When to visit Banja Luka?
There are many reasons that can attract you to visit this mystical city. It is equally beautiful to visit in all parts of the year, and for you, we will single out some specifics for certain periods:
- Summer in Banja Luka - Banja Luka is a city rich in history and all that has left a big mark on certain parts of the city. Due to its many green areas, Banja Luka is known as a city of greenery. This is exactly the advantage of visiting in the summer periods when this city of greenery and linden trees begin to bloom. Visiting exceptional historical monuments in the summer is an experience you don't want to miss.
- Winter in Banja Luka: On the other hand, Banja Luka has a lot to offer in winter. If you are interested in skiing or enjoying winter festivals and magic, this is the right place for you. There are several ski clubs in the city itself, and the city itself nurtures winter tourism and there are many events during the New Year.
Banja Luka is a special city, which differs from summer to winter, and therefore, in order to be able to say that you have been here, you will have to visit this place several times and get a complete impression of its peculiarities.
How to get to Banja Luka?
Banja Luka is a city settlement, ie a populated place within the city of Banja Luka as a unit of local self-government in the Republic of Srpska. It is located in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is located on the banks of the Vrbas. The distance of Banja Luka from major centers is as follows: Belgrade 332 kilometers, Novi Sad 315 kilometers, Nis 565 kilometers, Zagreb 188 kilometers, Sarajevo 195 kilometers, Tuzla 165 kilometers. It will take you less than four hours from Belgrade to Banja Luka, and the easiest and fastest way to get there is the following:
- You join the E70 highway to the west and Zagreb. At the 300th kilometer in Okučani, get off the highway and turn right onto the E661 road and drive south towards the border crossing of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Gradiška (11km). From Gradiška you continue on the same road E661 towards the south to Banja Luka (50 km).
Bus transport to and from Banja Luka
If you are not a driver or you would rather not worry about the road itself, there is bus transport from Belgrade to Banja Luka. The price of a one-way ticket is 22 euros, and with a return ticket, it is twice as expensive. The average journey duration is 6 hours and 10 minutes. There are several departures every day, so it is best to find out at the Belgrade bus station about the exact departure times and ticket prices.
Air transport from and to Banja Luka
With all this, you can visit Banja Luka by plane, and ticket prices vary, so it would be better to book your tickets in advance. Banja Luka has its own airport and you can fly from Belgrade or Nis. The price usually ranges from 9,000 dinars and up, but the journey will be very easy for you and you will have more time to enjoy the city itself. Before leaving, it is best to inform yourself.
If you are not a driver or you would rather not worry about the road itself, there is bus transport from Belgrade to Banja Luka. The price of a one-way ticket is 22 euros, and with a return ticket, it is twice as expensive. The average journey duration is 6 hours and 10 minutes. There are several departures every day, so it is best to find out at the Belgrade bus station about the exact departure times and ticket prices.
Air transport from and to Banja Luka
With all this, you can visit Banja Luka by plane, and ticket prices vary, so it would be better to book your tickets in advance. Banja Luka has its own airport and you can fly from Belgrade or Nis. The price usually ranges from 9,000 dinars and up, but the journey will be very easy for you and you will have more time to enjoy the city itself. Before leaving, it is best to inform yourself.
Activities for tourists in Banja Luka
Banja Luka offers its visitors a large number of activities both during the summer and during the winter. Depending on the period during which you stay in this city, we recommend the following activities:
- River activities in Banja Luka - About 20 km from the center of Banja Luka, there is Krupa na Vrbasu, a true little paradise for all nature lovers. This green oasis is one of the favorite picnic destinations of the locals and a place where with the sounds of water and the smell of wild nature, you can forget about all your problems and worries. With all this, to experience the true charm and beauty of Banja Luka, be sure to try rafting on the Vrbas, one of the best European rafting rivers.
- Enjoying the hot springs in Banja Luka - Vrućica Beach, a place where the hot water of the spring mixes with the cold Vrbas. These springs are warm all year round and very popular among the people of Banja Luka. There are several spas here, including the Spa Direklija, named after two stone pillars dating back to Roman times. There are also other spas: Kraljičina Banja or Kraljičina ilidža, which was named after the legend that queens bathed in it, as well as the healing spring Shugavica.
- Visit a museum or theater - Today, the Banski Dvor is a place of culture in the city, a place where you can watch a good concert and visit a quality exhibition. There is also the National Theater, which was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2012. What makes the National Theater important for this city is the inspiring spirit of culture and art that it brings to its fellow citizens with each new play and cast.
