Sarajevo Travel Guide: War History, Ottoman Architecture & the Best Coffee in the Balkans

Sarajevo may be the most underrated capital city in Europe. A city where East meets West literally on a bridge, where the Ottoman Bascarsija bazaar sits minutes from Austro-Hungarian architecture, and where the trauma of the 1990s siege is still visible but being processed with remarkable openness.

Bascarsija

The Bascarsija Ottoman bazaar is the heart of old Sarajevo — narrow lanes of copper smiths, jewellers, and traditional restaurants. The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque is one of the finest in the Balkans. The famous Sebilj Fountain in the central square is the meeting point of the city. Try ćevapi (small sausages of minced meat in flatbread) from Bascarsija — it’s the city’s signature dish.

Coffee Culture

Sarajevo has an extraordinary coffee culture. Bosnian coffee (similar to Turkish but served in a unique way, with rahat lokum and sugar cubes) is a ritual — never rushed. The cafes along Ferhadija street and around Bascarsija invite hours of sitting. This is possibly the best coffee culture in the Balkans.

War History

Sarajevo was besieged for nearly four years (1992–1996) — the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare. The War Childhood Museum is one of the most powerful museums in the world. The Tunnel of Hope Museum (where the city’s lifeline tunnel was dug) is a must. The Sarajevo Roses — mortar impact craters filled with red resin visible in the pavements — are quiet, painful memorials throughout the city.

Getting Around & Staying

Sarajevo is very walkable. The old city is compact; the Austro-Hungarian city centre is adjacent. Guesthouses in the old city tend to be atmospheric and affordable.

Community Tips

The Sarajevo community on Parada has travellers sharing where to find the best ćevapi, the local guides who give the most honest war history tours, and current tips on what’s opened in the city’s growing food scene.