After 3 days in Sarajevo, I wholeheartedly get why National Geographic named it Top Destination for 2025. Here, east meets west with a fascinating blend of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influences. However, wounds from the 90’s Bosnian War are still healing. Afterall, Sarajevo suffered the longest siege (almost 4 years) in modern warfare by the Bosnian Serbs. Thankfully, its citizens’ resilience prevailed otherwise. Read on and learn why Sarajevo travel destination highlights make an incredible itinerary.
About Sarajevo
The historic Sarajevo is the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It lies in the Sarajevo Valley on the Miljacka River surrounded by the Dinaric Alps. Known for its cultural diversity, the city is called the “Jerusalem of Europe.” Within the Old Town you can find a mosque, Eastern Orthodox Church, Catholic Churches and synagogue.
The city’s cross-cultural influences still coexist from the Ottomans, Astro-Hungarians and Yugoslav periods. In 1914 a local activist assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria near the Latin Bridge. Many historians believe this incident in Sarajevo ignited WW I.
Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, highlighting a booming era. However, during the Yugoslav Wars, the city experienced the Siege of Sarajevo. This was the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare. It lasted from April 1992 to February 1996. Sixty percent of the buildings became damaged in the city. Thankfully, soon afterwards the war ended and BiH became an independent country.
Sarajevo Climate
The climate is mild, warm and temperate with temperatures ranging from 23 deg F to 81 deg F. (-5 deg C to 27 deg C) Significant rain falls here, with May being the wettest month. Summers are warm and mostly clear. Whereas, winters are cold, snowy and partly cloudy.
Getting Around Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
The BiH is not part of the European Union and mostly disconnected from the Eurail. I found the best transportation from Zagreb, Croatia to Sarajevo was Flix Bus. The scenery on this route is stunning with mountain towns and pristine forests. Bosnia offers a vintage communist train that goes between Sarajevo and Mostar with legendary views. However, I took the Flix Bus from Sarajevo to Mostar and Belgrade, Serbia. The bus goes many times throughout the day.
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Sarajevo Travel Destination Highlights
in Stari Grad or “Old Town”
The Old Town is the historic district where East meets West. In the eastern half is the Bascarsija or old bazaar founded by the Ottomans in the 15th century. Today, it remains a thriving, historic center with Muslim influences among restaurants, handicrafts, souvenirs and national landmarks.
Ferhadija Street is a pedestrian zone stretching through the old town. It connects the Eternal Flame Monument and Bascarsija Square. On the street is a marker with arrow pointing east one way and west the other. It says: Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures. Walking East takes you to the Basarsija and west to the European area.
The western half represents the western influences from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here is the Sarajevo Cathedral, Bosnian War Museums and European restaurants.
Sebilj Fountain
In the old town’s Bascarsija Square is the Sebilj Fountain, a symbol of Sarajevo. Built in the 18th century during the rule of the Ottoman Empire, it displays Turkish and Islamic designs. In wooden, decorative style the fountain is a public meeting place for locals and tourists. The fountain is surrounded by the Sarajevo pigeons that jump on your shoulder for food. Legend says if you take a drink from the fountain, you will return to the city.
Sarajevo Roses
The Sarajevo Roses are memorials on the streets, marking where at least 3 people were killed during the Siege of Sarajevo. Mortar shell explosions caused these concrete scars. The pattern looks floral and later became filled with resin resembling roses.
About 200 “roses” lie scattered throughout the city. The original rose is at Marsala Tita next to Veliki Park (Great Park). This marks the first Markale (market) massacre. I noticed a “rose” in front of the Sarajevo Cathedral.
Free Walking Tour
Sarajevo is rich in cultural diversity with many layers to its turbulent past. I did the Free Walking Tour with Meet Bosnia Travel. Learning about the history and stories from a local on a walking tour makes travel here all the more interesting. I had no trouble tipping our guide because he was so informative.
We walked through the old town cobbled streets, visiting many of the attractions. For example, we explored the Bascarsija Square, Gazi Husre-beg Mosque, Eternal Flame Monument, City Hall, Old Clock Tower, Latin Bridge and more.
