Source of the Miljacka – Pale

5 reasons to visit the source of the Miljacka

1. The place where the Miljacka is born: the river that runs through the heart of Sarajevo starts right here.
2. Waterfalls and cascades that delight every sense, especially strong in spring and after rain.
3. Oxygen-rich air by clear mountain water, a natural recreation area like no other.
4. Fresh trout in nearby restaurants, a meal that matches the scenery.
5. Just a few kilometres from Pale, a perfect pairing with a visit to Jahorina or Ravna Planina.

Every big city has a river. Sarajevo has the Miljacka, and few people know that the same river is born in the quiet of a mountain forest on the northern slope of Ravna Planina, south-east of Pale, at around 1,010 metres above sea level. The source of the Paljanska Miljacka is not just a point on the map; it is where the water begins a story that will take it through canyons, rapids and waterfalls all the way to the heart of Sarajevo.

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Where the Miljacka is born

The Paljanska Miljacka rises from strong karst springs. Mountain streams murmur in cascades through an enchanting forest, run down gullies and channels and gradually join into a single river that breaks out into the Pale plain. The water at the source almost never rises above 6.5 degrees Celsius: constant, cold and crystal clear in the way only mountain water can be.

When heavy rain falls or the snow on Jahorina starts to melt, the streams gain strength and the source becomes a spectacle that draws back even people who have seen it a dozen times.

Downstream from the source, the Paljanska Miljacka takes in several tributaries: Jahorinski potok, Rapišnica and Bistrica below Pale. In a high rocky canyon it finally meets the Mokranjska Miljacka, which rises beneath the foothills of Romanija, and that meeting of two mountain rivers, one from Jahorina and one from Romanija, creates the famous Miljacka, which flows fast, full of drops and cataracts, all the way to Sarajevo.

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Waterfalls and oxygen you can feel

The waterfalls at the source are a feast for the senses: visual, audible and almost physical. Because the water is so clear and cold and meets the air so vigorously in the rapids, the air around the source is rich in oxygen in a way that cannot be described, only experienced. Mountain air that smells of spruce and wet stone, with the constant sound of water that never rests: within a few minutes the city and everything that comes with it disappears from your mind.

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Trout by the source

The quality of Pale’s mountain water is ideal for trout, and just below the source there are fish farms and restaurants that the Pale Tourist Organisation rightly calls a gem of the area’s tourism and food. Fresh trout from the river you have just walked beside, with the waterfalls still in your ears, is a meal no city restaurant can replicate.

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Taste & Rate editors’ tip

The source of the Miljacka is best visited in spring and autumn, when the waterfalls are at their strongest, but a summer visit cooled by cold mountain water has its own appeal. Combine it with a trout lunch at one of the nearby restaurants and a morning climb on Ravna Planina or Jahorina. It is only a few kilometres from the centre of Pale, reachable by car or on foot paths for anyone who wants a longer walk.