Things to Do in Sarajevo
My first visit to Sarajevo was in August, nine years ago. Sarajevo was one of the destinations on our Balkan tour, and we arrived in the city after dark. I vaguely remember walking along a pedestrian street illuminated by shop lights and seeing a church standing majestically in a square, bathed in light. The bullet holes still visible on the walls of houses from the Bosnian War, the Tunnel of Hope, and an elderly woman who had witnessed history remain in my memory as the sorrowful side of this city. I also recall walking through the streets of Sarajevo and telling a friend that this could be one of the cities we visit again. There’s a photo of me drinking water from a fountain, with a note from our guide: “If you drink water from this fountain, you will return here.”
Europe, Asia, America, and the Balkan countries I hadn’t visited yet—Bosnia and Herzegovina had never made it back to the top of the list, until the ticket prices for one of my favorite Balkan cities, Belgrade, jumped from 1500 to 2800 in just a few days. We had already decided on the hotel we would stay at in Belgrade, but with a sudden change of plans, we found ourselves buying much more affordable tickets to Sarajevo. Looking back, I’m glad we did, because it turned out to be even more beautiful than I remembered. Sarajevo is a blend of tradition and European style; it’s like walking through the streets of Gaziantep and suddenly finding yourself on Istiklal Street. Since it’s a predominantly Muslim country, you’ll also encounter many Arab tourists, especially in Baščaršija, where the mosques on every corner, the smell of köfte, and the pastry and baklava shops make you feel like you’re not in a foreign country. But as soon as you leave Baščaršija, the churches and squares start to remind you that you’re abroad.
We coincidentally visited during the Film Festival. We got to experience the vibrant atmosphere of the city, with red carpets, stylish people in the streets, and the buzz of activity even on a Monday night. I don’t think any international celebrities came this year apart from Bono, but before the pandemic, many famous names would attend the festival. For those who are into celebrity sightings, don’t miss it in the coming years 🙂
Accommodation in Sarajevo
We stayed at the Old Town Hotel in Baščaršija for four nights, including breakfast. I can hardly complain about anything. The breakfast, with its böreks, cheeses, watermelons, and egg varieties, suited our taste. The cleaning was meticulously done every day. The reception staff were friendly and helpful. The central location of the hotel won us over; when we opened our window, the most famous mosque and clock tower were right in front of us. We requested a transfer to the hotel and reached the city from the airport with a taxi they arranged for us. But if I visit again, there is another hotel we had discovered during our visit and fell in love. Just keep reading 🙂
Places to Visit and Eat in Sarajevo
When we initially questioned if four days in Sarajevo might be too long, we realized that with the extra places we visited, it was just enough. However, if you’re planning to stay only in the city center, two days might suffice depending on what you want to see.
Without further ado, let’s explore the streets of Sarajevo together. We arrived in Sarajevo in the late afternoon on the first day, and with hungry stomachs, we hit the streets. Walking through Saraci Street, filled with shops and cafes, we reached Blind Tiger, a local recommendation famous for its cocktails and hamburgers. Since it was around 4 PM, the place wasn’t lively yet, but we were too hungry to care. The mojito was good, and while I’ve definitely had better hamburgers, it wasn’t bad. I won’t even bother mentioning the fries, though.
With full stomachs on our way back, we started paying more attention to our surroundings. The Eternal Flame, a monument dedicated to the civilians and soldiers who died in World War II, is very close by and was our first stop. As its name suggests, an eternal flame burns here, which is what makes this monument unique.
We then visited the Musical Stairway near Blind Tiger, but it wasn’t working, or maybe we couldn’t figure it out, though it didn’t seem like a complicated system.
Another structure you can’t miss while walking along Saraci Street is the Sacred Heart Cathedral. It’s so prominent and central that I somehow forgot to take a photo of it despite passing by many times. While the cathedral looks majestic from the outside, after visiting many churches, the interior didn’t seem as impressive. Still, sitting at a café/restaurant in this lively square and watching people pass by is an enjoyable activity. We ended up sitting at Metropolis on a different day; their coffee was tasty, but we were a bit disappointed by the cream-heavy desserts in the display. Also, our server wasn’t the friendliest, but whether he was having a bad day or was simply tired of the crowd, we couldn’t tell. Another place in the square is Klopa, recommended by locals for Italian cuisine, but we couldn’t find a seat during dinner, so I can’t comment on the food, though the smells were tempting.
As the sun began to set, we left the street behind and walked uphill through Baščaršija to one of the best sunset spots, Yellow Fortress. Don’t worry, the climb isn’t too steep or long. When we arrived at the fortress, people had already taken their spots, sitting on the remaining walls; after taking a few photos, we headed to the nearby Caffe Kamarija to enjoy the view. The café plays a mix of foreign hits from the 80s and 90s, and occasionally some Arabic-style music that surprised us as well as the Arab families there. The red sunset, the open-air setting among the trees, and the delicious coffee at reasonable prices made for a memorable experience. One of those moments where I was grateful to be in a foreign country after 1.5 years. The contrast between the white martyr graves and the city’s silhouette as we walked down the hill was also worth photographing.