Bascarsija Shops or Old Bazaar
In this cultural center, it feels like you are in Turkey, not Europe. Founded in the 15th century, the narrow, cobblestone alleyways are filled with Turkish restaurants, cafes offering Bosnian coffee or Turkish Tea, handmade copper items, handicrafts, rugs and more. For people that love to shop, this area is a must for you.
Eternal Flame Monument
At the busy junction of Ferhadija and Marsala Tita streets the Eternal Flame Monument continually flickers resilience and survival. In 1946 after the occupation by Nazi Germany ended, the Architect, Juraj Neidhardt created this symbol in the heart of the city. The flame is a reminder to never forget the lessons from history. Most importantly, it honors all those that lost their lives from WW II.
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
Built in the 16th century, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque is the most important mosque in BiH. This Ottoman structure displays a stunning blend of Islamic and Byzantine architecture. With a grand dome and minaret, the mosque is named after a governor from the Ottoman Period. Its beautiful courtyard is a popular meeting place in the heart of Bascarsija. Tourists are also welcome to visit inside the mosque during visiting hours.
Sarajevo Clock Tower
Next to the Gazi Husrv-beg Mosque is the Sarajevo Clock Tower. It’s the tallest of the 21 clock towers in BiH. The clock reaches 50 meters high and displays lunar time. The clock hands show 12 o’clock at sunset during the time of the Muslim Maghrib prayer. A timekeeper manually sets the clock once a week. Originally built in the 17th century, the tower became rebuilt twice.
Sacred Heart Cathedral Sarajevo
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is the largest cathedral in BiH. In the old town center, near the mosque and synagogue stands this Catholic church. It displays a Neo-Gothic style with Romanesque Revival. As a symbol of the city, the flag and coat of arms feature its Romanesque towers. Built in in 1884, the building design models the Notre-Dame in Dijon, France. The Siege of Sarajevo damaged the cathedral and thankfully became repaired later.
Latin Bridge
The Latin Bridge over the Miljacka is a historic landmark near the Town Hall. Here, in 1914 an event is said to have kicked off WW I. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Austria and pregnant wife were shot and assassinated in their open-top car. This led to the July Crisis among major powers in Europe, escalating to WW I. The Ottoman-style bridge rests on three strong pillars with four arches.
Taste Sarajevo
Sarajevo is a foodie destination. With its cultural diversity, blending Turkish and European influences, the food choices are incredible. Here are popular dishes and drinks to get your mouth watering.
My favorite is Burek, the ultimate street food when you want a quick meal or snack. It’s a stuffed pie made with filo dough and filled with meats, spinach, cheese or potatoes. The burek is rolled into a spiral and sliced into portions. I found a fantastic restaurant with fresh out of the oven burek at Sac in old town. Bosnian Coffee is very similar to Turkish. The unfiltered coffee is served in a ibrik or džezva, a small copper pot with a high neck and long handle.
Klepe or “Bosnian ravioli” is a dumpling prepared using soft dough and stuffed with minced beef, lamb or cheese and spices. It’s usually dished with garlic sauce or yoghurt. Lepinja is a type of Balkan flatbread with just three ingredients: salt, flour, and water. It’s made with minced meat and baked at high temperatures, giving a golden-brown crust.
My hostel welcomed me with a free shot of Rakija, a fruit spirit or brandy. Its fermented fruits are usually plums or grapes with a 40% alcohol content. This drink is popular throughout the Balkans.
Vijećnica or City Hall
Near the Latin Bridge, Vijećnica or City Hall sits on the Miljacka River as a symbol of the city’s resilience. The building became severely damaged during the Siege of Sarajevo. Even though the City Hall is also the National and University Library of BiH, it holds little historical books. This is because the original library was bombed in ’92 during the siege. Sadly, 90% of the books became destroyed.
The City Hall became reconstructed in 2014 in Moorish and Neo-renaissance styles. Visitors can tour inside. Also, a large Sarajevo sign stands in front of City Hall and river.
House of Spite or Inat Kuca Restaurant
The House of Spite originally stood where the City Hall is today. The Austro-Hungarian rulers offered the owner money to move so they could build on his property. He resisted and eventually relented somewhat. As a reminder he moved and rebuilt his house to its original design across the river facing the City Hall. His “Spite House” is now the Inat Kuca Restaurant.
