Banja Luka has a continental climate, with harsh winters and warm summers. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average temperature of 21.3 C (70 F). The coldest month of the year is January, when temperatures average near freezing at 0.8 C (33 F). Annual precipitation for Banja Luka is about 988 mm. Banja Luka has an average of 143 rainy days a year. Due to the city's high altitude, it snows in Banja Luka almost every year as well. Strong winds come from the north and northeast.
There are direct bus connections from the main bus station to
* [wiki=d16bb7789462885bf85c28d368c64395]Bosnia[/wiki]: [wiki=45cb61a48b985856d8bf1cb545661858]Sarajevo[/wiki], [wiki=75ff47736df9f04928d5df2f2314c7f9]Šipovo[/wiki], [wiki=103cc0f4e9e4e7e45aa076215b5c7e91]Prijedor[/wiki], [wiki=4af8c0e2e4e826667a9a80ed9a15a821]Bosansko Gradiška[/wiki], [wiki=7110b60bd1a67d093824c0f9bbbfbed4]Bosansko Grahovo[/wiki], [wiki=b12a0e9159fe1e9b6525109e15f9d45c]Trebinje[/wiki], [wiki=103cc0f4e9e4e7e45aa076215b5c7e91]Prijedor[/wiki], [wiki=018ce8c2e87c0b09f3e2db05c5171be6]Teslić[/wiki], [wiki=16b3d1f1d7894d5238b7725e7eccfe22]Banja Vrućica[/wiki], [wiki=530078e62ed328e4c36ae31284c9ad0f]Novi Grad[/wiki], [wiki=adb7011d338dd4199b4f8ad63fe528a6]Gornji Graci[/wiki], [wiki=203f5c2955518ac0476e603bf926d112]Višegrad[/wiki], [wiki=cc250f23a2e0288095b55fd00ebd6030]Bihać[/wiki], ...
* [wiki=9891739094756d2605946c867b32ad28]Austria[/wiki]: [wiki=601f9226a92f0a314068aa4395f65528]Vienna[/wiki], [wiki=443befbacdaa99c161dd11495b82b99b]Linz[/wiki]
* [wiki=560d4c6ff431c86546f3fcec72c748c7]Croatia[/wiki]: [wiki=b827d268b3e75abe3c4419d959d93998]Zagreb[/wiki], [wiki=f06193f640e5297430adc2048009c0c9]Makarska[/wiki], [wiki=341ab1941b97352bf4883a5c5479b347]Pula[/wiki], [wiki=8a9e64d86ed12ad40de129bc7f4683b2]Split[/wiki], [url=http://www.cazmatrans.hr/zd-bih.html]Zadar[/url], [wiki=c2c2749de595f2c9ff8d9f5cac51dfb5]Rijeka[/wiki]
* [wiki=424214945ba5615eca039bfe5d731c09]Denmark[/wiki]: [wiki=2da3c827ccabc4855cb9921b4f1addfa]Copenhagen[/wiki]
* [wiki=0309a6c666a7a803fdb9db95de71cf01]France[/wiki]: [wiki=e20d37a5d7fcc4c35be6fc18a8e71bfa]Paris[/wiki], [wiki=debecab907ccabee0bc672b9fa1cab8a]Lyon[/wiki], ... see [wiki=0d0322b065aa6e904b25d7934bd4d4e9]Eurolines[/wiki].
