Mostar’s Farmers Market: A Hidden Foodie Gem
If I had to pick a favorite part of travel, food would be a top three contender. Some of my best on-the-road memories are of eating. Sipping salad-flavored liquor at Italy’s top-ranked restaurant. Eating far too many croissants on my first morning in Paris. Chasing down northern Thai food in Brooklyn. Finding a renewed passion for hamburgers in Slovenia.
I love everything about eating abroad. I love eating out and eating in, trying new ingredients, taking a wild chance on a foreign-language menu, and, of course, visiting every farmers market I can find.
Here in Mostar, where we’ve just spent a lovely, warm May, the farmers market was a special delight for a few reasons.
One being that I knew nothing about it when I came, as the internet is sorely lacking good Mostar details (you’ll find plenty of information on the old bridge, but daily life type things like farmers markets get much less press).
Another being that it’s huge and sprawling and bursting with every kind of seasonal produce you can imagine.
And still another being that we were clearly the only foreigners there–and being so off the beaten path meant an adventure in pantomimed conversations and friendly laughter over our inability to communicate.
Despite many tasty meals at local restaurants, at the end of the day, this massive, hidden-away fresh market was my favorite foodie gem here in Mostar.
If you’re planning a visit to the town, I recommend seeking it out.
What you’ll find: fresh seasonal produce, eggs, whole chickens, honey, nuts, herbs, plants (tiny olive trees, basil plants), flowers, oils, vinegars, cheeses, salted meats, bread, clothes, candles, sometimes milk.
To get there: navigate your way to the Super Konzum at Splitska 60. The market is attached to the side of the grocery store.
Language: Unless you know Bosnian, expect to mostly communicate via pantomime. English is sparsely spoken. Spanish, German, and Italian are rare. The people are endlessly patient, though, so don’t stress about not understanding a word.
(Psst, this post may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something through one of my links, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.)
All photos taken with my Sony a6000.
Ali
I love markets!! I doubt I’ll be cooking when I’m in Mostar, but this sounds like a fun place to check out and maybe buy some fruit for breakfast. And there’s always a fun way around the language barrier. Andy moos or flaps his arms like a chicken to find out what kind of meat something is (obviously not in raw forms) and he once mimed wiping himself when I couldn’t remember how to say toilet paper in Spanish. That one definitely got a laugh!