Yellow Fortress for Sunset Views
Perced up on the cliff of Jekovac, the Yellow Fortress is one of the best places in the city to watch the sunset. This cannon fortress was at the entrance of the walled city of Vratnik. Built in the 18th century, the fortress was reconstructed many times. The path to the fortress climbs a steep hill with steps alongside a Muslim cemetery. Visitors can stand upon the wall with the panorama of the city and Dinaric Alps.
Srebrenica Gallery
During the nearly 4-year Bosnian War over 100,000 people died. 8,327 of them were Muslim men and boys. Tragically, they were murdered by an army of Bosnian Serbs over 3 days in the United Nations ‘safe area,’ while many remained silent. This happened in Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia.
The Srebrenica Gallery 11/07/95 commemorates the event to honor those killed and not forget the tragedy. It showcases multimedia content offering a documentary and artistic interpretation. I visited there and watched a film to learn more and observed photographs displayed. While it was very sobering, I was intentional to visit and face the reality of this horrific genocide.
War Childhood Museum
This heart-wrenching War Childhood Museum shares a collection of photos, videos, drawings and more. They convey the horror of war and how it affected children during the Bosnian War 1992 – 5.
A couple people recommended this museum to me. However, I didn’t make it here, but want to pass this referral along to readers.
Brewery Museum
The Sarajevo Brewery Museum is located within the brewery building established in 1864. The brewery survived both World Wars and the Sarajevo Siege. Even more, during the siege, the brewery tapped into their natural springs, providing water for the locals.
The small museum is inside the unique Oriental and European architectural design building. It showcases the evolution of the brewing industry from the Ottoman to present day. The museum is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday, between 11:00 AM and 5:30 PM.
Sarajevo Travel Destination Highlights
Mount Trebevic / Trebevic Cable Car / Bobsleigh Track
Mount Trebevic
The mountain is a protected area made popular for visitors and locals alike. It rises to 1,628 m (5,341 ft) high, filled with biodiversity and stands close to the city center. The mountain is popular for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, picnics and skiing competitions. The Trebevic Hiking Loop Trail is 19 km (12 mi) long, making a 3,835 ft elevation gain. The Sarajevo Cable Car also takes you to the summit for fantastic views. A major highlight at the top is the graffiti-art ruins from the ’84 Olympics Bobsleigh Track.
Trebevic Cable Car
From old town the Trebevic Cable Car takes you to the peak. Originally built in 1959, it closed in 1989 and became reconstructed for opening in 2018. At the cable station summit, a café offers outdoor seating and balcony with views. Also, from the top are hiking trails, panoramic views and the ’84 Olympics Bobsleigh Track. The Cable Car is open daily from 9 am to 11 pm, except Mondays it opens at noon.
Abandoned Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh & Luge Track
On top of Mount Trebevic where the cable car takes you are the nearby abandoned Sarajevo Bobsleigh and Luge Track from the ’84 Olympics. These concrete tracks zigzag down the mountain through the trees. They are brightened up from street artists’ graffiti, making for unique photo ops. These bobsleigh tracks were used by the Bosnian Serbs as a base for the siege. I loved exploring this unique historic landmark. Plus, it’s a fun place for a photo op.
Sarajevo Tunnel and Museum
During the Sarajevo Siege of the Bosnian War, the 800 m manmade Sarajevo Tunnel connected the city with the United Nations ‘safe place’ at the airport. Beneath the airport, the tunnel dug by citizens, took 4 months to complete in 1993. This lifeline allowed for the passage of medicine, food, supplies and humanitarian aid by the U.N. Also, it transported an international arm embargo, providing the city defenders with weapons.
After the war ended, the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum was built at the house whose cellar served as the entrance to the tunnel. I took a guided tour, including transportation to the tunnel and museum. We walked 20 m of the tunnel and visited the museum. The museum exhibits included war items, such as, photographs, flags, uniform and equipment. This site is about a 20-minute drive from old town.
Enjoy Sarajevo!
After travelling to 100+ countries, I consider Sarajevo one of my favorite destinations in the world. And it seems, National Geographic agrees with me. I recommend that authentic travelers go soon, before all the tourists find out. If your travels bring you to Sarajevo, please share any tips below in the comments.
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