Events and festivals in Banja Luka
Banja Luka is a cultural center of the Republic of Srpska and a city that combines different characteristics and different experiences. Life in this city is full of events, and we will present only some of the manifestations and attractions on this occasion for you:
- International Children's Theater Festival - The time is from October 4 to 10. Since 2002, the RS Children's Theater has been the organizer of the International Children's Theater Festival, which gathers theaters from a dozen European countries every year. The festival aims to present a range of styles and forms of theatrical expression to the youngest audience and the cultural public.
- Banja Luka Choir Meetings - The time of the event is from October 22 to 24 in the Banski Dvor and the Church of Christ the Savior. The traditional music event "Banja Luka Choir Meetings" gathered a large number of choirs from the country and the world. With a repertoire of spiritual and secular music, the event offers a specific experience to all visitors.
- Kestenburg - The time of the event is from November 16 to 20. "Banja Luka Student Theater" holds a festival of student theaters. It is organized every two years. All performances in the competition program will be subtitled in English, and the entire festival program will take place on six permanent stages. The winner of this festival is awarded the "Golden Chestnut" award, which is a symbol of Banja Luka.
- Kocic's word - The time of the event is from August 24 to 29. It has been held since 1965 in the last week of August. It is dedicated to the writer Petar Koćić. Events such as art exhibitions, theater performances, literary evenings and tribunes, folklore games, folk playing and creativity, folk all-around, and other events, attract a large number of visitors and fans of Kocic's work every year.
- International Festival of Animated Film - Represents the historical continuity of film animation in Banja Luka, which has its roots and beginnings in the May Festival of Animated Film in 1971. It takes place in October. In the competition of the festival in 2016, 478 films from 39 countries arrived. Most of the submitted films came from France, Poland, Croatia, Switzerland, Spain, Canada, and Russia.
- Goat Carnival - Carnival is a national holiday spread in Europe and America. Its roots are pagan and related to the celebration of the cult of the Sun and the arrival of spring. Today, carnivals are mostly associated with the beginning of the Christian celebration of Lent, on the eve of Easter. Goat carnivals were initially just a religious gathering, but in a few years, they became a tourist attraction. The central part of the event is held in front of the Temple of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Bistrica, where a display of Easter carnival customs is also held. Traditional singing and folklore groups from Potkozarje will perform at the event.
- "Children's Kingdom" - is an important children's cultural event because it promotes the cultural creativity of children of primary school age and thus contributes to their development and directs them in a direction that is often neglected in schools. In addition to influencing the cultural development of the individual, the "Children's Kingdom" promotes healthy competition and teamwork, strengthens togetherness, and enables each individual to contribute to the cultural life of the environment in which he lives from an early age.
- "Evening with the tambourine" - is the central cultural event in April, marking the Day of the City of Banja Luka. The festival is open to tamburitza orchestras from all countries, and the only criterion for participation in the festival is the quality of the offered program. The audience is introduced to a small tamburitza ensemble of a maximum of 10 players.
Facilities for children in Banja Luka
Banja Luka, like most big cities, contains many attractions and activities for the youngest. This city is enriched with nature and as such there are many parks and promenades that are great for our little ones. In this city, children will enjoy the untouched nature. Apart from this, we single out just some of the activities that your children will enjoy in Banja Luka:
- Children's Fair Banja Luka - It will be held on May 28 and 29 in the Borik Sports Hall in Banja Luka. The biggest family event will be an event where visitors can find products at unique promotional prices, learn about novelties, participate in educational and entertaining workshops, panel discussions, and lectures. The festival part of this year's fair will be opened with songs and dances by children from preschool institutions.
- Saint Sava Academy - is one of the most famous and most prestigious cultural events in Banja Luka. It is held on January 27, and the goal is certainly to remember once again the great Serbian educator, as well as to celebrate the baptismal feast of the school, Saint Sava. As every year, on the occasion of this ceremony, innovative activities have been prepared that attract a large number of visitors with their content. The content of this ceremony is not only the celebration of our educator Saint Sava but also the reason for socializing and having fun.
- Adventures in nature - In the vicinity of Banja Luka there are several ethnic villages with rich facilities for children, and for those who want something more dynamic fun for their little ones, we recommend a visit to one of the rafting clubs, equestrian clubs, or explore the Kastel Fortress.
