When most individuals consider European journey, they image Parisian cafés or Tuscan villas. However what if we instructed you probably the most 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, reasonably priced journey, and unforgettable experiences in cities like Sarajevo and Mostar.
This nation is probably not 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 satisfaction 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 in search of extra than simply postcard views. This can be a place that teaches you what warfare, peace, and resilience actually appear like.
Sarajevo is a vibrant metropolis and the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo is not like anyplace 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 desires 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 this moment: The place the Previous Meets the Current
Sarajevo should carry the trauma of warfare, but it surely’s not caught in it. This compact metropolis is buzzing with life, shade, 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.
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 practically four-year Siege of Sarajevo. Positioned 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, drugs, gasoline, and even electrical energy.
Strolling by the cramped tunnel offers you a chilling sense of how Bosnian Muslims risked every thing simply to outlive. It’s probably the most essential stops once you go to Sarajevo. This slim passage, now a part of a museum devoted to survival, allowed humanitarian assist, weapons, and folks to cross by when all different routes have been minimize off. You possibly can e-book excursions to the Tunnel of Hope from Sarajevo right here.
2. Sarajevo Roses
Scattered all through 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. Conflict Museums That Inform the Reality
- Conflict Childhood Museum: This award-winning museum is among the most shifting in all of Europe. It showcases toys, diaries, and private belongings from youngsters who grew up through the Bosnian Conflict. Each merchandise tells a narrative you gained’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 automobiles, letters, and makeshift instruments folks used simply to prepare dinner and survive.
- Museum of Crimes Towards Humanity and Genocide: Arduous-hitting and important, this museum paperwork atrocities dedicated through the Bosnian Conflict, together with the Srebrenica genocide and Srebrenica bloodbath, the place greater than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims have 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, town was as soon as often known as “Little Jerusalem.”
4. Bascarsija and the Outdated City
The center of Sarajevo is its Outdated City, the place slim 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 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 solid.
5. Latin Bridge & the Spot That Modified the World
One in every of Sarajevo’s most well-known cultural websites is the Latin Bridge. That is the place Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, igniting World Conflict 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 have been misplaced. Right this moment, 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
Probably the greatest methods to take pleasure in 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 have 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 house. Don’t miss the Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral, which sits within the Catholic quarter, and the Outdated Jewish Cemetery, one of many oldest within the Balkans. Town’s interfaith roots have been examined throughout warfare—however many Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, and Croats nonetheless stay aspect by aspect right here.
9. Exploring Sarajevo’s Metropolis Middle: The place Historical past Meets Each 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 possibly can 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 once a library.
Every little 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 with no go to to the Nationwide Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated simply outdoors the primary vacationer zone. This huge cultural advanced holds among 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 higher perceive the identification and resilience of the Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, Croats, and Jews who name this nation house.
11. Sarajevo Cable Automobile & the Yellow Fortress: Viewpoints With a Story
For panoramic views of Sarajevo, trip 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 lined in graffiti, lie only a quick stroll from the summit.
One other must-see is the Yellow Fortress. Come right here at sundown to take pleasure in one of the best views of town heart 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 lovely, humbling, and unforgettable.
12. Sarajevo’s Outdated Jewish Cemetery: A Silent Witness to Historical past
Excessive above town, tucked into the encircling hills, lies the Outdated Jewish Cemetery, a quiet however highly effective place. Relationship again to the Sixteenth century, it is among the largest and most important Jewish cemeteries in Southeast Europe.
Through the Bosnian Conflict, this sacred website was tragically utilized by snipers resulting from 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 Conflict I. And many years later, it turned the epicenter of one other world-changing battle, the Bosnian Conflict.
After Herzegovina declared independence in 1992, town discovered itself below siege by Bosnian Serb forces. The Sarajevo siege turned the longest siege of a capital metropolis in trendy historical past, lasting practically 4 years.
For practically 1,400 days, Sarajevo’s compact metropolis heart was shelled from the encircling hills. Serbian forces, armed and supported by the Yugoslav Folks’s Military, focused residential blocks, hospitals, colleges, and markets. Town’s lifeline, the airport runway, was below worldwide management, reducing it off from the remainder of the world.
The worldwide neighborhood debated. Civilians have been left to dodge mortar shell explosions, sniper fireplace, and starvation. And but, they endured. That’s why exploring Sarajevo immediately is about greater than ticking off points of interest, it’s about strolling by survival.
A Forgotten Conflict, 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 Conflict. However this wasn’t peacekeeping as we often think about it. They have been below fireplace. They confronted warfare crimes firsthand. And so they have been largely forgotten again house.
And but, again house, 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 assist 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 stories, documenting warfare crimes and mass destruction, contributed to worldwide consciousness and eventual accountability.
Sarajevo and World Conflict II: A Metropolis Torn Twice
Whereas most individuals affiliate Sarajevo with the Bosnian Conflict, town additionally performed a big position throughout World Conflict II. Beneath Nazi occupation, Sarajevo’s Jewish inhabitants was devastated, and resistance actions fashioned deep throughout 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 Outdated 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 Conflict Ended, However the Story Continues
Whereas the Bosnian Conflict led to 1995 with the Dayton Accords, the aftershocks are nonetheless felt immediately. The settlement cut up the nation into two primary entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, the place many Serbs stay immediately.
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 immediately.
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 proper base for exploring town.
Day Journey to Mostar: Historical past in Stone
Only a two-hour drive from Sarajevo, the city of Mostar is among the finest locations to go to in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Its well-known Outdated Bridge (Stari Most) was destroyed through the warfare, then rebuilt stone by stone in 2004. Right this moment, it’s a logo of unity, resistance, and rebirth.
