Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Travel Guide
I spent six days in Sarajevo and it stayed with me long after I left. The city sits in a valley, split by the Miljacka River, with Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian styles pressed against each other in a way I have not seen anywhere else. This guide covers the practical side of visiting so you can spend your time walking the old town instead of figuring out logistics.
Getting There
Sarajevo International Airport is small and sits about 6 kilometers southwest of the center. I flew in from Istanbul on Turkish Airlines and the flight took just over an hour. From the arrivals hall I took the number 33 bus into the city, which runs to the center and costs a couple of marks. A taxi into the old town costs a flat rate if you book through the official counter inside the terminal, and I recommend that over flagging one down at the curb. For land travel, the bus station is next to the railway station on the north side of the river. I took the bus home from Belgrade and it rattled through the mountains on a four lane highway that opened in recent years. There are daily buses from Mostar, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb if you are coming from the coast or from Croatia.
Getting Around
Most of what you want to see is walkable, and the old town is a maze of cobbled streets where walking is the only real option. I averaged about eight kilometers a day on foot. For longer trips the tram system is your friend. The number 3 tram runs along the main avenue and past the Eternal Flame, and the number 1 line connects the railway station to the old town. I paid for a day ticket with a contactless card at a kiosk, but you can also buy single rides from the driver. Possiljnik, the resident DHL-style couriers with hand carts, still move goods through the shopping streets and I nearly collided with one near Gazi Husrev-beg mosque. Give them a wide berth. Taxis in Sarajevo are cheap by Western standards, but use one of the apps to avoid the meters that mysteriously run fast for tourists.
Where to Stay
I split my nights between two areas and I would do the same again. The old town, around Bascarsija, is noisy at night but puts you steps from the sebilj fountain and the cafes. My room there was a converted ottoman house with timber ceilings and paper thin walls, and I loved the character even when the call to prayer woke me at dawn. The second area was Marindvor, west of the river and home to the Avaz Twist Tower and the big shopping center. It is quieter, more modern, and cheaper for the same standard. A private room with breakfast ran me around thirty five euros a night in old town and closer to twenty five in Marindvor. If you want quiet without leaving the center, look just south of Ferhadija street where apartments get a lot calmer after dark.
Where to Eat
The food is a blend of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian cooking, which in practice means meat, bread, and excellent coffee. Cevapi are the signature dish, griddled minced beef fingers served in a flatbread called somun with raw onions and a heavy cream called kajmak. I ate mine at Zeljo, the open air place north of Bascarsija, where I paid under five euros. Burek, a flaky pastry filled with meat, spinach, or cheese, is a breakfast staple and I grabbed a slice with yogurt every morning. For dinner I kept going back to traditional restaurants in the old town that serve sarma, stuffed cabbage leaves, and bosanki lonac, a slow pot of meat and vegetables. Skip the tourist restaurants right on the main square and walk one street in. The city brews its own craft beer now and there are a few taprooms near the river, but the real local drink is Bosnian coffee, strong and served in a long handled pot with a cube of sugar and a glass of water.
Safety and Practical Tips
I felt safe in Sarajevo at all hours, including walking back to my room as a solo traveler late at night. Petty theft is rare in the old town but keep your wallet zipped in a crowd. The bigger risks are traffic and terrain. Drivers do not always stop for pedestrians on the main boulevards, so wait for the green man. Pavements in the old town are uneven cobbles and a wrong step can twist an ankle, so wear shoes with grip. The currency is the convertible mark, pegged to the euro, and card payments are widely accepted, though some small cafes are cash only. English works well in the center and among younger people. The locals I met were patient and friendly, and a little effort with the Bosnian words for hello and thank you went a long way. Landmines in the hills outside the cities are still a real concern, so stay on marked paths and do not wander into the forest when you hike the surrounding ridges. Sarajevo rewards a few days more than a flying visit. Bring comfortable shoes, an open mind, and a light jacket even in summer, because the valley cools off fast after sunset.
