2 days in Sarajevo

Day by day

1. Day 1: Baščaršija and the Sebilj and Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

   Baščaršija and the Sebilj, Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918 and Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica), then Ferhadija and Strossmayerova in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Baščaršija and the Sebilj

      Around it run lanes named after the crafts once practised there, such as Kazandžiluk, where coppersmiths still hammer coffee sets, and Bravadžiluk, lined with ćevapi grills.

   2. Late morning

      Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

      It was part of a complex that still includes a madrasa, a library and the covered market.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ćevapi

      Ćevabdžinicas along Bravadžiluk and around Baščaršija; order 'pola' for a half portion.

   4. Afternoon

      Latin Bridge and Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918

      The small museum on the corner covers the assassination and Sarajevo under Austro-Hungarian rule.

   5. Late afternoon

      Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica)

      It burned in August 1992 during the siege, with most of its collection lost, and reopened in 2014 after restoration. Today it hosts exhibitions, concerts and a museum of the building's history.

   6. Evening

      Ferhadija and Strossmayerova

      Café-bars and pubs in the Austro-Hungarian centre, busy from early evening.

2. Day 2: Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures and Sacred Heart Cathedral

   Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Galerija 11/07/95 and Sarajevo Roses, then Baščaršija in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures

      Within a short walk are the Ferhadija Mosque, the Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the old synagogue, now the Jewish Museum.

   2. Late morning

      Sacred Heart Cathedral

      Outside, a Sarajevo Rose marks where a mortar shell struck during the siege.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Burek and pita

      Buregdžinicas in Baščaršija and across the city; the best come out of the oven under a metal lid (sač).

   4. Afternoon

      Galerija 11/07/95

      It also covers the wider siege of Sarajevo.

   5. Late afternoon

      Sarajevo Roses

      Several are in the centre, including near the Catholic cathedral and on Ferhadija.

   6. Evening

      Baščaršija

      Coffee and shisha bars around the bazaar, with a handful of bars serving alcohol on its edges.

If it rains

• Swap in Tunnel of Hope (Sarajevo War Tunnel) (Ilidža): Combine it with Vrelo Bosne; both are on the western edge of the city near the airport.
• Swap in War Childhood Museum (Kovači and Vratnik): Allow time to read the stories slowly; it is a small museum but emotionally intense.
• Swap in Svrzo's House (Kovači and Vratnik): Combine it with the climb to the Yellow Fortress, a short walk uphill.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–9 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Baščaršija, Ferhadija, City Hall, the Latin Bridge and the cathedrals are all within 15 minutes of each other on foot.

More or fewer days

• One day in Sarajevo
• 3 days in Sarajevo

Questions travellers ask