- "Banja Luka of the human face" - The goal of the project is to improve the capacity and conditions of the community to adequately respond to the problems and needs of children and youth by creating content for quality leisure time and development of positive life skills. Some of the planned workshops are jewelry making, checker painting, music workshops, breakdance, yoga, first aid. All facilities are free and are intended for children and young people.
What to see in Banja Luka?
When you think of tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you mostly think of Sarajevo, Trebinje, Mostar, and such cities, and few people think of Banja Luka. However, this beautiful city has a lot to offer and a visit to it would be the right decision. Now we will highlight some details and special attractions that you can enjoy exclusively in Banja Luka:
- Ferhat Pasha Mosque, better known as Ferhadija - Although its builder is unknown, this mosque, funded by Ferhat Pasha Sokolovic, is considered one of the most valuable achievements of 16th century Islamic architecture. In the courtyard of the mosque, there are ancillary buildings, including three turbets (Ferhat Pasha, his granddaughter Safikada and his bayraktars), a fountain, a stone fence with a fountain, and an old cemetery. Ferhadija, along with the remaining 14 Banja Luka mosques, was demolished during the last war in Bosnia. The price of an all-day ticket is 1.5 euros.
- Safikada's memorial plaque - on Patriarch Makarije Sokolović Street, on one of the dilapidated facades, you will see an almost imperceptibly placed memorial plaque dedicated to Safikada. Few people outside Banja Luka know about the legend, which would be the backbone of city tourism in another country. Safikada or Safikaduna is the granddaughter of Ferhat Pasha who was unhappily in love with a soldier who served in the nearby fortress of Kastel. When a soldier lost his life on the European battlefield, Safikada stood in front of a cannon that marked noon every day with a salvo and thus ended his life. Some believe that her grave was on the site of today's memorial plaque, which today serves as a pagan altar candle is often lit.
- Kastel Fortress - It is the oldest historical monument in this city. It was built on the left bank of the Vrbas, between today's City Bridge and the mouth of the river Crkvena. In the past, Kastel was a strong military fortification and protected the Vrbas valley from enemy attacks, primarily from the north. The fortress is surrounded on all sides by thick stone walls, on which loopholes and observation posts have been erected. In its interior, in addition to the summer stage, playgrounds for children, and the national restaurant, today are the premises of the Institute for the Protection of the Cultural, Historical, and Natural Heritage of the Republika Srpska, which has been operating since 1976.
- Gospodska Street - represents a short, but nicely arranged pedestrian zone of Banja Luka. Decoration in the form of colorful umbrellas has been set up along almost the entire street, which is a cheap but effective way to beautify the city. This decoration is irresistibly reminiscent of Amsterdam and other Western European cities.
- Cathedral of Christ the Savior - It was built on the site of the former Church of the Holy Trinity, probably the most beautiful Orthodox church that existed in Bosnia, affected by the bombing in World War II. Later, the church was ordered to be demolished to its foundations, and a monument to the fallen fighters was erected in its place. The permit for the renovation of the temple was issued only in the early '90s, and the newly built temple got its current name because, in the meantime, the Church of the Holy Trinity was built in a different location.
- Palace of the Ban's Administration and the Banski Dvor - On the opposite sides of the Church of Christ the Savior are the Palace of the Ban's Administration and the Banski Dvor. Both buildings were built in 1932, as evidenced by the architectural similarity. The City Administration is housed in the Palace of the Ban's Administration, while the Banski Dvor is used for concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural events.
- King Peter I Karadjordjevic Street, which houses the Cathedral of St. Bonaventure, one of the four cathedrals in BiH. The street is a wide boulevard with tree-lined avenues and interesting old architecture. The street ends with a huge complex of government buildings, from where residential settlements continue on one side, while undeveloped meadows on the other side, which I did not expect, but at least there is room for the planned expansion of the city.
- Šehitluke, better known today as Banj Brdo - This is a picnic area and recreational zone, where the citizens of Banja Luka practice sports activities and socialize. At the top of the hill, there is a memorial monument dedicated to the fallen Krajina people in the National Liberation War. The monument was built of white Brač stone, 13 m high and 24 m long, and it is decorated with a relief depicting the struggle and suffering of the Krajisniks in the Second World War.
- Vladicanski Dvor - Probably one of the most beautiful city buildings. It is located next to the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity. The harmonious architecture and landscaped yard are reason enough to visit this building.
