Mostar and Ohrid are both among the most visually striking small destinations in the Balkans. They are not alternatives in the way that two cities in the same country might be -- they are geographically distant and sit on different natural routes. The choice between them is usually determined more by itinerary logic than by which is objectively better.
The core difference
Mostar is a historic Ottoman town built around one extraordinary bridge, in a river gorge in Bosnia. The experience is concentrated, urban, and historically layered. The best of Mostar is a one to two night experience that captures the old town atmosphere, the bridge at dusk, and the evening after day-trippers leave.
Ohrid is a small lake town in North Macedonia with Byzantine churches, a medieval fortress, and one of the oldest and clearest lakes in the world. The experience is slower, more natural, and more about sitting near water than exploring historic lanes. Three nights is the natural stay length.
Which route each fits
Mostar fits the Sarajevo-Dubrovnik route naturally. It is 2.5 hours from Sarajevo and 3.5 to 4 hours from Dubrovnik by bus. Almost every traveler moving between those two cities passes close enough to Mostar that adding it costs very little in time or logistics.
Ohrid fits the Skopje-Tirana or Skopje-Thessaloniki route naturally. It is 3 hours from Skopje and 4 to 5 hours from Tirana by bus. Travelers moving through North Macedonia or between Serbia and Greece often have Ohrid as the most rewarding stop on the route.
If your route does not naturally include either, the question is which detour makes more sense given where you are starting and ending.
Scenery comparison
Mostar wins on concentrated visual drama. The Stari Most bridge over the Neretva gorge, photographed from the right angle at the right light, is one of the most iconic images in the Balkans.
Ohrid wins on sustained natural beauty. The lake, the mountain backdrop, the Byzantine churches on the water's edge -- it is a setting that reveals itself gradually and tends to produce stronger overall memories for travelers who give it enough time.
Stay length comparison
Mostar: one to two nights. The town is small enough that two nights covers it well and three nights is generally too long for most travelers.
Ohrid: two to three nights. The lake rewards a slower pace and the town has enough to fill three days without feeling repetitive.
Cost comparison
Both are very affordable. Ohrid is slightly cheaper for accommodation (35 to 70 EUR per night for a good guesthouse near the lake) compared to Mostar (40 to 80 EUR per night near the old bridge). Food in both towns is inexpensive -- a good dinner runs 10 to 18 EUR per person in either location.
The honest choice
If the route goes through Bosnia and the Adriatic coast: Mostar. If the route goes through North Macedonia or the western Balkans heading south: Ohrid. If neither fits naturally and you are making a specific choice, Ohrid produces slightly stronger overall travel memories for most people because the three-night lake experience has more time to develop than the one-night Mostar atmosphere. But Mostar is more immediately impressive and more accessible from the most common Balkans routes.