Međugorje · Bosna i Hercegovina
Planning Your Pilgrimage to Medjugorje
Practical advice from a family that has welcomed pilgrims for more than 40 years — how to get here, what to see, when to come and what to bring.
Getting to Medjugorje
Medjugorje lies in Herzegovina, in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not far from the Croatian border. The nearest airports are Mostar, Split, Dubrovnik and Sarajevo, and Split and Dubrovnik also have ferry ports.
For our guests we arrange safe, comfortable transport from any of these airports and ports — whether you travel alone or with a group. Just tell us your arrival time when you send your inquiry.
Medjugorje is also reachable by bus; the local bus station is 300 m from our guesthouse. To enter Bosnia and Herzegovina you need a passport or another internationally recognised identification document — for children too.
The holy sites
St James Church is the heart of parish and pilgrim life, 700 m from our guesthouse. The daily prayer program — rosary, Holy Mass and adoration — is published on the shrine's official website.
Apparition Hill (Podbrdo) rises above the hamlet of Bijakovići, where the apparitions were first reported in June 1981. Pilgrims pray the rosary along the rocky path. It is about 2.5 km from the house.
Cross Mountain (Križevac) is crowned by the white concrete cross raised by the parishioners in the 1930s. Pilgrims climb it praying the Way of the Cross; the path starts about 2.3 km from the house.
Both paths are steep and stony — bring sturdy shoes. Our map of Medjugorje shows all three sites and how to reach them.
When to come
The main pilgrimage season runs from spring to autumn. The anniversary of the first apparitions is celebrated on 25 June, and the international Youth Festival at the beginning of August is the busiest week of the year — for those dates, book your room well in advance.
Outside the big feasts Medjugorje is calmer: the hills, the church and the village can be enjoyed without the crowds, and rooms are easier to find.
What to bring
Sturdy shoes for Podbrdo and Križevac, modest dress for the church, and a water bottle — tap water is drinkable throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Shops and restaurants in Medjugorje generally accept payment by card, and take euros as well as the local Bosnian Mark (BAM; 1 mark is roughly 50 euro cents) — though it is worth carrying a little cash for small purchases. Shops are open until 9 p.m. (21:00) and are closed on Sundays.
Phone codes, emergency numbers and the official guidelines for pilgrims are collected on our Useful Information page.
How much does a pilgrimage to Medjugorje cost?
The main costs are the journey itself, accommodation with meals, and local transport. Accommodation is the simplest part: family guesthouses like ours offer bed & breakfast or half board (lunch), with a drink included in the price.
Children stay at a discount — 100% off under age 4, 50% off under 8 and 30% off under 12. Payment is in cash. Write to us with your dates and the size of your group, and we will send you a price for your stay and your airport transfer.
Where to stay
Most pilgrims stay in family-run guesthouses within walking distance of the church. Our house has 22 rooms and a private suite, homemade food adjusted to all tastes, and a big, safe parking place for cars and buses — see the rooms or look around the gallery.
- 50 mSupermarket
- 700 mSt James Church
- 300 mPost office & bus station
- 2.5 kmApparition Hill (Podbrdo)
- 2.3 kmCross Mountain (Križevac)