Places / Europe / Bosnia & Herzegovina
Sarajevo
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At a glance
- Country
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Region
- Sarajevo Canton
- Population
- 275,000
- Best time to go
- May to September
- Main airport
- Sarajevo International (SJJ)
- Coordinates
- 43.86°N, 18.41°E
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Overview
Sarajevo stretches along the narrow valley of the Miljacka river, ringed by green hills. Within a few minutes' walk you pass Ottoman bazaars, Austro-Hungarian boulevards, mosques, churches and a synagogue, which is why it is often called the Jerusalem of Europe.
Its twentieth century was dramatic, from the assassination that sparked the First World War to the long siege of the 1990s. Today it is warm, welcoming and full of cafés, and the story is told with honesty in its museums.
Things to see
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Photo: Julian Nyča, CC BY-SA 3.0 Baščaršija
The old Ottoman bazaar of copper workshops, coffee houses and the wooden Sebilj fountain, the heart of the old town.
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Photo: Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0 Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
The finest Ottoman mosque in the Balkans, built in the sixteenth century, with a peaceful courtyard and fountain.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: sundeviljeff, CC BY 2.0 Latin Bridge
The small stone bridge beside the spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in 1914, with a museum on the corner.
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Photo: Ladislav Boháč, CC0 Sarajevo City Hall
A neo-Moorish landmark, burnt during the siege and painstakingly restored, with a dazzling painted interior.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Somebody.gr, CC0 Tunnel of Hope
A preserved section of the tunnel dug under the airport runway to supply the besieged city, with a moving museum.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Adam Harangozó, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ride the cable car up Trebević
Glide up to the mountain for views of the city and walk to the graffiti-covered 1984 Olympic bobsleigh track.
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Photo: Christian Paul from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 Eat ćevapi
Order grilled minced-meat sausages in fluffy somun bread with raw onion at one of the old town's ćevabdžinicas.
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Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sunset from the Yellow Fortress
Climb up through the old Muslim cemeteries to the fortress walls as the call to prayer drifts over the valley.
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Photo: Adnasaida, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sarajevo Film Festival
Every August the city hosts one of south-east Europe's leading film festivals, with open-air screenings.
Where to stay
Baščaršija
The old town itself; atmospheric and walkable, though busy in summer.
Hotels in BaščaršijaFerhadija and the centre
The Austro-Hungarian streets just west of the bazaar, with cafés and good hotels.
Hotels in Ferhadija and the centreMarijin Dvor
Modern and practical, close to the museums and the tram line.
Hotels in Marijin Dvor
Getting around
The trams run the length of the valley and the old centre is easy to walk. Taxis are good value; use registered ones or apps.
The airport is about 12 kilometres west of the centre, around 20 to 30 minutes by taxi or airport bus.
When to go
May to September is warm, with long evenings in the cafés; August brings the film festival. Winters are cold and snowy, good for skiing on the nearby Olympic mountains, though the valley can trap smog.
Plan your trip to Sarajevo
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.