The picture-perfect day plan for Sarajevo

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is one of my favorite cities worldwide. It has been for about a decade. I always keep returning. I even spent a couple of months there one summer. Sarajevo is the city that sparked my love for the Balkans. I’m not sure why exactly. It could be because my first experience visiting was a grand slam. I’ll never know.

Aside from being known in the 1990s for undergoing a horrible siege, Sarajevo is known as the Jerusalem of Europe. For centuries under it was under the Ottoman empire. Sarajevo also had a stint under Austrian rule. Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others lived side by side. It is one of the cities in this region where you can honestly see the East meets the West factor. However, I get annoyed by that term because every place in Central and Eastern Europe, The Balkans, Central Asia, Turkey, Transcaucasia, literally any place with some Ottoman history claim this. Sarajevo is one of the few capitals in Eastern Europe where you will find a Catholic church, Synagogue, Orthodox church, and a Mosque that has been used for centuries.

This is how I would spend the perfect day in Sarajevo based on over a decade of repeated visits to this enchanting capital city.

Morning

You don’t need to start your morning super early. Bosnians are not so much early unless they work in Germany and are forced to. Starting your day in this town is best with some Burek. Bosnians claim to be the place in the Balkans with the best Burek, although this is a widespread argument throughout the Balkans. Bosnians insist that the only real Burek is a meat burek. They will look at you funny if you ask for Spinach Burek or Cheese Burek. Yes, they have it, but they have a different name, which is more or less the same—apologies to any Bosnians who are reading this.

After getting a Burek, you can go for a walk in the old town. While Sarajevo isn’t Venice regarding the number of tourists, the old town can still feel claustrophobic later in the day. Also, the man who sells food to feed the pigeon has yet to come out. One of the annoying things about Old Town in Sarajevo is the ongoing need some have to feed pigeons in the square. Anyway, it’s a glorious place, even with the flocks of pigeons. There are ample places throughout the old town where you can sit and have a Turkish coffee. If you are like me and Turkish coffee isn’t your thing, you can also find other types of coffee. Bosnians, like the rest of their Balkan counterparts, enjoy drinking coffee.

Things to see in the old town

• Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
• Latin Bridge ( Where Franz Ferdinand was shot)
• Pigeon Square & Sebilj fountain
• Sarajevo’s primary market: Baščaršija 
• Vijećnica: Sarajev ’s City Hall

After your walk, I would recommend taking the cable car up to the top of Trebević mountain. You can get breathtaking views of the city this way. You can take it both ways or take it up and walk down. This is my preferred option. On my way down, you can explore the famous bobsled track from the 1984 Olympics. It’s one of the most popular things to see in Sarajevo. There is some impressive graffiti on different parts of the bobsled. The bobsled remains intact but is still damaged from the siege. It was an artillery point during the war. While now it’s an exciting and unique place to hang out, you feel the sobering reminder of the siege.

Afternoon

You might have worked up an appetite when you finish checking out the bobsled track. My top two lunch suggestions are Hodzic 2 for meat eaters and Falafel for vegetarians, which are in the old town. I don’t eat meat, but many of my Bosnian and Foreign friends swear by Hodzic 2 for Cevapcici. Bosnians enthusiastically claim Cevapcici as much as they do with Burek. While the falafel place is less authentic, it is one of the best values for lunch. The food is quite good; honestly, we can all stand some healthy falafel now and then.

Weather permitting, a perfect activity is walking up to Žuta Tabija, also known as the Yellow Fortress. It was a fortress built to defend Sarajevo against Habsburg troops in 1878. Now, it offers a stunning view of Sarajevo.

Another thing you will notice when walking to this view is that you will pass the Alifakovac Cemetery. It’s a large cemetery consisting of 3 sections: the older Ottoman Empire, the second is mainly for Sarajevo residents not from the war, and the 3rd, the largest, is for the victims of the war.

If it is rainy, which sometimes happens, you can visit one of the museums that Sarajevo has to offer. I would suggest these three choices: the Museum of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the Museum of Sarajevo 1878–1918. The first one is right in the center and impossible to miss. However, this might be something to see on a different day, especially if you want to enjoy your evening. As horrifying as it is, it’s a must, but maybe it shouldn’t be on a picture-perfect day.

There is also much more to Sarajevo than the war in the 1990s. As much as there are valuable lessons to learn about the siege of Sarajevo, Sarajevo has been a colorful and glorious city for centuries. The war is still fresh in the memory of most locals over 25 years old, and many feel cheated not only by the Serbs but also by how the International community handled the war. They want their stories to be known, yet at the same time, they want to be associated with things other than what happened in the 1990s.

If you want a place to relax and have a cup of tea, go to the Franz and Sophie tea house. It has eclectic choices of tea and a very kind staff. I highly recommend this place if you want a quiet workspace or just a rest and a cup of tea. I have taken my laptop here a few times to work.

Evening

Sarajevo’s nightlife is not as thriving as, let’s say, Prague or Belgrade, but you can spend an enjoyable evening here easily. You can start it by having dinner at Bharna, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Sarajevo. The food is excellent and affordable. I quite like the soups. There are lots of Balkan and Bosnian specialties on the menu, and some of them are vegetarian-friendly.

After Bharna, head up just a few meters on the hill to Birtija. It’s my favorite bar in Sarajevo. It is tiny and quaint. The biggest obstacle might be finding a seat, but everyone is friendly and will invite you to their table if there is space.

Balkan Express is another great place to check out; if you are into Yugo-Nostalgia, this is the bar for you!

Kino Bosna is another excellent choice. It’s an old movie theater that a woman inherited from someone after the war. She turned the place into a bar/lounge, although it has the same form it did in the early 1990s. Hardly anything has been changed. It is an experience. Although, it can be smoky and is open only a couple of nights a week. But you do have to check sometimes online which day it is open. It’s not open for most of the week. It’s usually open on a random weekday, such as Monday or Wednesday. Most hostels will be able to tell you.

So there you have it. Make modifications as you please. You can make several days in Sarajevo with these suggestions. Also, here is another list of other things to do in or around Sarajevo!

Other things to do

• The Olympic museum: I’ve never been. It’s new, but I have heard great reviews.
• Zlatna Rica ( The goldfish bar)
• Sarajevo tunnel
• Hotel Promaja and Skakavac waterfall
• Day trip to Konijic ( Titos bunker) or Mostar
• Sushi San: It’s a tiny sushi restaurant with room for only six people, the owner lived in California for many years, so if you are craving proper sushi in the Balkans, this is the place to go. From the outside, it does not look like much.
• Pingvin: The best hangover or late-night food.