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, reasonably priced journey, and unforgettable experiences in cities like Sarajevo and Mostar.
This nation will not be on each traveler’s radar, however it ought to 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 satisfaction of the current.
Sarajevo: Europe’s Most Resilient Capital
Welcome to Sarajevo, the center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a must-see vacation spot for vacationers in search of extra than simply postcard views. It is 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 condominium partitions. And but, Sarajevo pulses with life.
It is 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 As we speak: The place the Previous Meets the Current
Sarajevo should still carry the trauma of warfare, however it’s not caught in it. This compact metropolis is buzzing with life, coloration, 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 throughout 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, 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 stops if you go to Sarajevo. This slim passage, now a part of a museum devoted to survival, allowed humanitarian assist, weapons, and folks to move by when all different routes had been minimize off. You’ll be able to e book excursions to the Tunnel of Hope from Sarajevo right here.
2. Sarajevo Roses
Scattered all through town middle are red-painted craters referred to as Sarajevo Roses. Every one 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 brazenly.
3. Battle Museums That Inform the Fact
Battle 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 throughout the Bosnian Battle. Each merchandise tells a narrative you received’t overlook.
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 automobiles, letters, and makeshift instruments individuals used simply to cook dinner and survive.
Museum of Crimes In opposition to Humanity and Genocide: Arduous-hitting and important, this museum paperwork atrocities dedicated throughout the Bosnian Battle, 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, town was as soon as often known as “Little Jerusalem.”
4. Bascarsija and the Previous City
The guts of Sarajevo is its Previous 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 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 id was cast.
5. Latin Bridge & the Spot That Modified the World
Certainly 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 Battle I. As we speak, 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. As we speak, 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 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 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. The town’s interfaith roots had been examined throughout warfare—however many Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, and Croats nonetheless stay aspect by aspect right here.
9. Exploring Sarajevo’s Metropolis Heart: The place Historical past Meets Each day Life
One of the crucial compelling components 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, 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 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 large cultural advanced holds a number of the area’s most vital artifacts, together with the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, one of many world’s oldest Jewish manuscripts.
It additionally homes intensive 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 id 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 throughout the siege. The ruins of the 1984 Winter Olympic bobsled observe, 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 get pleasure from the perfect views of town middle 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 lovely, humbling, and unforgettable.
12. Sarajevo’s Previous Jewish Cemetery: A Silent Witness to Historical past
Excessive above 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 among the largest and most vital Jewish cemeteries in Southeast Europe.
In the course of the Bosnian Battle, this sacred website was tragically utilized by snipers on account of its strategic elevation. As we speak, it stays a testomony to the lengthy presence and persecution of the Jewish group 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 Battle I. And a long time later, it grew to become the epicenter of one other world-changing battle, the Bosnian Battle.
After Herzegovina declared independence in 1992, town discovered itself underneath siege by Bosnian Serb forces. The Sarajevo siege grew to become 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 encompassing hills. Serbian forces, armed and supported by the Yugoslav Folks’s Military, focused residential blocks, hospitals, colleges, and markets. The town’s lifeline, the airport runway, was underneath worldwide management, chopping it off from the remainder of the world.
The worldwide group debated. Civilians had been left to dodge mortar shell explosions, sniper fireplace, and starvation. And but, they endured. That’s why exploring Sarajevo in the present day is about greater than ticking off points of interest, it’s about strolling by survival.
A Forgotten Battle, 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 because the Korean Battle. However this wasn’t peacekeeping as we normally think about it. They had been underneath fireplace. They confronted warfare crimes firsthand. And so they had 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 immediately engaged in fight whereas defending civilians. Their studies, documenting warfare crimes and mass destruction, contributed to worldwide consciousness and eventual accountability.
Sarajevo and World Battle II: A Metropolis Torn Twice
Whereas most individuals affiliate Sarajevo with the Bosnian Battle, town additionally performed a major position throughout World Battle II. Underneath Nazi occupation, Sarajevo’s Jewish inhabitants was devastated, and resistance actions shaped deep inside the hills and tunnels of the area. The 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 Battle Ended, However the Story Continues
Whereas the Bosnian Battle resulted in 1995 with the Dayton Accords, the aftershocks are nonetheless felt in the present day. The settlement cut up the nation into two primary entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, the place many Serbs stay in the present day.
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 in the present day.
Our Sarajevo Lodge Choose
We stayed at Lodge 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 town.
Day Journey to Mostar: Historical past in Stone
Only a two-hour drive from Sarajevo, the city of Mostar is among the greatest locations to go to in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Its well-known Previous Bridge (Stari Most) was destroyed throughout the warfare, then rebuilt stone by stone in 2004. As we speak, it’s an emblem of unity, resistance, and rebirth.
The long-lasting Stari Most (Previous Bridge), initially constructed within the 1500s, was destroyed throughout the warfare and meticulously rebuilt in 2004. As we speak, 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. The town remains to be divided, Bosniaks on one aspect, Croats on the opposite, however tourism has change 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.
Battle ruins and cultural museums – Providing context to Mostar’s previous.
Lodge 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 Lodge Sinan Han—fashionable rooms, rooftop terrace, and simply 100 meters from the bridge.
Visiting Jap Bosnia: Echoes of Battle 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 throughout the Nineteen Nineties.
