When most individuals consider European journey, they image Parisian cafés or Tuscan villas. However what if we advised you one of the highly effective journey experiences we’ve ever had was in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Why Go to Bosnia and Herzegovina?For highly effective historical past, resilient tradition, inexpensive journey, and unforgettable experiences in cities like Sarajevo and Mostar.
This nation might not be on each traveler’s radar, but it surely must be. Bosnia & Herzegovina is a spot the place historical past isn’t simply advised, it’s felt. It’s the place war-torn buildings stand beside buzzing cafés, and the place the ache of the previous fuels the delight of the current.
Sarajevo: Europe’s Most Resilient Capital
Welcome to Sarajevo, the guts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a must-see vacation spot for vacationers looking for extra than simply postcard views. This can be a place that teaches you what warfare, peace, and resilience actually seem like.
Sarajevo is a vibrant metropolis and the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo is in contrast to wherever else in Europe. Minarets rise beside cathedrals. Ottoman bazaars sit beside Austro-Hungarian buildings. Bullet holes scar residence partitions. And but, Sarajevo pulses with life.
This can be a metropolis the place mosques, church buildings, and synagogues share the identical skyline. The place Olympic goals and warfare nightmares occurred inside a decade of one another. And the place survival isn’t only a chapter in its historical past, it’s the theme.
Visiting Sarajevo Right now: The place the Previous Meets the Current
Sarajevo should still carry the trauma of warfare, but it surely’s not caught in it. This compact metropolis is buzzing with life, colour, and coronary heart. From museums that share private tales of wartime survival to cafés that serve one of the best espresso in Southeast Europe, there’s no different place fairly prefer it. Let’s begin your Sarajevo journey information with the necessities.
Greatest Issues to Do in Sarajevo
1. The Tunnel of Hope
Begin your go to on the Tunnel of Hope, a hand-dug lifeline through the almost four-year Siege of Sarajevo. Situated beneath the Sarajevo Airport, this 800-meter-long tunnel as soon as related the besieged metropolis to free territory. It allowed civilians to move meals, drugs, gas, and even electrical energy.
Strolling by the cramped tunnel offers you a chilling sense of how Bosnian Muslims risked all the things simply to outlive. It’s one of the essential stops once you go to Sarajevo. This slender passage, now a part of a museum devoted to survival, allowed humanitarian help, weapons, and folks to move by when all different routes had been reduce off. You’ll be able to guide excursions to the Tunnel of Hope from Sarajevo right here.
2. Sarajevo Roses
Scattered all through the town heart are red-painted craters referred to as Sarajevo Roses. Each marks a spot the place a mortar shell killed civilians. These marks aren’t simply memorials, they’re a part of the sidewalk. You’ll stroll over them whereas shopping for espresso or ready for the tram. It’s one of many some ways Sarajevo wears its scars overtly.
3. Struggle Museums That Inform the Fact
Struggle Childhood Museum: This award-winning museum is likely one of the most transferring in all of Europe. It showcases toys, diaries, and private belongings from youngsters who grew up through the Bosnian Struggle. Each merchandise tells a narrative you received’t overlook.
Historic Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina: This cultural heart holds archives and exhibitions on trendy historical past, particularly the siege years. You’ll see burned-out autos, letters, and makeshift instruments folks used simply to cook dinner and survive.
Museum of Crimes Towards Humanity and Genocide: Arduous-hitting and important, this museum paperwork atrocities dedicated through the Bosnian Struggle, together with the Srebrenica genocide and Srebrenica bloodbath, the place greater than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims had been executed by Bosnian Serb forces.
Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Housed in a Sixteenth-century synagogue, this museum is a testomony to Sarajevo’s lengthy and layered non secular variety. From Sephardic Jews to Muslim Bosniaks, the town was as soon as referred to as “Little Jerusalem.”
4. Bascarsija and the Previous City
The guts of Sarajevo is its Previous City, the place slender streets wind previous copper outlets, mosques, and cafés that really feel lifted from one other century. In Bascarsija, you’ll discover the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, courting to the Ottoman interval, nonetheless lively and open to guests.
Sip Bosnian espresso at Veliki Park, watch pigeons swirl at Sebilj Fountain, and wander the stone-paved streets the place nationwide identification was solid.
5. Latin Bridge & the Spot That Modified the World
Considered one of Sarajevo’s most well-known cultural websites is the Latin Bridge. That is the place Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, igniting World Struggle I. Right now, a small however highly effective exhibit beside the bridge walks you thru the occasion that reshaped the twentieth century.
