An Insider’s Guide to Experiencing Sarajevo and Its Rich History

When Sarajevo, the historic capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, comes to mind, most people think one of two things: That it was home to the 1984 Winter Olympics or that the civil war of the 1990s devastated the region. While the Olympic Games will always be remembered as the city’s heyday (its “coming out party” to the rest of the world) and the aftermath of the country’s civil war is still evident, today Sarajevo possesses much of its traditional Bosnian charm. Nestled inside a valley surrounded by the Dinaric Alps along the Miljacka River in southeastern Europe, the city is an explosion of ancient culture, bountiful history, and a unique civilization, where past meets present a thousand times over. The myriad of styles in ancient architecture—including the still-standing, exquisite structures from the Ottoman Empire—will leave you breathless, while the strength and ambition of Sarajevo’s citizens can be felt as soon as you step onto the streets.

Here, a two-day itinerary should you choose to make a trip to this enchanting city.

Day 1:

Start your day in Sarajevo’s Stari Grad, also known as Old Town, before the summer crowds fill the small and windy narrow cobblestone streets. Grab a hearty breakfast at the Wiener Café, where a local Bosnian meal of cheese and meats, bread with jam, and a vegetable salad of cucumbers and tomatoes awaits. Portions are big, the juices are freshly squeezed, and the coffee is strong. Choose an outdoor seat or sit indoors to step back in time within what looks like a retro apothecary, with ruby red and blush pink velvet chairs and tables throughout.

Continue your morning by strolling through the city’s main attraction, Bascarsija Square, which dates back to the 15th century. No matter the time of day, pigeons flock to be fed by tourists and locals alike and to sip water from the Sebilj, the famous wooden fountain with Ottoman flair from the 1700s. Today the Bascarsija is where the Muslim culture of the Ottoman Empire meets the Western culture that arrived when Austria-Hungary took power—and here you’ll experience the church-mosque-synagogue trilogy of the city’s diverse backgrounds. Spend some time meandering through the tiny cobblestone streets, lined with small shops that will remind you of a strip mall of ancient dollhouses, each no bigger than a king-size bed and with doors shorter than six feet in height. Inhale history as if it were air while walking through the medieval Old Town, where you’ll also find artwork, jewelry, and traditional Bosnian copper pots for drinking coffee to take home.

Sarajevo’s street food is as good as street food gets, and Cevabdzinica Zeljo is a first stop for any native returning to town or for tourists who want to get a real taste of the Bosnian food scene. Order cevapcici (che-VAHP-chee-chee), a type of non-spicy beef sausage, with pita, onions, and creamy kajmak cheese. In Bosnian culture it’s customary to get a side glass of yogurt to drink, so do as the locals do and chug away.

A visit to Sarajevo’s stately City Hall, or Vijecnica, is an absolute must. The building, first opened in 1896, is a work of art in itself; its design was chosen after an intense competition between two dueling architects who passionately wanted rights to the project. (As fate would have it, the winning architect died during its construction and it was completed under the eye of another.) Located in Sarajevo’s old Turkish quarters, it is easily recognized for its iconic orange and yellow horizontal stripped facade and Islamic-style arches. Vijecnica was marked by violence during two 20th-century wars and ultimately destroyed by Serbian shelling and burned down—a fire that lasted for three days—during the siege of 1992. After World War II it was converted into a National Library, a decision that ultimately hurt the rich-layered history of the region since almost all of the 2 million books it housed were destroyed in the fire, including rare volumes dating back to the Ottoman and Austria-Hungary empires. To the global audience, one of the most symbolic images to surface during the siege of Sarajevo is of Vedran Smailovic, a cellist playing inside of the ruins just days after its destruction.

It took a team of artists an unimaginable amount of time (18 years!) and effort to re-create every detail of the interior’s original design. The vibrant, eye-popping colors were painted on like a wallpaper mosaic—look closely enough and you may see areas where the original handiwork from 1896 still remains, surrounded by the rebirth of its renovation. Stand in the building’s center, look up, and take in all that had been devoted to one building, once considered the most exquisite structure built in the Austria-Hungary Empire—and some who see it might agree that stands true today. During its heyday years of Yugoslavia rule, City Hall was bursting with college students who used the library to study. Currently the newly restored building houses the national and university libraries, the city council, rotating art exhibitions, and a museum about its own history, so you’ll want to carve out an hour or two to fit it all in.

The shot that ultimately instigated World War I is your next stop along your walking tour. Just down the street at the corner of the Latin Bridge is the Museum of the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The spot on the side of the street where the assassin Gavrilo Princip was standing when he fired those fateful shots has been marked by embossed footprints.

Continue your tour to the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, arguably one of the most important Ottoman structures in the Balkan region. Built in the 16th century, the mosque was the centerpiece for all religious foundations and the first in the world to receive electricity and electric illumination in 1898. The clock tower shows the lunar time and a countdown to Ramadan. The inside of the mosque is accessible during certain hours for a small fee, but the scene of harmony and beauty around the mosque’s outside perimeters is lovely in its own right. (Visiting females won’t need a head cover but are encouraged to forgo tank tops and bare legs, and men should avoid wearing shorts.)

