s major architectural styles from the last five centuries. While the fortified old town itself dates back to the Middle Ages, you'll also find plenty of Venetian and even Ottoman structures, including a mosque and a hammam (bathhouse).
