The Pearl of Bjelašnica: Tourists Come to Umoljani from All Over Europe

If it weren't for Lukomir on the southern part of Bjelašnica, Umoljani would be the village located at the highest altitude in our country, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

It is divided into two parts - the first part consists of modernly built houses, asphalt roads leading to the village, running water, and telephone lines, while in the second part, about a kilometer away, at Gradina, time has stood still for several centuries.

In that second part of Umoljani, people still live in katuns, drink water from springs, use lanterns instead of light bulbs at night, and cook food on old stoves. They say it is one of the better ways to cure oneself of the stress and tension brought by a fast-paced lifestyle, especially in the city. Clean spring water and sharp mountain air relieve tension and restore clarity to the mind in just a few moments.

Once upon a time, there were about 50 households in Umoljani, almost always around 30 girls and the same number of boys. People were engaged in livestock farming. There were 350 oxen and 150 horses. The locals kept about two and a half thousand sheep in total. Bjelašnica was white with flocks. The people lived well.

Today, it is nowhere near that. People have moved from Umoljani to the cities, but the village still lives, especially during weekends when tourists visit this place. Through the local hut-restaurant, where one can eat pie or other traditional dishes, several hundred people pass through on Saturdays and Sundays.

Unlike Lukomir, there is life in Umoljani even during winter, because about ten residents stay and do not leave their homes even when snow piles up higher than a person, writes NAP.