6. Metropolis Corridor (Vijecnica)
As soon as the Nationwide Library, Sarajevo’s Metropolis Corridor was destroyed in 1992 by Bosnian Serb forces. Over two million irreplaceable texts had been misplaced. Right now, the constructing has been restored and now hosts exhibitions about Sarajevo’s previous and future. It’s among the finest examples of how this metropolis refuses to be outlined by destruction.
7. Free Strolling Excursions in Sarajevo
Top-of-the-line methods to get pleasure from Sarajevo is by becoming a member of a free strolling tour. Educated native guides take you thru derelict buildings, warfare memorials, monuments devoted to resistance, and peaceable parks that had been as soon as battlegrounds.
You’ll stroll previous bullet holes that also scar façades and listen to private tales from survivors. These excursions are sometimes tip-based and value each mark.
8. Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral & the Non secular Mosaic
Sarajevo is a uncommon European capital the place mosques, church buildings, and synagogues share area. Don’t miss the Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral, which sits within the Catholic quarter, and the Previous Jewish Cemetery, one of many oldest within the Balkans. Town’s interfaith roots had been examined throughout warfare—however many Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, and Croats nonetheless reside aspect by aspect right here.
9. Exploring Sarajevo’s Metropolis Middle: The place Historical past Meets Every day Life
Probably the most compelling components of exploring Sarajevo is that its metropolis heart is as a lot a historic timeline as it’s a trendy hub. On this compact metropolis, you may stand in a sq. the place emperors as soon as dominated, get pleasure from espresso simply steps from a constructing pocked with bullet holes, and stroll right into a museum that was a library.
Every part you wish to see is inside strolling distance. It’s what makes visiting Sarajevo so highly effective—you’re not simply seeing a metropolis; you’re dwelling its historical past.
10. The Nationwide Museum: Understanding Bosnia’s Identification
No journey to Sarajevo is full with no go to to the Nationwide Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, positioned simply exterior the primary vacationer zone. This large cultural complicated holds a few of the area’s most important artifacts, together with the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, one of many world’s oldest Jewish manuscripts.
It additionally homes intensive exhibitions on trendy historical past, the Bosnian military, and the way Bosnian tradition developed by centuries of occupation and resistance. The museum is a cornerstone for anybody wanting to raised perceive the identification and resilience of the Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, Croats, and Jews who name this nation residence.
11. Sarajevo Cable Automobile & the Yellow Fortress: Viewpoints With a Story
For panoramic views of Sarajevo, journey the Sarajevo Cable Automobile as much as Mount Trebevi?. This space was as soon as utilized by snipers through the siege. The ruins of the 1984 Winter Olympic bobsled monitor, now coated in graffiti, lie only a quick stroll from the summit.
One other must-see is the Yellow Fortress. Come right here at sundown to get pleasure from one of the best views of the town heart and the encompassing hills. Locals collect right here to interrupt Ramadan fasts, {couples} picnic with cevapi, and the decision to prayer echoes throughout the valley. It’s stunning, humbling, and unforgettable.
12. Sarajevo’s Previous Jewish Cemetery: A Silent Witness to Historical past
Excessive above the town, tucked into the encompassing hills, lies the Previous Jewish Cemetery, a quiet however highly effective place. Relationship again to the Sixteenth century, it is likely one of the largest and most important Jewish cemeteries in Southeast Europe.
Through the Bosnian Struggle, this sacred website was tragically utilized by snipers as a consequence of its strategic elevation. Right now, it stays a testomony to the lengthy presence and persecution of the Jewish neighborhood in Sarajevo.
From the Ottoman Empire to Sniper Alley
Sarajevo’s historical past is layered with complexity. Over the centuries, it’s been dominated by the Ottoman Empire, formed by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, and absorbed into Socialist Yugoslavia. It was right here that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, sparking World Struggle I. And a long time later, it turned the epicenter of one other world-changing battle, the Bosnian Struggle.
After Herzegovina declared independence in 1992, the town discovered itself underneath siege by Bosnian Serb forces. The Sarajevo siege turned the longest siege of a capital metropolis in trendy historical past, lasting almost 4 years.
For almost 1,400 days, Sarajevo’s compact metropolis heart was shelled from the encompassing hills. Serbian forces, armed and supported by the Yugoslav Individuals’s Military, focused residential blocks, hospitals, colleges, and markets. Town’s lifeline, the airport runway, was underneath worldwide management, chopping it off from the remainder of the world.
