As written in the article Sarajevo in 1 day, most of the tourist attractions in Sarajevo concentrate around the Old Town, at the Baščaršija quarter, and are possible to visit by walking. In two days, there is enough time to visit all the places around Old Town and the outskirts. For Day 2, it’s suggested some places near Sarajevo.
Day 1
Free Sarajevo Walking Tour
A 2 hours tour covering the main sights of Sarajevo and its 500 years of history along with Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Yugoslavia eras until the present time. For dates and presence confirmation, the contact details are on the website www.sarajevowalkingtours.com. There are other paid tours by the same organizers.
Baščaršija
Baščaršija is the heart of Sarajevo, built in the 15th century by the Ottomans. Around this quarter, you find stores, cafes, restaurants. Old buildings remain and give to the city an Eastern touch. At Baščaršija, you find the famous fountain Sebilij, a landmark of Sarajevo and it’s the best place to start a guided tour to discover the secrets of the Bosnian capital. Take the chance to have a Bosnian coffee – Turkish coffee to be precise – and smoke shisha at the cafes around.
Latin Bridge
Famous for being the place where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, an episode known as the trigger to World War I. Latin Bridge connects the Old Town to the neighborhood Skenderija. Sarajevo Museum is interesting if you’re curious about the Austro-Hungarian period in Bosnia.
Sarajevo Tunnel
Known as Tunnel Museum, today it’s a military museum about the Bosnian War of 1992-1995, open from Monday to Friday, 9:00h – 18:00h. The tunnel used to work as an underground to escape the Serbian siege during the war. For more details about museums in Sarajevo, check the post Museums in Sarajevo.
Jerusalem of Balkans
What very curious in Sarajevo is how you can see three religions side by side in 10 minutes walking around the Old Town. Islamism, Judaism, and Christianism coexist peacefully for centuries in the Bosnian capital, so it’s also worth visiting the local churches, mosques, and the synagogue.
Mosques and Islamism
The Islamic religion is one of the main marks of the Ottoman influence in Sarajevo and 3 mosques are located in the city center. Gazi Husrev is the most important Islamic building in Bosnia, built-in 1530. Ali Pasha Mosque was built in the 16th century and Emperor Mosque from 1457 to 1565. Important to observe the Islamism practiced in Sarajevo is tolerant. Marriages between Muslims and Christians are quite common, for example.
The Church of Nativity of the Theotokos
The largest Orthodox church in Sarajevo, dating from 1863. An interesting fact: this church was the first building to break the monopoly of Muslim edifices in the city. Its construction involved contributions from Prince Mihailo, the Ottoman sultan Abdulaziz and the Russian Czar Alexander II.
Ashkenazi Synagogue
Ashkenazi synagogue was built in 1902 when the local Jewish community grew up after the Austro-Hungarian occupation. Despite wars involving religion, local Jews are well incorporated in Bosnian society, including good relations with Muslims. I didn’t notice any sign of anti-Semitism in Sarajevo, and there is also a Jewish Museum. In Trebevič, near Sarajaevo, you find the second biggest Jewish cemetery in Europe.
Yellow Fortress
Yellow Fortress, locally referred to as Žuta Tabija, is the place to have one of the best views of the whole Sarajevo, accessible by walking, in case you’re willing to walk around the city center.
Day 2
Skakavac
Located 13 km from Sarajevo, Skakavac is a 98-meters cascade impressive by its natural beauty that attracts visitors who go for hiking. Recommended reserving a day to visit it.
Trebevič
Trebevič is situated 16 km from Sarajevo, by a 20-minute drive. There you reach a peak over 1.600 meters with views from Sarajevo and nearby villages from the top. You can visit through a day trip departing from Sarajevo to Trebevič, including the main sights in the city and the Jewish cemetery.
Bosnian Village
If you’re curious to see what was a medieval Bosnian village, visit Lukomir, 50 km from Sarajevo, over 1.400 meters above sea level. Lukomir is inhabited from April to October, due to climatic conditions of the mountains.
Bjelašnica
Located 35 km from Sarajevo, the Mountain Bjelašnica offers options sports on summers and on winters. Hiking, cycling, ski, snowboard are some of the activities possible to do there.
Umoljani
Located 35 km from Sarajevo, a 1-hour drive. Another spot for mountain sports and nature lovers. From Umoljani, you can start the path towards Lukomir village and Raktnica Canyon.
Ski near Sarajevo
For ski, Babin Do is the largest ski area nearby Sarajevo, located on Bjelašnica. There is also night skiing. Another place for skiing is the Jahorina Olympic Center, 30 km from Sarajevo. It became famous for being one of the spots during the 1984 Winter Olympic Games. Veliko Polje and Mt. Igman, about 24 km from Sarajevo, are other spots for ski.
Originally posted 2018-01-21 21:16:06.
