Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo travel guide
Sarajevo is a city in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, home to about 276,000 people.
- Best months
- August
- Nearest airport
- SJJ7 km · Sarajevo International Airport
- Currency
- BAMconvertible mark
- Time zone
- Europe/Sarajevo
- Language
- Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
About
About Sarajevo
Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo Canton, containing the city of Sarajevo and nearby municipalities, is home to 413,593 inhabitants.
Sarajevo has 420,000 citizens in its urban area (2013). Sarajevo metropolitan area has a population of 555,000 and includes some neighbourhoods of "East Sarajevo" that are a part of Republika Srpska. The city is commonly nicknamed "Jerusalem of Europe" or "Jerusalem of the Balkans" due to its long history of religious and cultural diversity, where mosques, synagogues, Catholic, and Orthodox churches have lived together for centuries. Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting and diverse cities in this part of Europe.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Sarajevo
See
With the exception of the Tunnel Museum and the Bosna spring, all landmarks are in or within walking distance of Old Town. Several walking tours are available, a free/tip based walking tour starts every day at 10:30 at the crossing of Gazi Husrev begova street and Mula Mustafa Baseskija street (address: Velika Avlija 14) and covers most of the Baščaršija (takes two hours). The municipality of Sarajevo provides an app called "Guide2Sarajevo" (Android, ios).
- Avaz Twist Tower
- Sebilj
- Sacred Heart Cathedral
- Morića Inn
- Clock Tower
- Tašlihan
- City Hall
- Officers’ Casino
- Brusa Bezistan
- National Museum
- Sarajevo Museum 1878–1918
- Svrzo's House
Do
- Cable car
- National Theatre
- Fox in a Box
- Inside the Siege: Sarajevo's Story of Survival
- Skakavac Waterfall
- Dariva Canyon
- Spring of the Bosna River
- Sarajevo Zoo
- Sunnyland
- Olympic Stadium
- Stadium Grbavica
- Ilidza Thermal Riviera
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Sarajevo to stay in
You need to register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival. Your hotel or hostel should do this on check-in, but if you wild-camp or stay at a private residence, you need to organise this yourself. Failure to register doesn't normally bother the authorities but could result in a fine or deportation.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Sarajevo
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sarajevo are August. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 25 °C; November is the wettest, with about 118 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Sarajevo: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tuzla International Airport (TZL, 72 km) and Mostar International Airport (OMO, 79 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Sarajevo is a medium-sized, beautiful city with many landmarks. Getting lost is always possible, but much less so if you have a map; however, getting lost in Bascarsija's winding streets can be part of the fun, and may reveal some interesting surprises. Very good free maps can be obtained from the tourist information office, shopping centres and hotels. Some bookshops may also sell printed maps of the city. Map apps on a smartphone are particularly useful. Asking Sarajevans for directions is an exercise in futility.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SJJ · Sarajevo International Airport
TZL · Tuzla International Airport
OMO · Mostar International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Sarajevo
Eat
It is said in Bosnia that some people eat to be able to drink, others eat to be able to live and work, but true Bosnians work and live to eat. A lot of attention is devoted to the preparation and consumption of food in Sarajevo. Gastronomy in the city was developed under Eastern and Western influences, and Bosnian cuisine focuses on local produce like meat, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. For information on typical Bosnian foods, see Bosnia. Cheap food on the go, from a myriad small shops and cafés, is burek, ćevapi or pita. Burek is meat pie. Ćevapi are grilled meats; the word derives from "kebab" and the traditional Sarajevo style is minced beef and mutton in a somun flatbread.
Drink
Sarajevo has a vibrant night life with plenty of small thematic bars. Clubs are usually opened until early morning. Although many venues are open all week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the most frequented. There are numerous cafés in the city, centred primarily around the old town. Look out for the traditional Bosnian-style coffee!
Stay safe
There are still many minefields and unexploded ordnances in the broader Sarajevo area (although not in any urban area). Never go into damaged buildings (which are really rarely seen) and always stick to paved surfaces avoiding grassy hills that surround the city. As of 2020, Trebević has been completely demined. Areas that are not cleared are marked by yellow tape or signs, but still not all minefields have been identified due to the lack of resources and the lack of international help. Paved roads are always safe. Bosnia and Herzegovina has double the traffic fatality rate in Europe as a whole, and in the early 2020s there have been a few high-profile accidents with pedestrians.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Sarajevo: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Sarajevo?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sarajevo are August. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 25 °C; November is the wettest, with about 118 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Sarajevo?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tuzla International Airport (TZL, 72 km) and Mostar International Airport (OMO, 79 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Sarajevo?
convertible mark (BAM).
Nearby
Destinations near Sarajevo
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.