THE OLD SEAT OF BOSNIAN KINGS IS STILL A GEM OF THE COUNTRY

Jajce was the capital of medieval Bosnia - and was where the last King of Bosnia was executed when it fell to Ottoman, then Hungarian, and back into Ottoman rule. It was also the city where representatives from various Balkan countries decided to form Yugoslavia. Despite its historical importance, Jajce is not often visited by tourists - let alone international tourists. This, I think, is a missed opportunity - because Jajce was easily my favorite place in Bosnia.

Jajce is a small town of 7,000 people - well below its population before the Bosnian War. The decline is visible in the many destroyed, abandoned houses from the shelling that sit in disrepair throughout the town. Even with so much still in ruin, the city is incredibly charming; centered by a large waterfall, it still has some of its city walls, ruins of a Bosnian fortress, and a cute downtown with picturesque mountain views. Jajce is also set alongside some stunning scenery - including two amazing lakes.

It’s a town that my travel companion and I both found ourselves thinking - this would be a nice place to live.

ENJOY PLIVA WATERFALL

In the center of Jajce is Pliva Waterfall - and you can hear it from quite a distance. There are a lot of free view points from above - but if you want to get close to the waterfall and feel its full force, you’ll have to pay about $4 to get to the main viewing station.

All I knew when I decided to go to Jajce was that there was a waterfall in the center of town. If Pliva was all that I experienced in Jajce, it would have been worth the visit . . . But Jajce also offers much more.

RELAX ALONG THE PLIVA LAKES

About a 3 mile walk west of Jajce, you’ll find the start of the Pliva Lakes - two areas where the river widens greatly, one smaller, one larger. Both lakes are absolutely spectacular - pristine, clear water that reflects back huge mountain landscapes and the blue sky.

If you walk there, the first spot you will encounter on the small lake is Kupaliste Brana - a really nice swimming basin. A few minutes west of there, still along the small lake, you will find Love Bridge (Most Ljubavi) - a wooden bridge that wraps around cascading water. It’s a bit like a miniature version of Krka or Plitvice national parks in Croatia, or Una National Park on the Bosnian side.

If you continue walking along the small lake for a bit less than a mile, you will get to the large lake. At the intersection of the two, you will find Mlincici - a charming set of 26 historic water mills, some dating back to the 16th century. They’re like tiny houses among cascading water - unique and captivating.

If you’re in the mood for water sports, you can keep walking along the large lake to Hotel Plivsko Jezero. Out front, you can rent boats or bikes.

EXPLORE THE OLD TOWN

Jajce is more than its natural beauty, though, and the town itself is worth exploring. The center of town, near the city walls, was mostly restored in the early 2000s and now hosts several places to eat and shop. Near the waterfall, there is a nice park, and if you walk to the top of the hill, you can explore the ruins of the Bosnian fortress - which also has great mountain views.

Even if you wander more out of the downtown to areas that are still in disrepair, the streets and the views remain idyllic. I enjoyed strolling without aim through all of Jajce.

While we were there, we kept dog biscuits with us at all points because the stray dogs are extremely cute and friendly. Many dogs had to be abandoned during the war, which created a lingering stray dog problem throughout Bosnia. Many of those in Jajce, though, seem to be community dogs - well fed and with freedom - and are very friendly.