In Praise of the Shoulder Seasons

High summer has its admirers, but Herzegovina keeps its best self for the shoulders of the year. In late April the rivers are full and the hills still green; by late September the heat has softened and the vineyards are turning.

These are the weeks when the region is easiest to enjoy: warm enough for long lunches outside, cool enough to walk the old towns in the afternoon, and before the high-summer heat that can reach 38–40°C around Mostar.

If you can choose your dates, choose these. Bring a layer for the evenings, leave room in the day for nothing in particular, and let the season set the pace.

The Water Road runs in late May to mid-June and in September. Those are the windows we plan within; the dates for each group are agreed with them and confirmed in their proposal.