Sarajevo travel guide

Sarajevo has become one of Europe’s most delightful and cosmopolitan cities. Besieged in the past, it is a remarkable, resilient place and is well worth a visit.

Top things to see and do in Sarajevo

• Take in the sensory delights of the 15th-century Baščaršija – the Ottoman market place – with its winding side streets. Smell the Turkish coffee and watch the silversmiths hammering out plates and pots to a soundtrack of modern Balkan pop music coming from the many little shops and stalls.
• Hop on a rattly tram to explore the city. Sarajevo boasts Europe’s first ever electric tram system and it’s perfect for shuttling between the bus and train stations, the brutalist concrete Soviet-era suburbs and the exotic Old Town.
• Take a leisurely day trip to Vrelo Bosne, springs that are the source of the River Bosna, and part of a beautiful, green national park. You can get there by tram, then taxi or even horse-drawn carriage.
• Make sure you try Bosnia-Herzegovina’s national dish – Ćevapi – grilled beef sausages in pitta bread with chopped onion, kajmak (a type of cheese), and a side salad of tomato and cucumber. Perfect for a quick lunch.

Tips for travellers

In just under two hours you could be exploring The Old Bridge Area of Mostar, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an hour later you could be standing on the medieval city walls of Dubrovnik, smelling the sea breeze.