The worldwide neighborhood debated. Civilians had been left to dodge mortar shell explosions, sniper fireplace, and starvation. And but, they endured. That’s why exploring Sarajevo at this time is about greater than ticking off sights, it’s about strolling by survival.
A Forgotten Struggle, A Canadian Story
Between 1992 and 2004, over 40,000 Canadian troops served within the Balkans as United Nations peacekeepers. It was Canada’s largest navy deployment for the reason that Korean Struggle. However this wasn’t peacekeeping as we normally think about it. They had been underneath fireplace. They confronted warfare crimes firsthand. They usually had been largely forgotten again residence.
And but, again residence, it barely registered. No embedded reporters. No front-page headlines. Simply background noise behind O.J. Simpson and Tonya Harding.
However right here in Bosnia & Herzegovina, these Canadians made a distinction. They patrolled ceasefires, protected help convoys, and documented warfare crimes when others turned away. This journey introduced that forgotten story to life, and Sarajevo was the beating coronary heart of it.
In locations just like the Medak Pocket in 1993, they stood between civilians and violence. It marked a uncommon second when Canadian troops instantly engaged in fight whereas defending civilians. Their reviews, documenting warfare crimes and mass destruction, contributed to worldwide consciousness and eventual accountability.
Sarajevo and World Struggle II: A Metropolis Torn Twice
Whereas most individuals affiliate Sarajevo with the Bosnian Struggle, the town additionally performed a big function throughout World Struggle II. Underneath Nazi occupation, Sarajevo’s Jewish inhabitants was devastated, and resistance actions fashioned deep inside the hills and tunnels of the area. Town fell underneath a fascist puppet regime, later liberated by partisans supported by Tito’s communist authorities, laying the groundwork for former Yugoslavia.
Strolling by Sarajevo’s Previous City, you’ll nonetheless discover monuments and plaques marking these occasions, particularly close to the Jewish Cemetery and memorials devoted to fallen resistance fighters.
The Bosnian Struggle Ended, However the Story Continues
Whereas the Bosnian Struggle led to 1995 with the Dayton Accords, the aftershocks are nonetheless felt at this time. The settlement cut up the nation into two fundamental entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, the place many Serbs reside at this time.
This division has created a posh system of governance, usually paralyzing political progress. However on the bottom, in locations like Sarajevo, locals are selecting connection over separation. It’s this human spirit that defines Bosnian tradition at this time.
Our Sarajevo Resort Choose
We stayed at Resort Boutique 36, simply steps from Sarajevo’s historic heart. With safe parking, comfy rooms, and first-class service, it’s the right base for exploring the town.
Day Journey to Mostar: Historical past in Stone
Only a two-hour drive from Sarajevo, the city of Mostar is likely one of the finest locations to go to in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Its well-known Previous Bridge (Stari Most) was destroyed through the warfare, then rebuilt stone by stone in 2004. Right now, it’s a logo of unity, resistance, and rebirth.
The long-lasting Stari Most (Previous Bridge), initially constructed within the 1500s, was destroyed through the warfare and meticulously rebuilt in 2004. Right now, native divers leap from it in a ritual that blends custom and adrenaline.
Wander by Mostar’s Ottoman-era streets, sip espresso by the Neretva River, and climb the minaret at Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque for a panoramic view. Town remains to be divided, Bosniaks on one aspect, Croats on the opposite, however tourism has turn out to be a quiet bridge between them.
Wander by the bazaar, sip espresso by the river, and don’t miss:
Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque – Climb the minaret for gorgeous metropolis views.
Struggle ruins and cultural museums – Providing context to Mostar’s previous.
Resort Sinan Han – An ideal place to remain, simply 100 meters from the bridge.
However Mostar remains to be divided—Bosniaks on one aspect, Croats on the opposite. Two colleges. Two realities. But, one shared skyline and a eager for unity.
The place to Keep in Mostar: We stayed at Resort Sinan Han—trendy rooms, rooftop terrace, and simply 100 meters from the bridge.
Visiting Jap Bosnia: Echoes of Struggle and Peace
Whereas Sarajevo anchors any itinerary, vacationers must also think about visiting Jap Bosnia, the place cities like Srebrenica and Višegrad maintain darker, less-touristy chapters of the previous. These are areas most impacted by warfare crimes and ethnic cleaning through the Nineteen Nineties.
The drive from Sarajevo’s metropolis heart to Jap Bosnia reveals one other aspect of the nation, extra rural, extra rugged, however equally wealthy in tales. You’ll achieve a greater appreciation for the complexity of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a nation nonetheless therapeutic.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Journey Suggestions
Planning your Bosnia & Herzegovina journey? Right here’s what to know:
When to Go: Spring and fall are supreme—delicate climate, fewer crowds.