* [wiki=d8b00929dec65d422303256336ada04f]Germany[/wiki]: [wiki=34de6132f13e62a0c803d12062324ad6]Cologne[/wiki], [wiki=2728451089b9149bad7b106a792e51f9]Dortmund[/wiki], [wiki=f53da95e5700ca1e7d12b7a833d62663]Duisburg[/wiki], [wiki=c25fa34ca987da7badf27ae2882c4979]Dusseldorf[/wiki], [wiki=c421f40033caf1cdc102e879a1e73869]Essen[/wiki], [wiki=28c0b9ba9ac674bc514453543f413f2c]Frankfurt am Main[/wiki], [wiki=185456cb2692bd95473ececf017bbd83]Ingolstadt[/wiki], [wiki=4d3e0acd6166e7434bc37196cd875740]Karlsruhe[/wiki], [wiki=bd2b145b873049a539012fea08bfa71a]Mannheim[/wiki], [wiki=7b88a4aca50f33c258efc438d098c9f4]Munich[/wiki], [wiki=baa993ff1d0f2fccb0573468522a2a4a]Nuremberg[/wiki], [wiki=2741a169a9beb20a95f66bcbd39399cd]Pforzheim[/wiki], [wiki=a330ac6c48198545d4d2f9ff2cb0fc05]Stuttgart[/wiki] and [wiki=70bc242a14c37ebf22a19d11c3b61015]Ulm[/wiki]
* [wiki=4e92f9d2cdf0b8eb493ae3a19709d121]Montenegro[/wiki]: [wiki=a2adc3edc9bd6bf0a6390d93fc9a2a9e]Igalo[/wiki], [wiki=bc8ead33389619cc05222e0315e41216]Podgorica[/wiki]
* [wiki=a67d4cbdd1b59e0ffccc6bafc83eb033]Netherlands[/wiki]: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Maastricht: [http://www.semi-tours.com]
* [wiki=2ff6e535bd2f100979a171ad430e642b]Serbia[/wiki]: [wiki=c87f42a2ab4a24074411dfd55ca71450]Belgrade[/wiki], [wiki=6bd8380fb771a1de7d1a921a172c48fc]Novi Sad[/wiki] [url=http://www.smiljic.com/index.php?id=55],][[Kragujevac[/url]], [wiki=e291dec83a4166f803fcefebbe90c019]Sombor[/wiki], [wiki=28743f14d05155fe5d69be214edaa983]Zrenjanin[/wiki], [wiki=93b17e7be3647a36e0538101686466e2]Niš[/wiki], [wiki=6e9dcc64c89488ab97b4eb79b7418f94]Subotica[/wiki]
* [wiki=c8f4261f9f46e6465709e17ebea7a92b]Sweden[/wiki]: [wiki=fcfff492e00727b63cf5dff9f59bc2a4]Stockholm[/wiki]
* [wiki=3ad08396dc5afa78f34f548eea3c1d64]Switzerland[/wiki]: [wiki=2b29c5739ec4158573c66d2124e2c7e9]Zurich[/wiki], [wiki=cceafad713406bc4d8421dbdd142523a]Luzern[/wiki]
See [http://www.autobusni-kolodvor.com/en/terminal.aspx?k=148&d=070]
Please note that international bus companies driving for instance from Zagreb via Banja Luka to Sarajevo (Croatia Bus) are not allowed to take passengers for a domestic route. You won't be able to buy tickets for these buses, no exceptions made.
Buses to Sarajevo leave from the main bus station approximately four times a day. The journey takes approximately 5 hours, and costs around 31 KM.
Banja Luka International Airport [url=http://www.banjaluka-airport.com/]] , 23km (14.3 miles) from the city. Flights from [[Zurich[/url]] with BH Airlines [url=http://www.bhairlines.ba/]]four per week and from [[Belgrade[/url]] with Air Serbia [http://www.airserbia.com/] daily. Both companies offer connecting flights to other cities in Europe. Ars Tours has charter flights to Tivat in summer period.
As there are just one or two flights a day, there is no public transport from Banja Luka to the airport. A taxi to Banja Luka will cost around 40-50KM. As an alternative you can take a minibus transfer from the old bus staton (stare autobuske), leaving at 13.30. The minibus transfer from the airport to the old bus station leaves daily at 15.30. The journey takes about 20 minutes and cost 10KM.
Please note: There is no ATM on the airport. Wireless Internet is free of charge.
The train (and bus) station is located about 2 km southeast of the center. Connections to: [wiki=f07d9a2b86251b915f01b51ab8706b17]Doboj[/wiki] and [wiki=45cb61a48b985856d8bf1cb545661858]Sarajevo[/wiki] (5h), [wiki=b827d268b3e75abe3c4419d959d93998]Zagreb[/wiki] (5h) and [wiki=6447b909b1fe90bc67b42af1154a47a4]Ploče[/wiki] (Croatia) and to [wiki=c87f42a2ab4a24074411dfd55ca71450]Belgrade[/wiki] (Serbia). There are only a few trains passing the station each day..
As per May 2014, the train from Banja Luka to Sarajevo does not run anymore due to flooded tracks. The train from Banja Luka to Zagreb will not be affected.
You can have your bike fixed á la minute at the [mailto:cyclingshop.bl@gmail.com Bike Servis Shop] [http://www.cyclingshop-banjaluka.com], in the Ul. Gundulićeva 104 - next to the football stadion. Tel. 051/301-470. Another bike shop is 5 doors down in the row of buildings.
The tourist office owns fifteen rental bicycles, which are maintained by the above bike shop. Rental: 1 KM/hour, or 15 KM/day.
[mailto:omega@blic.net Rentacar Omega]: Ul. 1 Krajiškog Korpusa 58, tel. 065/610-040 or 065/777-888, http://www.rentacar-omega.com. 60KM per day, 55KM if longer then 3 days, etc.
[url=http://demofest.org/]Demofest[/url] - festival of alternative music, usually lasting three days, consisting of two different parts: each evening there is a contest of demo bands, with two semifinal nights and the finals, which are held on the third day of the festival, and concerts of bands with more reputation following each part of the contest.
