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Travel destinations Comments: 4 Oct 13, 2016

Banja Luka is the largest city of the Republika Srpska entity and the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the capital Sarajevo. The city lies on the River Vrbas and is well known in the countries of the former Yugoslavia for being full of tree-lined avenues, boulevards, gardens, and parks. According to the 2013 census the City of Banja Luka, has 200,000 inhabitants.

TOURISM AND CULTURE OF BANJA LUKA

Throughout the history Banja Luka has been influenced by different cultures as evidenced by the numerous cultural - historical monuments that make this city unique.

There are several museums including the Museum of Bosanska Krajina, the Ethnographic Museum established in 1930, and the Museum of Modern Art of Republika Srpska which is also called MSURS the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Banja Luka is also the home of the national theatre and library, both dating from the first half of the 20th century, and of numerous other theatres. The headquarters of the Archives of Republika Srpska is situated in the building known as ''Carska kuća'' or Imperial House, build around 1880.

One of the most famous cultural sites in Banja Luka is the cultural centre of "Banski Dvor" (Halls of the Ban), built in the 1930s as the residence for the Bans of the Vrbas Banovina. It's a representative building in the very centre of the city housing the National Assembly along with a concert hall, gallery, state television, and a restaurant. The relatively poorly preserved Kastel Fortress is found in the city centre. This mediaeval castle is one of Banja Luka's main attractions. Located on the left bank of the Vrbas river, it gives a specific charm to the city. During the summer, music concerts take place in the fortress.

The natural beauties of the surrounding area guarantee the city of Banja Luka a good position in tourism. Banja Luka has a number of hotels, one of the best being ''Hotel Cezar'' Banja Luka. The city and surrounding area boast a number of popular tourist attractions. Among the most famous are the pools, thermal springs, and spas in the region. Due to its parks and over 10 000 trees Banja Luka was once nicknamed the "Green City".

The area is popular among nature lovers, while the city centre is attractive to tourists due to its historical structures and many restaurants. Other attractions of Banja Luka are the Banj Hill and a waterfall of the Vrbas river near Krupa. Rafting on the Vrbas river is currently becoming popular among the local tourists.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transportation within Banja Luka is exclusively operated by the bus services (https://busticket4.me/EN). When it comes to the most popular destinations from Banja Luka certainly the most common are lines to Belgrade and Sarajevo. We should also mention the routes to Zagreb, Trebinje, Novi Sad, Mostar, Herceg Novi that are surely interesting during the tourist season.

Banja Luka International Airport is located 23 km north of the city. The airport is served by Air Serbia, which operates daily flights to Belgrade, and B&H Airlines, which operates a four weekly flights to Zürich. There is also Banja Luka Zalužani Airport, a small airstrip.