Foreign money: Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM). Some locations settle for euros, however BAM is most well-liked.
Transport: Renting a automobile is one of the best ways to discover each Sarajevo and Mostar. Roads are good and scenic.
Security: We all the time felt secure. The persons are welcoming, and hospitality is real.
Prices: Bosnia & Herzegovina is extremely inexpensive. You’ll be able to journey properly right here on a modest price range.
Why You Ought to Go to Bosnia & Herzegovina in 2025
Bosnia & Herzegovina is likely one of the most unforgettable locations we’ve visited. It’s emotional, academic, and deeply rewarding. Sarajevo, specifically, taught us that magnificence and devastation can coexist and that rebuilding isn’t solely attainable but additionally highly effective.
This nation was deserted by the West throughout its darkest hours. And nonetheless, folks rebuilt. That’s why visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina is so highly effective. It’s not nearly historical past. It’s about what comes after.
It’s additionally about understanding our function, particularly as Canadians. Canadian peacekeepers had been right here earlier than NATO and earlier than the U.S. stepped in. Their contributions had been actual, and infrequently talked about. This isn’t only a vacation spot. It’s a narrative. One that also issues. One you’ll carry lengthy after you permit.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Will Keep With You
Bosnia and Herzegovina isn’t only a vacation spot, it’s a narrative. A warning. A celebration of survival. It calls for your consideration. And for those who journey with an open coronary heart, it can reward you with unforgettable recollections, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of what resilience actually seems like.
Let this be the journey that adjustments the way in which you see the world. As a result of Bosnia doesn’t whisper its previous, it speaks it. And for those who pay attention, you’ll always remember it.
Plan Your Journey:
Prepared for a journey by Sarajevo and past? Bosnia & Herzegovina journey will change the way in which you see the world.
Uncover Sarajevo: A Balanced Information to Its Tradition and Historical past
Introduction to Sarajevo
Sarajevo is a metropolis with a wealthy historical past and tradition, positioned within the coronary heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a novel mix of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and communist influences.
Town has a posh previous, having been besieged by Bosnian Serb forces through the Bosnian Struggle, which had a profound affect on its improvement and identification.
Sarajevo is a must-visit vacation spot for anybody serious about historical past, tradition, and resilience, with many cultural websites, historic museums, and warfare museums to discover.
Town’s compact dimension and walkability make it straightforward to discover on foot, with many sights inside strolling distance, together with the Latin Bridge and the Previous City.
Attending to Sarajevo
The simplest option to get to Sarajevo is by flying into Sarajevo Worldwide Airport, which affords worldwide flights to many European cities, together with connections to different cities within the area.
From the airport, you may take a taxi or bus to the town heart, which is roughly 10-Quarter-hour away, relying on visitors.
Alternatively, you should use Google Maps to search out one of the best path to your lodging, with many choices out there, together with public transportation and ride-hailing companies.
It’s additionally attainable to take a bus or practice from different cities within the area, together with Mostar and Belgrade, with common connections out there.
Lodging
Sarajevo has a variety of lodging choices, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious resorts, together with the Resort Hecco Deluxe, which affords gorgeous views of the town.
The most effective space to remain in Sarajevo is the Previous City, which is near many sights and has a vigorous ambiance, with many eating places, cafes, and outlets to discover.
You can even think about staying within the surrounding hills, which supply gorgeous views of the town and are inside strolling distance to the town heart, with many choices out there, together with flats and guesthouses.
Reserving prematurely is really helpful, particularly throughout peak season, to make sure availability and one of the best costs.
Sarajevo’s Historical past
Sarajevo has a posh and tumultuous historical past, having been a part of the Ottoman Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and former Yugoslavia, with many cultural and historic websites to discover.
Town was besieged by Bosnian Serb forces through the Bosnian Struggle, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 and had a profound affect on its improvement and identification.
The warfare ended with the signing of the Dayton Accords, however the metropolis nonetheless bears the scars of the battle, with many derelict buildings and mortar shell explosions nonetheless seen.
Town’s historical past remains to be seen in its structure, with many buildings from the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian intervals nonetheless standing, together with the Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque and the Yellow Fortress.
Foremost Points of interest
Sarajevo has many fundamental sights, together with the Latin Bridge, the place Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking World Struggle I, and the Previous City, which is stuffed with historic buildings and cultural websites.