Accommodation in Banja Luka
Banja Luka, as a large city, the largest in the Republic of Srpska, certainly has a wide range of different forms of accommodation. Here you can find hotels, apartments or any accommodation in all parts of the city. The city as a city is extremely well connected and it is not difficult to go from end to end, so the choice of accommodation location is not so crucial because by enjoying the walk you can very easily brighten your day. There are the following types of accommodation in the city itself:
- Hotels - The price of one night in the widest center of Banja Luka is from 4000 dinars up to 11000, depending on the location and your wishes.
- Apartments - Apartments in Banja Luka are slightly cheaper and can be found for less than 4000 dinars. A wide range of apartments is located in all parts of the city.
Important telephones and information
On this occasion, we will single out for you a few important phones that you may need during your stay in Banja Luka:
- Police: 122
- Firefighters: 123
- Ambulance: 124
- Auto-Moto Association RS: 1285
- Bus station: 090 513 000
- Railway station: +387 (0) 51 301 229
- Banja Luka Airport: +387 (0) 51 535 210
- Pharmacy "Prvi maj": +387 (0) 51 223 540; 225 630
- Paprikovac Clinical Center: +387 (0) 51 342 100
- City administration: +387 (0) 51 244 444
- Civil protection: +387 (0) 51 212 500
- Halo center of the Post of Srpska: 1370
- Veterinary station: +387 (0) 51 303 113
Where to eat in Banja Luka?
Throughout Banja Luka, there is a large selection of various restaurants where you can take a break and recharge your batteries to continue exploring this unusual city. Like every big city, the diet is varied, so Banja Luka is rich in various types of cuisine, from local to the most exotic world food. The price of the meals themselves depends, but ranges from 8 euros to 20 depending on the kitchen and the size of the meal. Here we have prepared several restaurants for you, depending on your preferences:
- Where to have breakfast - if you want to try local specialties for breakfast, we recommend the following restaurants: Restaurant and Lounge bar Integra, restaurant Dom, Lounge bar IN…
- Banja Luka kebabs - there is no person who has been to Banja Luka without trying Banja Luka kebabs. That is why we recommend the following places: Kod Muje, Kod Mahe…
- For pizza lovers: Pizzeria near Brka, Sanremo, Intermezzo, Buffet Kola…
- For those who can't resist lamb: Kazamat restaurant, Mala Stanica restaurant, Orhideja restaurant…
- For pasta lovers: Mala Stanica restaurant, Agi Pasta Away…
- For lovers of sweets: restaurant DOM, confectionery Cookie bar, Mala Stanica…
Where to go out in Banja Luka?
Banja Luka is justifiably famous for its great nightlife. Unlike other cities, in Banja Luka, there is no day of the week when there is no opportunity for a night out. And for all generations and for all lifestyles. It is only important to know the rhythm of Banja Luka's nightlife. For a start, in Banja Luka, the nightlife starts relatively late, only after 22.00 or even 23.00. The only exception is if there is an attractive evening event before. Here are some of the potential places to go out:
- Cafes: Via Ferrata, Tvornica, Cuba Libre, Mombasa, Office bar, Caffe Zurich, Harmonija, Bona Fides, Kafe bar Eklektik, Caffe Pause…
- Pubs: City Pub, Mac Tire Pub, Golden Mug, Silent Nights, Depot Pub, Burst Dawn, Barcelona Pub, Kset Pub, Peckham Pub, Gary Pub…
- Casinos: Admiral Club, Grand Casino, Europlaygaming…
- Night clubs: Bizzare Diverse Bar, DKC Incel, Cabinet, Boom Boom Boom, KSB, Gatsby, Crystal, Opium, Stream line…
Transport and taxi in Banja Luka
Banja Luka is a city that is nicely connected and in a very short time, you can get from one end of the city to the other. There are several ways you can get from one end of town to the other:
- Public transport: Buses run in Banja Luka, trams have not been introduced yet. However, buses are also enough for fast movement around the city. In order to get acquainted with the public transport and the lines that operate, we recommend that you visit the official website of the city of Banja Luka.
