Is Sarajevo Worth Visiting? 15 Things to Do in Sarajevo

Yes, Sarajevo is worth visiting. The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina packs Ottoman bazaars, Austro-Hungarian streets, the spot where the First World War began, the 1984 Olympic mountains and the moving story of the 1990s siege into one compact, affordable city. The top things to do are walking Baščaršija, visiting the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, standing on the Latin Bridge, taking the cable car up Trebević and seeing the Tunnel of Hope. Two to three days is ideal.

Key facts

Time needed: 1 day for the old town, 2–3 days with the Tunnel of Hope, Trebević and a day trip.
Best time: May–June and September; August for the Sarajevo Film Festival; winter for skiing.
Getting around: the old town is walkable; trams run along the main street.
Don’t miss: ćevapi and a Bosnian coffee in Baščaršija.

What are the top things to do in Sarajevo’s old town?

1. Walk through Baščaršija

The 15th-century Ottoman bazaar is the heart of the city, with the wooden Sebilj fountain, coppersmiths’ street Kazandžiluk and dozens of small cafés and ćevapi shops.

2. Visit the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

Built in 1531, it is the most important Ottoman building in Bosnia. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; next to it are the covered Bezistan market and the old madrasa.

3. Stand at the “Meeting of Cultures” line

On Ferhadija street a line in the pavement marks where the Ottoman city meets the Austro-Hungarian one. Look one way and you see minarets, the other way and you see Vienna-style facades.

4. See four faiths within a short walk

The Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Old Orthodox Church, the Old Synagogue (now the Jewish Museum) and the mosques of Baščaršija are all within a few minutes of each other.

5. Stand on the Latin Bridge

At the corner by this small Ottoman bridge, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on 28 June 1914, the event that led to the First World War. The Museum Sarajevo 1878–1918 is on the corner.

6. Visit Vijećnica, the City Hall

The striking pseudo-Moorish City Hall housed the National Library until it was burned in 1992. It was restored and reopened in 2014, and the interior is beautiful.

7. Watch the sunset from the Yellow Fortress

A short uphill walk from Baščaršija, the Yellow Fortress (Žuta tabija) has the best view over the city. During Ramadan, a cannon is fired here at sunset.

What are the best things to do outside the old town?

8. Take the cable car up Trebević

The cable car from the old town climbs to Trebević mountain in about ten minutes, with wide views over the valley.

9. Walk the Olympic bobsled track

The concrete track from the 1984 Winter Olympics winds through the forest on Trebević, covered in graffiti. See our bobsled track guide.

10. Visit the Tunnel of Hope

The tunnel under the airport kept the city alive during the siege. At the museum you walk about 100 metres through it. Read the Tunnel of Hope visitor guide and the story of the siege of Sarajevo.

11. See the War Childhood Museum

Toys, letters and diaries donated by people who were children during the war. Small, personal and very moving.

12. Relax at Vrelo Bosne

At the edge of the city, the spring of the Bosna river is a green park of streams, wooden bridges and swans, reached by a long tree-lined avenue.

What should you eat and drink in Sarajevo?

13. Ćevapi: grilled meat rolls in somun bread with onions, the city’s signature dish.
14. Burek and pita: flaky pastry with meat, cheese, spinach or potato, best from a traditional buregdžinica.
15. Bosnian coffee: served in a copper džezva with rahat lokum; take your time.

What is the best way to see Sarajevo?

Start with a walking tour of the old town on day one, then see the Tunnel of Hope and Trebević with a guide on day two. For a one-day plan, see Sarajevo in one day; for longer stays, read how many days in Sarajevo.