On the second day, after a nice breakfast at our hotel, we set out for our morning coffee. We started our walk along the Miljacka River, which has many bridges, some with historical significance. For example, the Latin Bridge, built during the Ottoman period like many of its bridges, is where the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which triggered World War I, took place. The Festina Lente Bridge near the Academy of Fine Arts is a modern and uniquely designed bridge compared to the others. Near Cumurija Bridge, the wire sculptures of people above the river were also intriguing, but without any explanation, we couldn’t figure out their meaning. Another bridge we didn’t visit but later learned about from our local guide during our Bosnia and Herzegovina tour was the Suada and Olga Bridge (also known as Vrbanja Bridge), dedicated to Suada Dilberović and Olga Sučić, the first victims of the Bosnian War, shot dead on this bridge in 1992. Along the river, you’ll also find the National Theatre and the Post Office, though I wouldn’t say these buildings were particularly striking.
The café we chose for our coffee was Galerija Boris Smoje, another local recommendation. It’s said to be a hangout for intellectuals and artists, and indeed, we saw people of all ages fitting that description. They don’t serve Bosnian coffee (Turkish coffee), so you’ll have to choose from the classic coffee options. As you can guess, Turkish coffee is an essential part of my morning routine. The café is located on a tree-lined street, making it pleasant to sit outside. We also eyed the restaurant across the street (Dos Hermanos) and the nearby café (Spazio Kafe). There are a few pieces of street art on this street, but don’t expect something on the scale of Berlin or Glasgow.
After finishing our coffee, we continued walking, not quite sure where we were headed, with a tourist city map in hand. There’s a park across from BBI Shopping Center that has a memorial dedicated to children who died during the war (Memorial for Children During the Siege). More striking than the memorial itself were the children’s graves behind it and the contrast of children playing among the graves in the park. You’ll also find Sarajevo Roses, red rose-shaped memorials on the sidewalks, at various points around the city. These memorials mark spots where at least three people were killed during the war, so it’s best to avoid stepping on them out of respect (though they can be hard to notice).
Across from the park is the Presidential Palace, and we later learned from our local guide that Bosnia and Herzegovina has three presidents representing the majority groups: Bosniak, Serb, and Croat. The presidency rotates every eight months, and each has the power to veto decisions. While we were there, there were forest fires, and according to our guide, the firefighting efforts had been delayed because the Serbian president was slowing things down.
A little further on, you’ll see Ali Pasha’s Mosque, a small mosque built in the 1560s. Being so accustomed to mosques, we didn’t feel it was a must-see, but we should mention that we didn’t go inside.
Sarajevo City Center is one of the major shopping malls. In fact, throughout the city, you’ll see many Turkish brands like Ziraat Bank and LC Waikiki. We entered the mall to use the restroom, but after searching two or three floors, we couldn’t find one; I still can’t believe we couldn’t find a restroom in such a large mall. I visited every mall in London for this purpose, after all 🙂
Luckily, very close by was Cafe Tito, which was on my list of places to visit. No one told us this, but in Sarajevo street slang, saying “You are Tito” is equivalent to saying “You are awesome.” Cafe Tito is one of those awesome cafes, surrounded by greenery, isolated, with local beers, freshly squeezed homemade lemonade, and filled with tanks and memorabilia from the era of Yugoslav leader Tito. Of course, with tanks around, it’s also a perfect playground for kids.
In front of Cafe Tito are the National Museum and the History Museum, but since we didn’t go inside, I’ll move on without commenting. If you walk along the river behind Cafe Tito, you’ll reach Vilsonovo Šetalište (Wilson’s Lane), a long path where you can walk under the linden trees along the river, ideal for a shaded walk, especially on hot Sarajevo days.
After our walk, we went off the map and took a taxi to Vrelo Bosne to satisfy our craving for greenery. You can find the details of our visit to Vrelo Bosne in my post on Places to Visit Around Sarajevo.
On the way back, we got off near Wilson’s Lane again and had dinner at Druga Kuca Restaurant. Their signature steak, “Steak Druga Kuca,” recommended by locals, was truly delicious and very filling, both the steak and its sides. The penne with steak I chose was rather ordinary. Penne and water cost 17.5 BAM, while Druga Kuca Steak was 35 BAM. The interior of the restaurant was stylish, but since we preferred to sit outside, we didn’t really feel its chic ambiance.
In the evening, we stopped by Gastro Pub Vucko, which has over 60 varieties of local and international beers, to enjoy our drinks. The place is named after Vucko, the mascot of the Sarajevo Olympic Games, and you can see images of him on the ceiling at the entrance; it’s a fun place, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find a seat. We tried our luck at S One Sky Lounge on the roof of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. Although the city view wasn’t bad, the atmosphere and cocktails were disappointing. Thankfully, the prices weren’t too high, with cocktails around 9 BAM. On our way back to the hotel, the nighttime view of the Sarajevo Serbian Orthodox Cathedral caught our eye; don’t you think churches look even more majestic at night?
On our third day, we took a tour arranged by a local tour company to Mostar, Pocitelj, Konjic, Kravice Waterfalls, and Blagaj. The tour started at 8 AM and lasted 12.5 hours; you can find the details in my post on Places to Visit Around Sarajevo.
After returning in the evening, we were tired, so we had drinks at La Cava, right in front of the cathedral. Although their cocktails were better than the ones at S One, the servers were so unwelcoming and indifferent that I can’t recommend the place.
On the last day, after checking out of our hotel, we walked around Baščaršija once again. If you take the main street and continue towards the university, you’ll see the Sarajevo City Hall on the left, known as Vijećnica. The most distinctive feature of this 19th-century Austro-Hungarian building is its colorful design. Though it suffered severe damage during the war, it was restored and reopened in 2014.
You might like to read my article on “Day Trips from Sarajevo”.