- Taxi: On the other hand, if you opt for taxi transport, we recommend the following proven taxi operators: "BIG" Taxi +387 66 211-511, Taxi transport Dobrijević +387 65 793-977, Patrol Taxi +387 51 229-500, Taxi Zeljko Banja Luka +387 66 050-581, LUX TAXI +387 66 925-926
- Rent a car: If you are interested in renting a car and free movement around the city, this service also exists in this city. You can get these services on the following numbers: +387 (0) 51 309 103; 65 549 560.
Parking and public garages in Banja Luka
In order to get the best information about parking spaces in Banja Luka, we recommend that you visit the official website of the city of Banja Luka, which lists all parking spaces by tariff zones. The working hours of the parking lot in all parking lots are every working day from 7.00 to 21.00, and on Saturdays from 7.00 to 16.00. Parking in this city is divided into three tariff zones:
- Zero tariff zone: The price of parking in parking lots in the zero-tariff zone is 60 dinars for each started hour of parking, with the longest parking time being two tied hours, after which the vehicle must leave the zero-tariff zone for at least one hour.
- First tariff zone: The price of parking in the parking lots in the first tariff zone is 60 dinars for each started hour of parking, and the all-day parking ticket is 300 dinars.
- Second tariff zone: The price of parking in the parking lots in the second tariff zone is 30 dinars for each started hour of parking, and the all-day parking ticket is 180 dinars.
Surroundings of Banja Luka
In the vicinity of Banja Luka, there are several other tourist locations that should be visited and enjoyed their charms. We will mention just some of the locations and attractions that attract many tourists:
- Osovica Monastery - Osovica Monastery belongs to the list of the greatest shrines of the Republic of Srpska. Although no significant written traces have been preserved to this day that would reveal the spirit of the past in detail, due to the difficult and turbulent history of our people, historians assume that the Osovica Monastery is the founder of the Nemanjic tribal line of King Stefan Dragutin (1253-1316), ruler of Srem, Swords, Usore and Salts.
- Jungić Winery - Jungić Winery is located in the village of Markovac near Celiac. The vineyards on the slopes of Markovac cover an area of about 4 hectares, with over 12,000 vines of top wine varieties.
- Ethno village "Ljubačke doline" - Ethno village "Ljubačke doline" was conceived and set up like an open-air museum with the intention of showing the life of a cooperative, its traditional architecture, material culture, and furniture from the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.
- Kneževo - Kneževo, a famous air spa, lies at an altitude of 860 m. It is connected by an asphalt road with Banja Luka (50 km) and Travnik (52 km). The place is located on the slopes of the mountain Vlasic.
- Shipovo / Pliva - Shipovo is located about 85 km south of Banja Luka and is a paradise for fishermen and nature lovers. It is a mountainous area, where the rivers Janj and Pliva, Sokočnica, Lubovica, and Volarica intersect.
- Mlinska Reka - On the line Banja Luka - Doboj and the thirtieth kilometer of the road Banja Luka - Prnjavor (via Celinac and Vijacani), there is a tourist, catering, recreational center Mlinska Reka, the company Primaprom.
- Bardača - Ramsar area "Bardača" is located about 60 km north of Banja Luka near the confluence of the Vrbas and Sava rivers. The wetland habitat has conditioned the rich flora and fauna. About 180 species of birds live on Bardača, of which about half are nesting birds.
- Slatina - Banja Slatina offers the possibility of a pleasant stay with a diverse offer of sports, recreation, medical and cultural facilities. The main features of the place are clean air, abundant sources of thermo-mineral water that reach temperatures up to 42ºC.
- Kozara National Park - Part of Kozara Mountain was declared a National Park in 1967, with an area of 3494.51 ha. It is located about 50 km northwest of Banja Luka and covers the central part of the mountain, whose central plateau dominates the area of Mrakovica.
History of Banja Luka
Rich archeological sites have been discovered in the town and its surroundings, which speak of the ancient inhabitants of the area around the Vrbas. In the area of the Kastel fortress, in today's center of the city, a significant fund of stone tools and weapons was found, which is supposed to have been used in the Late Paleolithic. The town is first mentioned under its present name in 1494, when the Hungarian king Vladislav II Jagiellonian, in a charter sent to the local commanders of the Jajce banovina, mentions the name of Juraj Mikulašić as castellan of Banja Luka. Linguists believe that the name of the city originated from the words "ban" (that is, the archaic adjective "spa", meaning "bans") and "port", where the port meant a meadow near the water.