* [url=http://www.banjalukanima.org/]Banjalukanima[/url] - Animaton films, October
* [url=http://kratkofil.org/]Kratkofil[/url] - Festival of short films in summer
* [url=http://www.neofest.org/]Neofest[/url] - Pop music, organised from Dom Omladine
It is not compulsory to tip in Banja Luka, though a reward of about 10% for good service in restaurant or bar is always appreciated.
You can get local, handicraft souvenirs for example at the shop of association "Duga". All items there are made of natural materials by traditional technologies, and are decorated with ornaments from original traditional clothing from the area of Dinara. Their collection contains: ethno souvenirs, decorative products and clothing. Address: Etnoradionica "Duga", Kralja Petra I Karađorđevića 88 (the same street as the city hall) [http:/www.etnosuveniri.com] All of the handicrafts are produced in an ethical manner and by purchasing them you will help Duga to continue providing aid to all of its beneficiaries and support to other local humanitarian projects.
If you like meat, you'll love Banja Luka. Meat is a standard for any meal. However, there is still lots of interesting meals you can make do if you are a vegetarian.
Serbs generally eat their largest meal, "ručak," in the late afternoon, often as a family, so foreign travelers seeking something approximating a western "lunch" may have to look a little harder for an establishment serving mid-day meals.
Here is a list of the most popular traditional dishes:
Ćevapi - small meat sausages from beef. They are usually served with fresh onions and a bun called Lepina. Ćevapi usually come in pointer finger size sausages and are offered by five or ten pieces, although the variety commonly found in Banja Luka (Banjalučki ćevap) usually consists of quadrangular pieces of meat.
Teletina - is veal, usually served in cutlets. Veal in B&H is not produced by locking calves in a cage to ensure softer meat.
Janjetina - lamb grilled over an open fire.
Musaka - a meat pie made of minced beef, very similar to shepherds pie.
Filovane paprike - fried peppers stuffed with minced meat and spices.
Pršut - air dried ham, similar to Italian proscuitto.
Suho Meso - smoked beef.
Sarma - meat and rice rolled in cabbage or grape leaves.
"Ispod Sača" - similar to Dutch oven. A metal dish is placed on hot coals, the food is placed in the dish and covered by a lid which is then completely covered in hot coals and left to bake.
Vlašićki Sir - similar to Travnički cheese. It is a highland cheese from the mountain villages on Vlašić Mountain in central Bosnia.
Mladi Sir - Cottage cheese. It has a soft texture and is unsalted. Often times it is served with a cream sauce on top. It is very healthy.
Kajmak - is analogous to clotted cream in the UK. The top layer of fat skimmed from milk, it is creamy and extremely tasty. Kajmak and Uštipak (doughnut type roll) is a wonderful appetizer.
Iz mjeha - sheep milk poured into a specially sewn sheep skin 'bag'. After a time the dry cheese is taken out of the skin container and the result is a strong, dry cheese that resembles real Parmesan.
"Restoran-Bar Mala stanica" KRALJA PETRA I KARAĐORĐEVIĆA bb, Next to the Government building. +387051326730. http://www.malastanica.com
*Restoran Master, [url=http://www.restoran-master.com/].]Mexican Food.
*Restoran Sirano
*Restoran Ognjište, Josifa Pančića br.2, tel/fax: 00387 (0)51 436 333, [url=http://ognjiste.rs.sr/stranice_ENG/3d/3dtura.htm[/url].] Ethna Food, Serbian National Food, Ethno Shop.
*Restoran Borac, Vidovdanska 53 at Football stadium, tel: +387 51 328 530, [url=http://www.catering-r.com/[/url].]
*Restoran Lovački Bar, Slatinska 37, [url=http://www.lovackibar.com/uvod.htm[/url].]
*Restoran Obala,Jesenjinova 26 on the River Vrbas, tel: 051/219 652, [http://www.restoran-obala.com/[/url].
*Kod Muje, grill near Kozara cinema, is by many, the place with best ćevapčići in city.
*a moderate selection of pasta and Mexican-inspired dishes, with several salad options as well
*basic pasta dishes with various sauces and accompaniments
Rakia or Rakija is considered to be a national drink. Its alcohol content is normally 40%, but home-produced rakia can be a tongue burner, typically 50 to 60%!
Frequently used as a common drink at all celebrations, birthdays, holy holidays, slava (Orthodox christian custom of honoring a patron saint) and even funerals.
Common flavors are slivovitz, traditionally made from plums and lozova, which is made from grapes. But, you can also distill from pears, peaches, apricots, apples, figs and cherries.
Plum and grape rakia are sometimes mixed with other ingredients, such as herbs, honey, sour cherries and walnuts after distillation.
Nektar pivo is the local beer, brewed in Banja Luka.