A city in Europe founded by the Ottomans in the 15th century: Sarajevo.
One neighbourhood resembles Ottoman Istanbul, while another neighbourhood resembles “mini Vienna” with its Austro-Hungarian texture. It is also possible to feel the traces of Belgrade in some of its streets. With its eclectic structure, this city, where east and west intersect, has hosted the traces of different cultures and civilisations for centuries.
Sarajevo, built in a narrow valley on the banks of the Miljacka River, has mosques, inns and bridges from the Ottoman period, as well as the first tramway in the Balkans built during the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1870s), majestic cathedrals and the magnificent city hall.
The city was also home to Sephardic Jews who fled fromSpain at the invitation of the Ottomans. Today, it still has a mosaic ethnic structure consisting of Bosniaks, Serbs and a small number of Croatian and Jewish communities.
Sarajevo, which has witnessed great events in history, is remembered as the city that ignited the fuse of World War I with the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.
The city developed as an industrial and cultural centre duringYugoslavia, 1992-1996 in theBosnian War the longestin history was subjected to one of the sieges. Althoughthis tragedy, which lastedfour years, left deep scars on the city, Sarajevo today is a reborn, vibrant and hopeful capital city.
Sarajevo , which takes on a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in winter, Sarajevo takes on a completely different identity with the Sarajevo Film Festival in August. Attracting nearly 20 thousand visitors, this festival fills the streets of the city with art and joy.
We visited this charming city for a friend’s wedding many years ago, In August 2024 we visited once again on the occasion of the Sarajevo Film Festival .
In this list you can find our favourite good food stops and places that we associate with Sarajevo:
– The Singing Nettle
– Dveri
– Konoba Luka
– ASDŽ Aščinica
– Ćevabdžinica Ferhatović
– Restoran Tavola
– Karuzo
– Avlija
– Sač
Dessert/cafe:
– Habitus for new generation coffees & breakfast.
– Bosnian style baklava: Baklava Ducan.
– A sweet patisserie: So i čokolada.
– A traditional & historical patisserie: Egipat
– A boutique tea house: Džirlo
– Cafe and shop ( temporarily closed): Bashta iza Kutche
Bar:
– For a drink: Kawa,
– For local beers: Brewery HS
– For pizza & cocktails: BarSa Pizzeria,
– A vineyard route outside the city: Hedona Wine Club
– Bascarsija
– Sarajevo City Hall
– Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
– Srca Isusova Cathedral
– Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide
– Yellow Fortress
– Emperor’s Mosque
– Sarajevo Museum 1878-1918
– Galerija 11/07/95
– War Childhood Museum
– Ashkenazi Synagogue
– Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos
– The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
– History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
– Sarajevo War Tunnel
– Brewery Museum
– Olympic Museum
Here are some routes you can take on a day trip from Sarajevo:
– Bosna Spring
– Mostar
– Blagaj Tekija
– Počitelj
– Kravica Waterfalls
While travelling from Sarajevo to Croatia , we took short breaks on these routes. Fascinating natural landscapes accompany you along the way, it is a very pleasant route. You can also travelby train or tour companies but it’s best to go by car , stopping and stopping.
There are direct flights from Istanbulto Sarajevo International Airport (Sarajevo International Airport – IATA: SJJ) from Turkey. THY (Turkish Airlines) and Pegasus operate regular flights from Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen. Pegasus started its flights to Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina) last year. This is another option.
On theother hand, In some periods, charter or connecting flights can also be found fromAnkara and Antalya. The flight time from Istanbul is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.
Alternatively, you can fly to neighbouring cities such as Belgrade, Zagreb, Dubrovnik or Podgorica, It is also possible to reach Sarajevo by road from there.
On our last trip we rented a house right next to Veliki Park. We werevery satisfied. The best areas for accommodation in Sarajevo:
Recommended Hotels & Accommodation:
There are several alternative routes for those who want to drive to Sarajevo from Turkey:
🚗 Route 1: Turkey – Bulgaria – Serbia – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Istanbul → Edirne → Sofia (Bulgaria) → Nis (Serbia) → Belgrade → Sarajevo
🚗 Route 2: Turkey – Greece – Albania – Montenegro – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Istanbul → Ipsala → Thessaloniki → Tirana (Albania) → Podgorica (Montenegro) → Sarajevo
🛂 Documents Required forTravelling:
We came to the Balkans for the film festival but we did not skimp on the cuisine. I think we tasted the most delicious traditional dishes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo is quite lively during the film festival, if you are going to visit Sarajevo during the film festival, you should make a reservation for some places well in advance. Cash is accepted in most places, not card. In Bosnia, where we spent almost 1 week, there were two places we wanted to try but could not go: Kibe Mahala and The Four Rooms of Mrs. Safija.