Town can also be residence to many museums, together with the Historic Museum and the Struggle Childhood Museum, which supply a glimpse into the town’s complicated previous and the experiences of its residents through the warfare.
Town’s environment are additionally price exploring, with many pure sights, together with the Trebevi? Mountain and the Veliki Park, which supply gorgeous views and alternatives for mountain climbing and outside actions.
Town’s cable automobile can also be a well-liked attraction, providing gorgeous views of the town and the encompassing hills.
Exploring the Metropolis
The easiest way to discover Sarajevo is on foot, with many sights inside strolling distance, together with the Previous City and the Latin Bridge.
Town has a complete public transportation system, together with buses and trams, which make it straightforward to get round, with many choices out there, together with tickets and passes.
You can even take a free strolling tour to be taught extra in regards to the metropolis’s historical past and tradition, with many guides out there, together with native residents and consultants.
Town’s slender streets and compact dimension make it straightforward to navigate, with many indicators and maps out there that will help you discover your manner.
Tradition and Heritage
Sarajevo is a metropolis with a wealthy cultural heritage, with many cultural websites and historic museums to discover, together with the Nationwide Museum and the Jewish Museum.
Town is residence to many various ethnic and spiritual teams, together with Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, and Croats, with many cultural occasions and festivals going down all year long.
Town’s cultural occasions, together with concert events and festivals, are an effective way to expertise the native tradition and meet new folks, with many choices out there, together with conventional music and dance performances.
Town’s cultural heart can also be price visiting, with many exhibitions and performances going down all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
Meals and Drink
Sarajevo is understood for its scrumptious delicacies, which incorporates conventional dishes resembling ?evapi and burek, with many eating places and cafes to select from, together with the Resort Hecco Deluxe.
Town can also be well-known for its espresso tradition, with many cafes serving high-quality espresso, together with the normal Bosnian espresso, which is a crucial a part of the native tradition.
You can even attempt a few of the native drinks, resembling rakia and beer, that are widespread amongst locals and guests alike, with many choices out there, together with conventional pubs and bars.
Town’s meals market can also be price visiting, with many recent produce and native merchandise out there, together with conventional meals and drinks.
Schooling and Neighborhood
Sarajevo has a powerful sense of neighborhood, with many cultural occasions and festivals going down all year long, together with conventional music and dance performances.
Town is residence to many academic establishments, together with the College of Sarajevo, which is likely one of the oldest and most prestigious universities within the area, with many packages out there, together with language programs and cultural research.
Town’s cultural heart can also be a fantastic useful resource, with many exhibitions and performances going down all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
Town’s neighborhood can also be very welcoming, with many locals keen to satisfy and work together with guests, together with language trade packages and cultural occasions.
Reconstruction and Revitalization
Sarajevo has undergone important reconstruction and revitalization efforts for the reason that finish of the Bosnian Struggle, with many new buildings and infrastructure tasks accomplished, together with the reconstruction of the Previous City and the Latin Bridge.
Town’s historic heart has been restored to its former glory, with many historic buildings and cultural websites preserved, together with the Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque and the Yellow Fortress.
Town’s environment are additionally being developed, with many new parks and inexperienced areas created, together with the Veliki Park and the Trebevi? Mountain.
Town’s reconstruction and revitalization efforts are ongoing, with many new tasks and initiatives being carried out, together with the event of latest cultural and vacationer sights.
Price range-Pleasant Choices
Sarajevo is a budget-friendly vacation spot, with many inexpensive lodging choices, together with hostels and guesthouses, with costs ranging from round 20 BAM (€10) per night time.
Town’s meals can also be inexpensive, with many conventional dishes out there for round 10 BAM (€5), together with ?evapi and burek.
Town’s public transportation system can also be inexpensive, with many choices out there, together with buses and trams, with tickets ranging from round 1 BAM (€0.50).
Town’s cultural occasions and sights are additionally inexpensive, with many free or low-cost choices out there, together with guided excursions and exhibitions.
Hyperlinks to Different Cities
Sarajevo is well-connected to different cities within the area, with many bus and practice connections out there, together with connections to Mostar and Belgrade.
Town’s airport additionally affords worldwide flights to many European cities, with many choices out there, together with connections to different cities within the area.
Town’s tour operators supply many guided excursions and excursions to different cities and sights within the area, together with visits to the Srebrenica genocide memorial and the Struggle Childhood Museum.
Town’s location makes it a fantastic base for exploring the encompassing area, with many pure sights and cultural websites to go to, together with the Dinaric Alps and the Neretva River.
