Things to Do in Sarajevo, Bosnia
Sebilj Fountain
Old Town Bazaar
Baščaršija Mosque
Old Bezistan Covered Market - Knockoffs
Miljacka Riverfront
Latin Bridge
Yellow Fortress (at sunset!)
Try Cevapi
Baklava Sampling
Genocide Museum
Sebilj Fountain
Pretty fountain with water flowing all the time in the middle of Sarajevo. The surrounding benches are great for people (and pigeon) watching. We saw people drinking the water, but when I put it into a bottle, it was slightly discolored so we decided not to risk it. Use your best judgment!
Old Town Bazaar
Just past the Sebilj Fountain was a street lined with markets selling trinkets and Bosnian artifacts for pretty cheap. My biggest regret in Sarajevo was not buying an Olympic pin that I saw in one of these bazaars. I saw the same one in Mostar for five times the price so I really wish I had bought it in Sarajevo. There's a lot of very cool Trinkets and handmade coffee sets so if you have space in your bag it's definitely worth it to invest in a few souvenirs from this bazaar.
Baščaršija Mosque
The mosque was gorgeous on the outside and wandering around the courtyard was truly a special experience. I had never been inside a mosque so I was really interested to go inside of this one and while it was beautiful I did feel like we were interrupting some people praying while we looked around. We had to pay to get in– I think it was around $3USD, converted from Bosnian marks, we had to wear a head covering and stay in areas designated only for women as well. A very sweet woman helped me tie my headscarf and I think the experience was overall very special. Now I've been inside a mosque and I'm glad I've had that experience.
Old Bezistan Covered Market - Knockoffs
This market is heaven for fans of high-end accessories – at a fraction of the price. Each stall was selling different knockoff handbags, sunglasses, and scarves. I purchased a “Frada” or fake Prada bag for about 30 EURO and I bought the same one for my mom in a different color. I also bought Louis Vuitton sunglasses for 8 EURO which ended up breaking during our trip, but the bag has held up beautifully and it really is a gorgeous statement piece for outfits. I was super happy with my purchases. All of my friends were able to purchase bags or sunglasses as well and we walked away happy. The market is indoors, very smoky and does feel slightly off. There's definitely a vibe here that we couldn't put our finger on but for the cheap bags it was worth it.
Miljacka Riverfront
The riverfront is a great way to wander around the city and see the sites. It's a very pretty riverfront and we were lucky enough to be there on a gorgeous sunny day when the river was just sparkling. Our stroll down the riverfront was very pleasant.
Latin Bridge
The Latin bridge is where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated sparking World War I. there's a small plaque commemorating this event, but other than that there's not much information about it. I think you could easily walk across this bridge and have no idea what went on there and how significant of a location it is in history.
Yellow Fortress (at sunset!)
My favorite thing we did in all of Sarajevo was hiking up to the Yellow Fortress at sunset. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous! We ended up being there during Eid, the Muslim holiday. At sunset Muslims typically break their fast so most people brought their dinner and as soon as the sun was significantly set there was a cannon and fireworks that went off people started singing and everyone started eating. It was a beautiful moment where we really were able to feel part of the community in Sarajevo and see a ton of people come out and support each other during this holiday. Even if you're not in Sarajevo during Eid, hiking up the yellow Fortress at Sunset is still definitely worth it. It's a steep walk but you'll be glad you did it when you see the view.
Try Cevapi
Cevapi is an Eastern European staple and Sarajevo did it well. There are so many [chipoperies] in downtown but we just picked one at random and the food was fantastic. We ordered three different items off the menu not knowing what any of them were, but it was funny to us when they all came out as essentially the same type of meat just in a different shape along with a white sauce and flatbread. It was all great and there were no leftovers after this trip.
Baklava
We spent a lot of time in Sarajevo trying out all the different baklava shops. There were so many of them on that main street in Sarajevo and we made it our mission to try as many as possible within the time we had. The best one that I had was a chocolate baklava from [insert shop name]. The Baklava in the shop was made fresh and delivered a couple of times a week so you know it was good. They also accepted card which was unusual for Sarajevo and other places in Bosnia but did make it easier on us who didn't have a ton of Bosnian marks. I highly recommend trying all The Baklava you can and going after every meal to get a sweet treat. It's very cheap and you will never be disappointed.
Genocide Museum
We stopped in the Genocide Museum the morning before we left Sarajevo, and it was a difficult experience. The atrocities that the museum outlined in great detail were horrific and it did make you start to lose faith in humanity itself. It also gave us a greater appreciation for the resilience of the Bosnian people and put a part of history that you don't learn about much in America into perspective. This was a horrible time in Bosnian history, but it is important to keep in mind that it was very recent history. Almost everyone in Bosnia today is still affected by this and continues to live with the ramifications of the genocide. I would recommend a visit to this museum because I think it's important to learn about these events and stay educated.
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