When most individuals consider European journey, they image Parisian cafés or Tuscan villas. However what if we instructed you one of the vital 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 will not be on each traveler’s radar, but it surely must be. Bosnia & Herzegovina is a spot the place historical past isn’t simply instructed, it’s felt. It’s the place war-torn buildings stand beside buzzing cafés, and the place the ache of the previous fuels the pleasure 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 struggle, 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 house 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 struggle 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 this moment: The place the Previous Meets the Current
Sarajevo should still carry the trauma of struggle, 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 the perfect espresso in Southeast Europe, there’s no different place fairly prefer it. Let’s begin your Sarajevo journey information with the necessities.
Finest 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 linked the besieged metropolis to free territory. It allowed civilians to move meals, medication, gasoline, and even electrical energy.
Strolling by the cramped tunnel offers you a chilling sense of how Bosnian Muslims risked every part simply to outlive. It’s one of the vital vital stops while you go to Sarajevo. This slender passage, now a part of a museum devoted to survival, allowed humanitarian support, weapons, and folks to cross by when all different routes had been lower off. You may e book excursions to the Tunnel of Hope from Sarajevo right here.
2. Sarajevo Roses
Scattered all through the town middle 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. Warfare Museums That Inform the Reality
Warfare 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 Warfare. Each merchandise tells a narrative you received’t neglect.
Historic Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina: This cultural middle holds archives and exhibitions on fashionable historical past, particularly the siege years. You’ll see burned-out autos, letters, and makeshift instruments folks used simply to prepare dinner and survive.
Museum of Crimes In opposition to Humanity and Genocide: Onerous-hitting and important, this museum paperwork atrocities dedicated through the Bosnian Warfare, 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 spiritual variety. From Sephardic Jews to Muslim Bosniaks, the town was as soon as often known as “Little Jerusalem.”
4. Bascarsija and the Previous City
The center of Sarajevo is its Previous City, the place slender streets wind previous copper retailers, 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 energetic 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 cast.
5. Latin Bridge & the Spot That Modified the World
One among Sarajevo’s most well-known cultural websites is the Latin Bridge. That is the place Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, igniting World Warfare I. Right this moment, 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 this moment, the constructing has been restored and now hosts exhibitions about Sarajevo’s previous and future. It’s among the best examples of how this metropolis refuses to be outlined by destruction.
7. Free Strolling Excursions in Sarajevo
Top-of-the-line methods to take pleasure in Sarajevo is by becoming a member of a free strolling tour. Educated native guides take you thru derelict buildings, struggle 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 Spiritual 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 struggle—however many Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, and Croats nonetheless dwell facet by facet right here.
9. Exploring Sarajevo’s Metropolis Middle: The place Historical past Meets Each day Life
One of the vital compelling elements of exploring Sarajevo is that its metropolis middle is as a lot a historic timeline as it’s a fashionable hub. On this compact metropolis, you’ll be able to stand in a sq. the place emperors as soon as dominated, take pleasure in espresso simply steps from a constructing pocked with bullet holes, and stroll right into a museum that was a library.
Every thing 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 residing its historical past.
10. The Nationwide Museum: Understanding Bosnia’s Id
No journey to Sarajevo is full and not using a go to to the Nationwide Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated simply outdoors the primary vacationer zone. This huge cultural complicated holds a number of the area’s most important artifacts, together with the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, one of many world’s oldest Jewish manuscripts.
It additionally homes in depth exhibitions on fashionable 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 higher perceive the identification and resilience of the Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, Croats, and Jews who name this nation residence.
11. Sarajevo Cable Automotive & the Yellow Fortress: Viewpoints With a Story
For panoramic views of Sarajevo, trip the Sarajevo Cable Automotive 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 observe, now coated in graffiti, lie only a brief stroll from the summit.
One other must-see is the Yellow Fortress. Come right here at sundown to take pleasure in the perfect views of the town middle and the encircling 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 encircling 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 Warfare, this sacred website was tragically utilized by snipers attributable to its strategic elevation. Right this moment, 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 Warfare I. And many years later, it turned the epicenter of one other world-changing battle, the Bosnian Warfare.
After Herzegovina declared independence in 1992, the town discovered itself below siege by Bosnian Serb forces. The Sarajevo siege turned the longest siege of a capital metropolis in fashionable historical past, lasting almost 4 years.