The long-lasting Stari Most (Outdated Bridge), initially constructed within the 1500s, was destroyed through the warfare 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 remains to be divided, Bosniaks on one aspect, Croats on the opposite, however tourism has develop into 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.
- Conflict 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 Conflict and Peace
Whereas Sarajevo anchors any itinerary, vacationers must also 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 warfare crimes and ethnic cleaning through the 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 acquire 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 preferrred—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 simplest ways to discover each Sarajevo and Mostar. Roads are good and scenic.
- Security: We at all times felt protected. The persons are welcoming, and hospitality is real.
- Prices: Bosnia & Herzegovina is extremely reasonably priced. You possibly can journey effectively right here on a modest price range.
Why You Ought to Go to Bosnia & Herzegovina in 2025
Bosnia & Herzegovina is among the most unforgettable locations we’ve visited. It’s emotional, instructional, and deeply rewarding. Sarajevo, specifically, taught us that magnificence and devastation can coexist and that rebuilding will not be solely doable 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 have been right here earlier than NATO and earlier than the U.S. stepped in. Their contributions have 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 allow.
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 in case you journey with an open coronary heart, it’ll reward you with unforgettable reminiscences, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of what resilience actually appears to be like 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 in case you 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 singular mix of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and communist influences.
- Town has a posh previous, having been besieged by Bosnian Serb forces through the Bosnian Conflict, which had a profound influence on its improvement and identification.
- Sarajevo is a must-visit vacation spot for anybody fascinated by historical past, tradition, and resilience, with many cultural websites, historic museums, and warfare museums to discover.
- Town’s compact dimension and walkability make it simple to discover on foot, with many points of interest inside strolling distance, together with the Latin Bridge and the Outdated City.
Attending to Sarajevo
- The best solution to get to Sarajevo is by flying into Sarajevo Worldwide Airport, which presents worldwide flights to many European cities, together with connections to different cities within the area.
- From the airport, you possibly can take a taxi or bus to town heart, which is roughly 10-Quarter-hour away, relying on visitors.
- Alternatively, you should utilize 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 doable 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 accommodations, together with the Resort Hecco Deluxe, which presents gorgeous views of town.
- The most effective space to remain in Sarajevo is the Outdated City, which is near many points of interest and has a vigorous environment, with many eating places, cafes, and outlets to discover.
- You too can contemplate staying within the surrounding hills, which supply gorgeous views of town and are inside strolling distance to town heart, with many choices out there, together with flats and guesthouses.
- Reserving upfront is beneficial, 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 Conflict, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 and had a profound influence 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.
Primary Sights
- Sarajevo has many primary points of interest, together with the Latin Bridge, the place Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking World Conflict I, and the Outdated City, which is stuffed with historic buildings and cultural websites.
- Town can also be house to many museums, together with the Historic Museum and the Conflict Childhood Museum, which supply a glimpse into town’s advanced previous and the experiences of its residents through the warfare.
- Town’s environment are additionally price exploring, with many pure points of interest, together with the Trebevi? Mountain and the Veliki Park, which supply gorgeous views and alternatives for climbing and out of doors actions.
- Town’s cable automobile can also be a preferred attraction, providing gorgeous views of town and the encircling hills.
Exploring the Metropolis
- One of the simplest ways to discover Sarajevo is on foot, with many points of interest inside strolling distance, together with the Outdated City and the Latin Bridge.
- Town has a complete public transportation system, together with buses and trams, which make it simple to get round, with many choices out there, together with tickets and passes.
- You too can take a free strolling tour to study extra in regards to the metropolis’s historical past and tradition, with many guides out there, together with native residents and consultants.
- Town’s slim streets and compact dimension make it simple to navigate, with many indicators and maps out there 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 house to many various ethnic and non secular teams, together with Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, and Croats, with many cultural occasions and festivals happening all year long.
- Town’s cultural occasions, together with concert events and festivals, are a good 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 happening all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
Meals and Drink
- Sarajevo is understood 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 standard Bosnian espresso, which is a crucial a part of the native tradition.
- You too can strive among the native drinks, equivalent to rakia and beer, that are fashionable 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.
Training and Neighborhood
- Sarajevo has a robust sense of neighborhood, with many cultural occasions and festivals happening all year long, together with conventional music and dance performances.
- Town is house to many instructional establishments, together with the College of Sarajevo, which is among the oldest and most prestigious universities within the area, with many applications out there, together with language programs and cultural research.
- Town’s cultural heart can also be a terrific useful resource, with many exhibitions and performances happening 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 alternate applications and cultural occasions.
Reconstruction and Revitalization
- Sarajevo has undergone important reconstruction and revitalization efforts for the reason that finish of the Bosnian Conflict, with many new buildings and infrastructure initiatives accomplished, together with the reconstruction of the Outdated 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 initiatives and initiatives being carried out, together with the event of latest cultural and vacationer points of interest.
Funds-Pleasant Choices
- Sarajevo is a budget-friendly vacation spot, with many reasonably priced lodging choices, together with hostels and guesthouses, with costs ranging from round 20 BAM (€10) per evening.
- Town’s meals can also be reasonably priced, with many conventional dishes out there for round 10 BAM (€5), together with ?evapi and burek.
- Town’s public transportation system can also be reasonably priced, with many choices out there, together with buses and trams, with tickets ranging from round 1 BAM (€0.50).
- Town’s cultural occasions and points of interest are additionally reasonably priced, 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 presents 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 points of interest within the area, together with visits to the Srebrenica genocide memorial and the Conflict Childhood Museum.
- Town’s location makes it a terrific 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.