SAČ Buregdžinica – Let’s start with the most famous flavours of Bosnian cuisine. We tried a different place for dumplings every day. The service is chaotic but the best is SAČ.
Ćevabdžinica Ferhatović – For Cevapi , which is served with clotted cream , you can also visit the pastry shops. There are many popular places in the old bazaar area. Hodzic, Ćevabdžinica Galatasaray, Željo are the ones we tried. Our favourite was Ferhatović.
Dveri – It has been our most trouble-free place. We came for lunch with a reservation but they also serve breakfast. The meat dishes, risotto and especially the bread are delicious.
The Singing Nettle – This is one of the more innovative restaurants we were curious about, but still not too far from the traditional. The place is very small and stuffy. The service should be better but the food is delicious. The nettle ravioli is ideal for meat dishes. Plenty of gluten-free options.
ASDŽ Aščinica – This place is an artisan restaurant where you can taste traditional dishes. You can go for juicy dishes of the regional cuisine.
Avlija – This is an authentic restaurant in a small courtyard. We tried it for breakfast and lunch. Service is slow during peak hours but the food is delicious.
Konoba Luka – One of the favourite places of the festival team. It gets quite crowded during this period and you can try here for seafood. We tried more pasta and risotto, but the seafood itself may be more successful.
Habitus – One of the places where we feel most comfortable. You can stop by for breakfast or a snack during the day. It is also ideal for sitting and working.
Tavola – If you want an elegant Italian restaurant for dinner, this is one of the best options.
Egipat – A historical shop. Tufahija and ice creams are good but we didn’t like other desserts.
Bonus:
– For a drink: Kawa 🍸
– For local beers: Brewery HS 🍻
– A boutique tea house: Džirlo 🍵
– For pizza & cocktails: BarSa Pizza
– A sweet patisserie: So i čokolada
– Cafe and shop: Bashta iza Kutche
– Address for shopping for dried meat / soka Gradska tržnica Markale
Disappointing places we went:
– Zlatna Ribica: One of the oldest bars in the city but unfortunately the service is very bad. It’s recommended on all the blogs , but it’ s actually owned by then the people who run it are very rude and uncaring.
– Brunch Sa: We tried to suggest a different breakfast option but the products were very flavourless.
After exploring Sarajevo, there are great alternatives for those who want to see the natural beauties and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here is information about Bosnia Spring, Mostar, Blagaj Tekija, Počitelj and Kravica Waterfalls, which you can explore with day trips or multi-day trips from Sarajevo:
📍 Distance to Sarajevo: 15 km (about 20 minutes)
Recommended trip duration: 1-2 hours
Vrelo Bosne , the birthplace of the Bosna River, is a short distance from Sarajevo, It is a perfect escape for those who want to spend time in touch with nature.
What to do ?
📍 Distance to Sarajevo: 130 km (approx. 2 hours)
Recommended trip duration: 1 day (day trip or 1 night stay)
Mostar, The historical stone bridge from the Ottoman period and impressive It is one of the most famous cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina with its architecture.
📍 D istance to Mostar: 12 km (about 20 minutes)
Recommended trip duration: 1-2 hours
Blagaj, at the foot of a huge rock, A charming hotel located right next to the source of the Buna River is home to an Ottoman tekke (Blagaj Tekija).
📍 Distance to Mostar: 30 km (about 30 minutes)
Recommended trip duration: 1-2 hours
Počitelj, Ottoman-era stone buildings and narrow It resembles an open air museum with its streets.
📍 Distance to Mostar: 40 km (approximately 1 hour)
Recommended trip duration: 2-3 hours
Kravica Waterfalls is one of the natural wonders of Bosnia. These 25 metre high waterfalls are a great spot to cool off on hot summer days.