For almost 1,400 days, Sarajevo’s compact metropolis middle was shelled from the encircling hills. Serbian forces, armed and supported by the Yugoslav Folks’s Military, focused residential blocks, hospitals, faculties, and markets. Town’s lifeline, the airport runway, was below worldwide management, slicing 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 right this moment is about greater than ticking off points of interest, it’s about strolling by survival.
A Forgotten Warfare, 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 Warfare. However this wasn’t peacekeeping as we often think about it. They had been below fireplace. They confronted struggle 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 support convoys, and documented struggle 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 immediately engaged in fight whereas defending civilians. Their experiences, documenting struggle crimes and mass destruction, contributed to worldwide consciousness and eventual accountability.
Sarajevo and World Warfare II: A Metropolis Torn Twice
Whereas most individuals affiliate Sarajevo with the Bosnian Warfare, the town additionally performed a big position throughout World Warfare II. Beneath Nazi occupation, Sarajevo’s Jewish inhabitants was devastated, and resistance actions fashioned deep inside the hills and tunnels of the area. Town fell below 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 Warfare Ended, However the Story Continues
Whereas the Bosnian Warfare led to 1995 with the Dayton Accords, the aftershocks are nonetheless felt right this moment. The settlement cut up the nation into two essential entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, the place many Serbs dwell right this moment.
This division has created a fancy system of governance, typically 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 right this moment.
Our Sarajevo Resort Decide
We stayed at Resort Boutique 36, simply steps from Sarajevo’s historic middle. With safe parking, snug 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 greatest locations to go to in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Its well-known Previous Bridge (Stari Most) was destroyed through the struggle, then rebuilt stone by stone in 2004. Right this moment, 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 struggle and meticulously rebuilt in 2004. Right this moment, 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 continues to be divided, Bosniaks on one facet, Croats on the opposite, however tourism has grow 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 beautiful metropolis views.
Warfare 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 continues to be divided—Bosniaks on one facet, Croats on the opposite. Two faculties. Two realities. But, one shared skyline and a eager for unity.
The place to Keep in Mostar: We stayed at Resort Sinan Han—fashionable rooms, rooftop terrace, and simply 100 meters from the bridge.
Visiting Jap Bosnia: Echoes of Warfare and Peace
Whereas Sarajevo anchors any itinerary, vacationers also needs to contemplate visiting Jap Bosnia, the place cities like Srebrenica and Višegrad maintain darker, less-touristy chapters of the previous. These are areas most impacted by struggle crimes and ethnic cleaning through the Nineties.
The drive from Sarajevo’s metropolis middle to Jap Bosnia reveals one other facet 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 ultimate—gentle climate, fewer crowds.
Forex: Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM). Some locations settle for euros, however BAM is most popular.
Transport: Renting a automotive is one of the best ways to discover each Sarajevo and Mostar. Roads are good and scenic.
Security: We at all times felt secure. The individuals are welcoming, and hospitality is real.
Prices: Bosnia & Herzegovina is extremely inexpensive. You may journey nicely right here on a modest finances.
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, particularly, taught us that magnificence and devastation can coexist and that rebuilding will not be solely potential but in addition 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 position, 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 if you happen to 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 best way you see the world. As a result of Bosnia doesn’t whisper its previous, it speaks it. And if you happen to pay attention, you’ll always remember it.
Plan Your Journey:
Prepared for a journey by Sarajevo and past? Bosnia & Herzegovina journey will change the best way 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, situated within the coronary heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a novel mix of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and communist influences.
Town has a fancy previous, having been besieged by Bosnian Serb forces through the Bosnian Warfare, which had a profound influence on its growth and identification.
Sarajevo is a must-visit vacation spot for anybody curious about historical past, tradition, and resilience, with many cultural websites, historic museums, and struggle museums to discover.
Town’s compact measurement and walkability make it straightforward to discover on foot, with many points of interest inside strolling distance, together with the Latin Bridge and the Previous City.
Attending to Sarajevo
The simplest strategy to get to Sarajevo is by flying into Sarajevo Worldwide Airport, which gives worldwide flights to many European cities, together with connections to different cities within the area.
From the airport, you’ll be able to take a taxi or bus to the town middle, which is roughly 10-Quarter-hour away, relying on visitors.
