Spending a few days in Bosnia had long been on my bucket list for Europe, but had always been hard to get to through lack of easy or cheap flights. One day, a very cheap deal from London to Sarajevo popped up and a few weeks later off I went. Now my bucket list for Bosnia is simply to go back!
Arriving in Sarajevo
Sarajevo Airport is located to the west of the city centre. It is a smaller airport than comparable cities in the Balkans with fewer airline options (from London, it is only Ryanair and Wizz Air, with a seasonal TUI Airways service).
Bus: the only public transport option available directly from outside the airport terminal is a Centrotrans bus service to the Baščaršija. The service runs roughly hourly, but is kept in line with flight schedules. A one way ticket can be bought on the bus at a cost of 5 Bosnian Convertible Mark (£2.15, €2,55, $2.80 – as of Aug 2024). The current timetable can be found at www.sarajevo-airport.ba/Page/Autobus.
Taxi: Upon arrival at Sarajevo Airport, you will encounter the familiar sight in the Balkans of taxi drivers seeking to encourage you to travel with them. Airport taxi fares are set in Sarajevo, however, this does not reflect the reality with reports of double charging and imaginative fixed prices and fees. If you want to take a taxi, I would suggest pre-booking (I used the airport taxi feature on booking.com to get a transfer relatively cheaply).
Rental cars are easily available at Sarajevo Airport and can be particularly useful if you are planning to head out of Sarajevo, perhaps to Mostar, during your trip. The drive into Sarajevo is relatively simple along a dual carriageway. The only place to avoid driving is in the Old Town of Sarajevo, where the streets and the parking situation can be confusing at the best of times.
If you are in need of Bosnian Mark (it is almost impossible to convert to BAM outside Bosnia and Herzegovina), a bureau de change can be found in the arrivals hall at Sarajevo Airport, near to the rental car desks. Look for a sign saying ‘Mjenjačnica’. A lot of places in Sarajevo such as some museums and cafes do not accept credit or debit cards so it is useful to have some Mark to hand. Restaurants and hotels do accept card payments.
Things to do in Sarajevo
Baščaršija and the city centre
From alleyways of market stalls to historic mosques, you simply cannot visit Sarajevo without spending time in the Baščaršija.
It is hard to do this part of the city service in such a small blog, but the best way to look around is just to get yourself lost and keep walking! Eventually, you will find yourself at the Sebilj, the fountain in the central square of the Baščaršija, normally surrounded by countless numbers of pigeons.
The streets of this historic market quarter have stalls of all trades, many souvenir options, historic religious buildings dating back as far as the 1500s and the aromas of delicious Bosnian food. We spent several hours a day here just exploring this microcosm of Bosnian culture and so should you!
The Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures is where west meets east in the city. Found on Ferhadija Street, the line across the street is the best spot to understand the cultural differences found within Sarajevo. To the west, there are more contemporary buildings with a Christian influence and to the east, you can find the historic Baščaršija with Turkish and Islamic influences throughout. There is a useful information board on the north side of the street explaining the significance of the line.
The Latin Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in Sarajevo, but is better known for an event in 1914. This was the bridge on which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, triggering a series of events which led to the start of World War 1.
Next to the bridge, you will find the Sarajevo Museum 1878-1918, a small museum outlining both the history around the assassination and the history of Sarajevo during the Austro-Hungarian period.
The Sarajevo Cable Car goes from just south of the river, near to the Emperor’s Mosque and Sarajevo Brewery. A return journey on the cable car costs 30 Bosnian Mark (£13, €15, $17 – as of Sep 2024) for non-locals and tourists, which means it leans on the more expensive side. The journey takes 7-9 minutes and goes up 500 metres during the journey with a scenic view of Sarajevo and its surrounds. The original cable car was destroyed during the conflict in 1992 and then rebuilt in 2018. Full details of the service can be found at www.zicara.ba
At the top of the cable car, you will find Trebević, a popular viewpoint and the site of the abandoned 1984 Winter Olympics bobsleigh track. There is a cafe in the cable car station which offers a good view of the city. The bobsleigh track is a short walk from the station and has been left abandoned since the conflict. Whilst there have been proposals for a renovation of the track, the structure remains largely unchanged with graffiti, however, since the conflict, the site has been de-mined and cleaned in parts.
National Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vijećnica)
Originally built in 1896 and restored following the conflict, the Vijećnica is a recognisable symbol of Sarajevo and certainly one of its most impressive buildings. For a small fee, you can go inside the building, look around the rooms and halls, where some exhibitions on the history of Sarajevo can be found, and admire the rooftop of the central hall.
Brodac 1, Sarajevo 71000
National Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The National Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina features exhibits on the 20th century history of the country, including the Second World War and the Yugoslav Conflict in the 1990s. It is a small museum with an poorly maintained exterior, however, it can provide an interesting context to Sarajevo. If you are on a shorter trip, this museum is not a must visit, as there are other historical spots and museums across the city such as some named below.
Zmaja od Bosne 5, Sarajevo 71000
War Childhood Museum
It is impossible to visit Sarajevo without acknowledging the difficult history that the city has experienced. The War Childhood Museum tells the stories of children who grew up through the conflict in the 1990s, with exhibits to go alongside. It is a personal and moving experience for those interested in Bosnian and Balkan history.
30-32, Logavina, Sarajevo
Gallery 11/07/95
The Gallery 11/07/95 tells the story of the Srebrenica Massacre through a series of videos and images. It is a moving and at times difficult museum to visit, although it is worth spending the time to learn about such a tragic event that still exists in the recent memory of many Bosnian people.
Trg Fra Grge Martića 2, Sarajevo 71000
Visit Sarajevo offers useful advice on the city, tourist attractions and where to eat and stay – their website is www.visitsarajevo.ba.
Travelling outside the city
Tunnel of Hope Museum
Located a few minutes drive from the terminal at Sarajevo Airport, the Tunnel of Hope Museum tells the story of how a small home was turned into a key supply route for the people of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war. The museum has various exhibits, including a replica of the tunnel which once went under the whole runway at Sarajevo Airport.
Tuneli 1, 71210 Ilidža
Day trips from Sarajevo to Mostar are very popular – a new article on this is coming soon!
Where to eat in Sarajevo
Two local foods you have to try are Ćevapi (pictured below) and Burek.
Ćevapi is a small grilled sausage with seasoning commonly found in Balkan countries and often served with a pitta or flatbread and kaymak cream. I would recommend the Ćevabdžinica Petica Ferhatović. Located at the heart of the Baščaršija area of Sarajevo, this restaurant is lively, has a buzz to it and the food is both cheap and really good!
Burek is a thin flaky filled pastry found in bakeries across the Balkans. Common fillings can include cheese and spinach, but others do exist.
There are plenty of Ćevabdžinica and Buregdžinica to be found in Sarajevo, particularly in the bazaars, as well as endless cafes serving Turkish coffee and sweet things. You won’t be short of temptations and good snacks in Sarajevo!
For the more selective eater, a good local Italian restaurant is Piccolo Mondo. It is located a walkable distance to the west of the city centre and has a good range of Italian and local food at an affordable price.
Sarajevo has its own beer, Sarajevsko Lager. Sarajevsko Brewery is located around the corner from the bottom station of the cable car. There is a bar on-site to enjoy the beer, which can be found widely in local restaurants.
Where to stay in Sarajevo
I chose to stay at Residence Inn Sarajevo on Skenderija, part of the Marriott collection of hotels. Between two people, the room cost £280 (€331, $367 – as of Sep 2024) for three nights in a Twin Studio with breakfast included. The hotel is located in central Sarajevo with most major attractions within walking distance. The room also had its own kitchen, which means you don’t always have to eat out if you don’t want to (even if Sarajevo is generally cheap).
Other hotels I considered in Sarajevo included the Courtyard by Marriott Sarajevo, just around the corner from the Residence Inn, Hotel President Sarajevo and Hotel Europe.
The budget
As of 2024, flights from London to Sarajevo were available with Ryanair, Wizz Air and TUI Airways on a seasonal basis. We chose to fly with Wizz Air from London-Luton at a cost of £40 per person. Flights are also available from a small selection of European cities.
As mentioned above, the hotel cost £280 between two people for the whole trip.
We also chose to rent a car from Sarajevo to drive to Mostar – more about this in a guide coming up.
Sarajevo now has a City Card, offering free access to museums, public transport and the Sarajevo cable car – visit https://www.visitsarajevo.ba/sarajevocitycard for more information. We didn’t use the card ourselves, but it could be of use to you on your trip.
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