Travel guide · Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo travel guide
Ottoman bazaar lanes, Habsburg avenues and four faiths in one valley
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Julian Nyča, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Sarajevo stretches along the narrow Miljacka river valley, ringed by the mountains that hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics. Walking west from the Ottoman bazaar of Baščaršija, you pass mosques, a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox cathedral and a synagogue within a few hundred metres, then Austro-Hungarian façades and socialist-era towers. The city's 20th century runs from the 1914 assassination at the Latin Bridge to the siege of 1992–1996, documented in museums such as the War Childhood Museum and the Tunnel of Hope. It is also one of Europe's most affordable capitals for coffee, ćevapi and pastries. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–June and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Best time to visit
- May–June and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- SJJ
- Mid-range daily budget
- $80–$140 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Baščaršija, Ćevapi, Bosnian coffee and 1914 assassination
Why visit Sarajevo
- A single walk along Ferhadija Street passes a 16th-century mosque, a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox cathedral and the old synagogue within about 15 minutes.
- Baščaršija's copper-smiths' lanes, caravanserais and Bosnian coffee houses preserve the layout of a 15th-century Ottoman market town.
- Museums such as the War Childhood Museum, Galerija 11/07/95 and the Tunnel of Hope explain the 1992–1996 siege through personal testimony.
- Food and drink are very good value: a plate of ćevapi in somun bread or a pita from a buregdžinica costs a few euros.
- The cable car to Mount Trebević, the source of the Bosna river and Olympic mountains are all within 30 minutes.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 16 things to do.
Market · Baščaršija
Baščaršija and the Sebilj
The old bazaar, founded in the 15th century, centres on the Sebilj, a wooden Ottoman-style fountain in Pigeon Square.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Shopping
- Kids
Religious site · Baščaršija
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
Built in 1530–1531 for the Ottoman governor Gazi Husrev-beg, this is the most important mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a tall stone minaret, a fountain courtyard and the founder's tomb.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
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Historic site · Baščaršija
Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918
On the street corner at the north end of this Ottoman stone bridge, Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie on 28 June 1914, an event that led to the First World War.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Architecture · Baščaršija
Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica)
The striped neo-Moorish City Hall was completed in 1896 and later housed the National and University Library.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Street · Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures
A line on the paving of Ferhadija Street, marked 'Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures', shows where the Ottoman bazaar gives way to the Austro-Hungarian city.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Religious site · Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sarajevo's Catholic cathedral, completed in 1889, is a neo-Gothic church modelled partly on Notre-Dame in Dijon, with twin towers that are one of the city's best-known landmarks.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Where to stay
Baščaršija is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, food lovers and budget
Baščaršija
The Ottoman old bazaar of copper workshops, mosques and ćevabdžinicas
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, couples and culture
Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
Pedestrian streets, cafés and Habsburg façades west of the bazaar
$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping and families
Marijin Dvor
Business district of parliament, museums and modern towers
$$ · Best for quiet stays and couples
Bistrik
Hillside lanes across the river with views of the old town
What to eat
- Ćevapi — Small grilled minced-meat sausages served in a portion of five or ten inside fluffy somun bread with raw onion and kajmak (clotted cream).
- Burek and pita — Coiled filo pies baked in round trays: burek is always filled with minced meat, while sirnica (cheese), zeljanica (spinach and cheese) and krompiruša (potato) are its vegetarian cousins.
- Bosnian coffee — Finely ground coffee boiled in a copper džezva and served on a tray with a small cup, a sugar cube and a piece of rahat lokum.
- Begova čorba — 'Bey's soup', a thick, creamy soup of chicken, okra and vegetables, thickened with egg yolk and sour cream, once served to Ottoman nobility.
- Klepe — Small dumplings filled with minced meat and onion, served with garlic yoghurt and a drizzle of melted butter and paprika.
- Sogan dolma and japrak — Stuffed vegetables in the Ottoman tradition: sogan dolma are onions filled with meat and rice, japrak are vine or chard leaves rolled around a similar filling.
When to go
The best times to visit Sarajevo are May to June and September to October, when the weather is warm but not hot and the hills are green or in autumn colour. August is lively but busy with the film festival. Winter is cold and snowy, ideal for combining the city with skiing, though valley smog can be heavy on still days.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Thaw and blossom, with comfortable temperatures by May, frequent showers and the occasional late snowfall in March. |
| Summer | June–August | Warm, sunny days, outdoor festivals and the Sarajevo Film Festival in August, with cooler nights than the coast. |
| Autumn | September–November | Settled September weather, autumn colours on the hills in October and theatre and jazz festivals, turning foggy in November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and snowy, with skiing on Jahorina and Bjelašnica, low prices and periods of smog trapped in the valley. |
Getting there and around
Sarajevo International Airport is about 12 km south-west of the centre. A shuttle bus links the airport with the centre, and taxis take about 20–25 minutes to Baščaršija. The Tunnel of Hope is just beyond the airport.
Sarajevo's centre is compact and walkable along the Miljacka river, with Baščaršija at the eastern end. An east–west tram line runs the length of the valley from Baščaršija to Ilidža, supplemented by trolleybuses, buses and inexpensive taxis.
Plan your days
Two days covers Baščaršija, the Ferhadija walk, City Hall, the Latin Bridge, the main museums and the cable car. A third day adds the Tunnel of Hope and Vrelo Bosne at a calmer pace; four or five days lets you add Mostar, Konjic or a mountain village.
Practical information
- Currency
- BAM
- Language
- Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water in Sarajevo is generally drinkable, and public fountains (česme) in the old town supply drinking water.
- Emergency number
- 122 police, 124 ambulance, 123 fire
- Tipping
- Tipping is not obligatory.
Sarajevo is generally relaxed for visitors. Watch for pickpockets in Baščaršija and on crowded trams. In the hills and countryside, stay on marked paths and roads, as some areas still carry landmine risk from the 1990s. On still winter days, air pollution can be high, which matters for people with asthma.
Flights to Sarajevo
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Sarajevo?
Two days covers Baščaršija, the Ferhadija walk, City Hall, the Latin Bridge, the main museums and the cable car. A third day adds the Tunnel of Hope and Vrelo Bosne at a calmer pace; four or five days lets you add Mostar, Konjic or a mountain village. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Sarajevo?
The best times to visit Sarajevo are May to June and September to October, when the weather is warm but not hot and the hills are green or in autumn colour. August is lively but busy with the film festival. Winter is cold and snowy, ideal for combining the city with skiing, though valley smog can be heavy on still days.
+What is Sarajevo known for?
Baščaršija, Ćevapi, Bosnian coffee, 1914 assassination, 1984 Winter Olympics, Siege of Sarajevo and Religious coexistence. A single walk along Ferhadija Street passes a 16th-century mosque, a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox cathedral and the old synagogue within about 15 minutes.
+Is Sarajevo expensive?
Sarajevo is very affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $80–$140 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Sarajevo?
No. The city is walkable and served by trams and cheap taxis. A car helps for Lukomir and remote villages, but buses, trains and tours cover Mostar, Konjic and the ski resorts.