Alternatively, you should utilize Google Maps to seek out the perfect path to your lodging, with many choices obtainable, together with public transportation and ride-hailing providers.
It’s additionally potential to take a bus or prepare from different cities within the area, together with Mostar and Belgrade, with common connections obtainable.
Lodging
Sarajevo has a variety of lodging choices, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious inns, together with the Resort Hecco Deluxe, which gives beautiful views of the town.
The very best space to remain in Sarajevo is the Previous City, which is near many points of interest and has a full of life environment, with many eating places, cafes, and retailers to discover.
It’s also possible to contemplate staying within the surrounding hills, which provide beautiful views of the town and are inside strolling distance to the town middle, with many choices obtainable, together with residences and guesthouses.
Reserving prematurely is really helpful, particularly throughout peak season, to make sure availability and the perfect costs.
Sarajevo’s Historical past
Sarajevo has a fancy 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 Warfare, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 and had a profound influence on its growth and identification.
The struggle 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 continues to be seen in its structure, with many buildings from the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian durations nonetheless standing, together with the Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque and the Yellow Fortress.
Important Sights
Sarajevo has many essential points of interest, together with the Latin Bridge, the place Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking World Warfare I, and the Previous City, which is crammed with historic buildings and cultural websites.
Town can also be residence to many museums, together with the Historic Museum and the Warfare Childhood Museum, which provide a glimpse into the town’s complicated previous and the experiences of its residents through the struggle.
Town’s environment are additionally value exploring, with many pure points of interest, together with the Trebevi? Mountain and the Veliki Park, which provide beautiful views and alternatives for climbing and out of doors actions.
Town’s cable automotive can also be a well-liked attraction, providing beautiful views of the town and the encircling hills.
Exploring the Metropolis
One of the best ways to discover Sarajevo is on foot, with many points of interest 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 obtainable, together with tickets and passes.
It’s also possible to take a free strolling tour to study extra in regards to the metropolis’s historical past and tradition, with many guides obtainable, together with native residents and specialists.
Town’s slender streets and compact measurement make it straightforward to navigate, with many indicators and maps obtainable that will help you discover your means.
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 alternative ethnic and non secular 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 live shows and festivals, are a good way to expertise the native tradition and meet new folks, with many choices obtainable, together with conventional music and dance performances.
Town’s cultural middle can also be value visiting, with many exhibitions and performances going down all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
Meals and Drink
Sarajevo is thought for its scrumptious delicacies, which incorporates conventional dishes equivalent to ?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 vital a part of the native tradition.
It’s also possible to attempt a number of the native drinks, equivalent to rakia and beer, that are widespread amongst locals and guests alike, with many choices obtainable, together with conventional pubs and bars.
Town’s meals market can also be value visiting, with many recent produce and native merchandise obtainable, together with conventional meals and drinks.
Training 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 applications obtainable, together with language programs and cultural research.
Town’s cultural middle 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 fulfill and work together with guests, together with language change applications and cultural occasions.
Reconstruction and Revitalization
Sarajevo has undergone vital reconstruction and revitalization efforts for the reason that finish of the Bosnian Warfare, with many new buildings and infrastructure tasks accomplished, together with the reconstruction of the Previous City and the Latin Bridge.
Town’s historic middle 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 applied, together with the event of latest cultural and vacationer points of interest.
Finances-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 obtainable for round 10 BAM (€5), together with ?evapi and burek.
Town’s public transportation system can also be inexpensive, with many choices obtainable, together with buses and trams, with tickets ranging from round 1 BAM (€0.50).
Town’s cultural occasions and points of interest are additionally inexpensive, with many free or low-cost choices obtainable, together with guided excursions and exhibitions.
Hyperlinks to Different Cities
Sarajevo is well-connected to different cities within the area, with many bus and prepare connections obtainable, together with connections to Mostar and Belgrade.
Town’s airport additionally gives worldwide flights to many European cities, with many choices obtainable, together with connections to different cities within the area.
Town’s tour operators provide many guided excursions and excursions to different cities and points of interest within the area, together with visits to the Srebrenica genocide memorial and the Warfare Childhood Museum.
Town’s location makes it a fantastic base for exploring the encircling area, with many pure points of interest and cultural websites to go to, together with the Dinaric Alps and the Neretva River.