The drive from Sarajevo’s metropolis middle 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 superb—delicate climate, fewer crowds.
Foreign money: Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM). Some locations settle for euros, however BAM is most popular.
Transport: Renting a automotive is the easiest way to discover each Sarajevo and Mostar. Roads are good and scenic.
Security: We all the time felt protected. The individuals are welcoming, and hospitality is real.
Prices: Bosnia & Herzegovina is extremely reasonably priced. You’ll be able to 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, particularly, taught us that magnificence and devastation can coexist and that rebuilding shouldn’t be solely doable but additionally highly effective.
This nation was deserted by the West throughout its darkest hours. And nonetheless, individuals 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 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 when you journey with an open coronary heart, it’ll reward you with unforgettable recollections, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of what resilience actually seems like.
Let this be the journey that modifications the way in which you see the world. As a result of Bosnia doesn’t whisper its previous, it speaks it. And when you hear, 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, situated within the coronary heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a singular mix of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and communist influences.
The town has a posh previous, having been besieged by Bosnian Serb forces throughout the Bosnian Battle, which had a profound affect on its improvement and id.
Sarajevo is a must-visit vacation spot for anybody fascinated with historical past, tradition, and resilience, with many cultural websites, historic museums, and warfare museums to discover.
The 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 approach 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’ll be able to take a taxi or bus to town middle, which is roughly 10-Quarter-hour away, relying on visitors.
Alternatively, you should use Google Maps to search out the perfect path to your lodging, with many choices obtainable, together with public transportation and ride-hailing providers.
It’s additionally doable to take a bus or practice 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 Lodge Hecco Deluxe, which affords gorgeous views of town.
The most effective space to remain in Sarajevo is the Previous City, which is near many points of interest and has a full of life ambiance, with many eating places, cafes, and outlets to discover.
You may as well think about staying within the surrounding hills, which supply gorgeous views of town and are inside strolling distance to town middle, with many choices obtainable, together with residences and guesthouses.
Reserving upfront is beneficial, particularly throughout peak season, to make sure availability and the perfect 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.
The town was besieged by Bosnian Serb forces throughout the Bosnian Battle, which lasted from 1992 to 1995 and had a profound affect on its improvement and id.
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.
The 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 Points of interest
Sarajevo has many primary points of interest, together with the Latin Bridge, the place Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking World Battle I, and the Previous City, which is stuffed with historic buildings and cultural websites.
The town can be house to many museums, together with the Historic Museum and the Battle Childhood Museum, which supply a glimpse into town’s advanced previous and the experiences of its residents throughout the warfare.
The 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 outside actions.
The town’s cable automotive can be a well-liked attraction, providing gorgeous views of town and the encompassing 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 Previous City and the Latin Bridge.
The 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.
You may as well 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.
The town’s slim streets and compact measurement make it straightforward to navigate, with many indicators and maps obtainable that can assist you discover your method.
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.
The town is house to many alternative ethnic and non secular teams, together with Bosnian Muslims, Serbs, and Croats, with many cultural occasions and festivals happening all year long.
The town’s cultural occasions, together with live shows and festivals, are a good way to expertise the native tradition and meet new individuals, with many choices obtainable, together with conventional music and dance performances.
The town’s cultural middle can be price visiting, with many exhibitions and performances happening all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
Meals and Drink
Sarajevo is thought for its scrumptious delicacies, which incorporates conventional dishes reminiscent of ?evapi and burek, with many eating places and cafes to select from, together with the Lodge Hecco Deluxe.
The town can 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.
You may as well strive a number of the native drinks, reminiscent of rakia and beer, that are fashionable amongst locals and guests alike, with many choices obtainable, together with conventional pubs and bars.
The town’s meals market can be price visiting, with many contemporary produce and native merchandise obtainable, together with conventional meals and drinks.
Schooling and Neighborhood
Sarajevo has a robust sense of group, with many cultural occasions and festivals happening all year long, together with conventional music and dance performances.
The 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 packages obtainable, together with language programs and cultural research.
The town’s cultural middle can be an incredible useful resource, with many exhibitions and performances happening all year long, together with artwork, music, and theater.
The town’s group can be very welcoming, with many locals keen to satisfy and work together with guests, together with language alternate packages and cultural occasions.
Reconstruction and Revitalization
Sarajevo has undergone vital reconstruction and revitalization efforts because the finish of the Bosnian Battle, with many new buildings and infrastructure initiatives accomplished, together with the reconstruction of the Previous City and the Latin Bridge.
The 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.
The town’s environment are additionally being developed, with many new parks and inexperienced areas created, together with the Veliki Park and the Trebevi? Mountain.
The 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.
Finances-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 night time.
The town’s meals can be reasonably priced, with many conventional dishes obtainable for round 10 BAM (€5), together with ?evapi and burek.
The town’s public transportation system can be reasonably priced, with many choices obtainable, together with buses and trams, with tickets ranging from round 1 BAM (€0.50).
The town’s cultural occasions and points of interest are additionally reasonably priced, 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 practice connections obtainable, together with connections to Mostar and Belgrade.
The town’s airport additionally affords worldwide flights to many European cities, with many choices obtainable, together with connections to different cities within the area.
The 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 Battle Childhood Museum.
The town’s location makes it an incredible base for exploring the encompassing area, with many pure points of interest and cultural websites to go to, together with the Dinaric Alps and the Neretva River.