About Neum
Neum is a town, touristic settlement and the only municipality center of Bosnia ans Herzegovina on the Adriatic Coast, situated on the hill side of the Neum – Klek bay. The Municipality covers an area of 226 m², has a total population of 5600 of which 4000 live in the town itself. The Neum riviera is 9 km long, and thanks to the indentedness of the coast that lengh spreads out to 24 km. Neum got its name from „old Neum“, which is situted 2 km inland. Neum is indeed a new town built in the steep hill-side of the bay in the second half of the previous century. The construction of Neum intensifies after the construction of the Adriatic coastal highway in 1965, and specially after establishing the Municipality in 1978.

Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The geographical location of Neum

Geographically Neum belongs to the South Adriatic Region in the middle of the tourist triangle Makarska-Mostar-Dubrovnik, protected from the open sea by the peninsular Peljesac, peninsular Klek and their amazing small bays, harbours and tourist and fishermen settlements.

Adriatic coastal Highway which passes through the town, connects with Dubrovnik (60Km) in the south and Ploce (35Km), Makarska (80Km) and Split (140 Km) to the north. Along the Neretva Valley, from Sarajevo (210Km) over Mostar (70Km) and Ploce runs a combined electrical railway and high-way system Sarajevo-Opuzen (18Km). The Dubrovnik Airport „Cilipi“ is 90 Km , Mostar Airport 60 Km and Split Airport 170 Km away. This kind of connection opens for Neum’s great possibilities for tourism during the whole year.

The Climate

The climate is Mediterranean with lots of sunny days. The temperature of the sea reaches 27° C in July and August, the winters are mild, rarely any snow. The predominant winds are: „Maestral“, „Tramontana (Bura)“, „Silok (Jugo)“ and Lebic.

History

Neum has a long and complex history. Many books and studies have been written about its past and events, its rulers……..It was mentioned for the first time in the 6th century, to be more specific in 533 (NEUMENE). In the newer history we know it was up to the year 1718 a part of the Dubrovnik Republic, handed over after the peace agreement in Pozarevac to the Turks as a corridor – enclave, from Hutovo to the sea as a port for the needs of ships and supplying of the military units in the hinterland and also because of political and trade tensions with the Venetians. Neum stays as a Turkish enclave until 1876, in order to become, after two years, as a whole Bosnia and Herzegovina, a part of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy, all up to the year of 1918. From that time until the beginning of the II World War it remains as part of the Kingdom of Jugoslavia. Mainly, by dividing from FNRJ in the year of 1945 Neum remained in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the 50´s of the 20th century the first seaside resorts were constructed. In 1965 the Adriatic coastal Highway was constructed in Neum and immediately after a motor camp followed by an intensive construction of labour resorts and other tourist facilities: restaurants, shops, entertainment...followed by the construction of the first hotel, „Hotel Neum“ in 1977.

In 1978 the Municipality of Neum was established as a unit of local self-management and as further carrier of tourism, catering and construction of town and its hinterland.. This was followed by the construction of the hotels, town and total tourist infrastructure, business and accommodation buildings, electricity, city water, shops, phone...and all other commodities which makes Neum an urban entity with rich tourist venue.