For Bosnians, drinking coffee is more of a ritual for relaxing than for jump-starting the day or powering you through that midday slump, so follow their lead and take a break at Caffe Michele. This quaint eatery’s mismatched tables and chairs, leather benches, and bookcases filled with plants give off major Brooklyn vibes but is true to Bosnian style.

You can’t step foot in Sarajevo and not invest a small part of your day to witness the history of an almost forgotten genocide. A few steps away from Caffe Michele, you’ll find an alley with a door going up to the newly opened Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide. Though small, this visceral museum is not to be missed—and not for the faint of heart, as it is a poignant reminder of the horrors of war and cruelty of humankind that took place in the city a mere 25 years ago. It offers a haunting timeline of the breakup of Yugoslavia and the brutality of the attack of the Serbs on their Bosniak neighbors with images, documentaries, and artifacts.

When you’re back outside, you’ll be mesmerized by the country’s perseverance and a city’s enduring optimism. Head down the street to Hotel Hecco Deluxe, home to one of Sarajevo’s most popular rooftops, to take in the sunset and reflect over cocktails.

Mala Kuhinja is Sarajevo’s version of “farm to table” dining, and an ideal option for dinner. A meal there is selected from one of the three Asian fusion options that are the chef’s choice of the night. Meals include chicken with rice and fresh seasonal veggies, beef with mushrooms and a creamy herb sauce, or tuna with boiled potatoes topped with a sesame and tahim sauce. Portions are large, so choosing two different plates and sharing with your partner is suggested. The restaurant is set outside the park on top of a hill under hanging trees, making the ambience cozy and serene.

Before bed calls your name, stop for libations and get a sense of the city’s vibrant nightlife at the rustic Dibek, an outdoor hookah lounge located in Old Town. Or go back in time at the famous Zlatna Ribica, a 1920s-inspired speakeasy with a vaguely 1970s vibe. Locals may consider it a kitschy dive with cluttered decor or the old neighborhood pub, but you’ll feel like you stepped into a movie scene or Sarajevo’s past. Don’t leave without tasting southeastern Europe’s signature drink, a family-made moonshine called rakija, which tastes like a strong fruit-flavored brandy—a delicious but acquired taste.

Day 2:

Start your day early and grab Bosnian pancakes or crepes filled with Nutella at the trendy Talks & Giggles café overlooking the Latin Bridge, one street over from Old Town. Eating bread is a customary Bosnian ritual, and with bakeries open around the clock, rolls, croissants, and the Bosnian classic burek (a pastry spiral filled with beef, potato, cheese, or spinach) are always within reach. Then hop in a taxi or tour bus to head up Mount Trebevic, to the site of the massive 1984 Winter Olympics bobsled and abandoned luge tracks. Visionaries turned this relic from the past into a cultural monument, adorned with graffiti and street art that snakes down the mountain through the hauntingly scenic forest. While the abandoned tracks were once a reminder of the remarkable times before the war, heavy artillery fire and a forest taken over by the other side remains an otherworldly sight to be seen.

Head down the mountain and stop at Oxygen, a mountaintop restaurant with picturesque views of the city below. A vast menu catering to tourists of American, Arabic, Turkish, and Bosnian descent will help any visitor feel at home. Right next door, take a ride on the Sunnyland Theme Park roller coaster.

Before you rush back to the bustling city streets, Sarajevo’s circuitous history lesson continues at Tunel Spasa. The small exhibition located inside and around the property of a local resident only a few hundred feet away from Sarajevo’s airport is the sight of the secret passageway that once was the only way in and out of the occupied region. Otherwise known in English as the “tunnel of rescue” or “tunnel of hope,” the passageway was constructed by the Bosnian Army to link Sarajevo to the outside world, completely cut off by the Serbian forces. At the time, the United Nations had control of the airport, and with the tunnel that ran under the airport they could get aid, food, and war supplies to the Bosnian troops and locals inside. Since the tunnel was dug by hand with shovels and picks, it was a miraculous act of teamwork worked on for 24 hours a day over many months. At the most basic it was simply a dirt pathway, but as time went on and donations came in from other countries, a railway track was laid with small carts to make the transition for supplies and aid easier. (Thanks to a generous donation from Germany, special electro-cables were sent free of charge, allowing electricity and telephone lines to connect those trapped inside the city with outside communication.) The original house on the property serves as a mini museum, with exhibitions, war photographs, and military artifacts telling the story of the little tunnel that could. A small portion of the tunnel (about 20 meters) is open for visitors to experience firsthand.

Next you’ll want to set out for an early dinner to catch the evening twilight in the foothills of the city. While reservations are strongly encouraged, scoring a seat for dinner at Restaurant Kibe Mahala is a grand finale for any Sarajevo trip. The restaurant resides inside an old house newly renovated with traditional Bosnian flair and local paintings, and the views from the main dining room will not disappoint—nor will the traditional Bosnian cuisine. Start off by sharing a variety of small plates that get delivered in the prettiest little copper dishes, like meatballs, cheese-filled pierogi, beef and potatoes, creamed mushrooms, meat ravioli, and buttery carrots, finishing with a specialty roasted lamb as your main course.