Last month my friend Adam and I met in Belgrade, hired a car and drove to Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia is not renowned for tourism and neither of us had visited the city before and knew very little about Bosnia and this made an exhilarating city break. I really enjoyed my time there and thought I would write this blog as a guide to what you should see in 24 hours.
It had been over a month of cycling through Europe and I found myself in Belgrade. My friend Adam had come to visit and we decided to hire a car and drive to Sarajevo. Once entering Bosnia the scenery began to change, the roads swerved through the mountains and we were left with beautiful views until we slowly descended into the capital. Sarajevo is a city name that is known for its troubled past and you can see this when passing by buildings with Shrapnel damage and bullet holes, despite this, it is an exciting and fascinating place to visit! An unusual mix of European and Middle Eastern culture it has a feel I have never experienced before. We spent 24 hours in Sarajevo and we crammed it full of fascinating things, this is my guide on what to do in Sarajevo.
Baščaršija
Baščaršija is Sarajevo’s Old Town and was built in the 15th century in the time of the Ottoman Empire. Have a walk around the Old Town wander down its narrow cobbled stone streets packed with restaurants, shops, tourist attractions and admire its historic architecture. Make sure you visit the main square and take a look at Sebilj Fountain, Sarajevo’s most famous attraction.
City Hall
The City Hall is considered to be one of the most stunning buildings in Sarajevo. It was built during the Austrian Hungarian era of imperial rule and was built in 1898. It suffered damage during the Siege Of Sarajevo but we are lucky this wonderful structure to still be standing today. It is the headquarters of the Mayor of Sarajevo and the main building for the City Council.
Latin Bridge
This little bridge gives a nice view over the river Miljacka and of the city but the bridge itself looks very unimportant. It was built in the 16th Century but it became infamous as the site of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife which ultimately led to the start of the First World War.
Tunnels
During the Sarajevo Siege (1992-1996) Sarajevo was heavily bombed and destroyed, and tunnels were created as a lifeline for food, aid, resources and weapons for people coming in and out of the city. The entrance is now a museum and helps you get a better idea of the war and these tunnels.
Sarajevo Rose
During the Siege of Sarajevo, mortar rounds landing on concrete created a pattern. These patterns were later filled with a red resin that reminds some people of a rose. These are marked on locations where at least three people were killed during the siege and there are around 200 dotted about the city.
Eternal Flame
The eternal flame is a memorial to the soldiers and civilians who died in the Second World War. The memorial was put up in 1946, the first anniversary of the liberation of Sarajevo from the four-year-long occupation.
Yellow fortress
The Yellow Fortress is a cannon fortress which was built between 1727 and 1739 and served as a defence point against the Austro-Hungarian troops in 1878. On the way up to the fortress, you will pass Kovači Memorial Cemetery, many buried in the cemetery fought in the Siege of Sarajevo. The fortress has been rebuilt several times and now is a fantastic viewing spot over the city. If you are as lucky as we were you might be able to get up there just in time for sunset.
More time?
If you have more time there is still lots more you can do. There are many beautiful mosques you could visit the most renowned is Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, built in 1532 is the country's largest mosque. The city also holds the largest Catholic church, Sacred Heart Cathedral was built in 1863 and gives the city a more European feel. There are so many museums to dive into from the Jewish museum, the Museum of Sarajevo Assassination, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and even the Sarajevo Winter Olympics Museum dedicated to the 1984 Olympics where Sarajevo was the host. Sarajevo is surrounded by mountains and plenty of hikes around the area. Mount Trebevic is the most easily accessible mountain from Sarajevo centre and boasts beautiful views and even has a cable car. If you have time you could make a trip to Mostar. We ran out of time but these great places will be the reason we come back in the future.
Things to know before Travelling to Sarajevo?
Sarajevo is a safe place to visit, it is not a war zone and has a very low crime rate but still be careful of pickpockets.
Bosnia is not part of the EU or not part of the Schengen area so make sure you check to make sure your eligibility to visit.
Sarajevo is very cheap but most places don’t accept cards and you should always have cash on you. ATMs are available but expect to pay up to 7 per cent in fees.
The dominant religion in Bosnia is Islam so be respectful, eating pork is prohibited, and the majority of restaurants in Sarajevo will not have pork on their menus.
As Bosnia is not part of the EU it doesn’t have the same freedom to trade as other countries so retail prices are higher for imported goods.
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