The Ottomans conquered Banja Luka in 1528. In 1878, Banja Luka was occupied by Austria-Hungary. Although it was the administrative center of the region during the Turkish rule, Banja Luka welcomed the Austro-Hungarian occupation of BiH as a backward oriental settlement with less than 10,000 inhabitants. "Golden Age of Banja Luka", a historical period of the city in which it developed rapidly, especially during the administration of the energetic and enterprising Ban Svetislav Tisa Milosavljevic, the first ban of the then Vrbas Banovina, where Banja Luka became the capital. The progress of the city was stopped by the Second World War and the German bombing on April 9, 1941, with great destruction, and then the Allied bombing in 1944. During the war conflict in BiH in 1992-1995. there were no direct actions in Banja Luka, but there were significant changes in the national structure of the population. With the founding of the Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, as the largest urban settlement of this entity, became the seat of most republican institutions.
The Ottomans conquered Banja Luka in 1528. In 1878, Banja Luka was occupied by Austria-Hungary. Although it was the administrative center of the region during the Turkish rule, Banja Luka welcomed the Austro-Hungarian occupation of BiH as a backward oriental settlement with less than 10,000 inhabitants. "Golden Age of Banja Luka", a historical period of the city in which it developed rapidly, especially during the administration of the energetic and enterprising Ban Svetislav Tisa Milosavljevic, the first ban of the then Vrbas Banovina, where Banja Luka became the capital. The progress of the city was stopped by the Second World War and the German bombing on April 9, 1941, with great destruction, and then the Allied bombing in 1944. During the war conflict in BiH in 1992-1995. there were no direct actions in Banja Luka, but there were significant changes in the national structure of the population. With the founding of the Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, as the largest urban settlement of this entity, became the seat of most republican institutions.
Geography and climate in Banja Luka
Banja Luka is located on the banks of the Vrbas, which in this city loses the characteristics of a mountain river and enters the lowlands on its way to the mouth of the Sava. The central part of the city lies at an altitude of 163 m and is surrounded by Tertiary hills. The city initially developed downstream from the former Gornji Šeher, following the course of the Vrbas, and the residential settlements that were built after the Second World War developed in width towards the hills that surround the urban core. Banja Luka is especially exposed to the risk of earthquakes, and the strongest earthquake in this city was recorded on October 27, 1969 (6.3 magnitudes).
Climate - The climate of Banja Luka is temperate continental, with the influence of the climate of the Pannonian belt. The average annual temperature is 10.7 ° C, the average January temperature is −0.8 ° C, and the average July temperature is 21.3 ° C. The average annual cloud cover is 62%. The Banja Luka region is characterized by severe winters, warm summers, significant temperature fluctuations, and heavy rainfall at the beginning of summer. Most of the year in Banja Luka is quiet.
Climate - The climate of Banja Luka is temperate continental, with the influence of the climate of the Pannonian belt. The average annual temperature is 10.7 ° C, the average January temperature is −0.8 ° C, and the average July temperature is 21.3 ° C. The average annual cloud cover is 62%. The Banja Luka region is characterized by severe winters, warm summers, significant temperature fluctuations, and heavy rainfall at the beginning of summer. Most of the year in Banja Luka is quiet.
Demography of Banja Luka
According to the 1991 Census of BiH, the settlement of Banja Luka had 143,079 inhabitants. According to the final data from the 2013 Census of BiH for the Republika Srpska, issued by the Republic Bureau of Statistics, 135,059 inhabitants were registered in the settlement of Banja Luka. According to the latest censuses, 49% of the population identify themselves as Serbs, 19.35% as Muslims, 11% as Croats, and even slightly less than 16% as Yugoslavs. Today it is considered an extremely Serbian inhabited city.
Tradition and culture of Banja Luka
- There are many cultural and artistic societies in the city. The oldest is RKUD Pelagić (founded in 1927), and it is also one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- The Banja Luka Challenger is held in September every year. In 2005, the European Rafting Championship was held on the Vrbas River. In 2006, Davis Cup Group III Europe / Africa matches took place in the city. Since 2015, the Banja Luka Half Marathon has been held.
- Banja Luka hosted the World Rafting Championship (2009), the European Parachuting Championship and the World Cup (2013), the World Kayak and Canoe Cup (2012, 2013), the World Parachuting Championship (2014), and the European Rafting Championship (2015). , European Kayak and Canoe Championship on wild waters (2011, 2015), World Kayak and Canoe Championship on wild waters (2016). She was also one of the hosts of the World Junior Handball Championship (2013).