CITY GUIDE
CITY GUIDE
The Yellow Fortress or Yellow Bastion was one of five bastions part of the defensive walls of the old town, Vratnik, against the Austro-Hungarians who eventually took over Sarajevo. Today, the fortress is a popular vantage point where locals and visitors come to watch the sunset over the city. During Ramadan, a canon is fired each day at sunset to mark the time for breaking the fast.
This museum-gallery is dedicated entirely to the devastating events that took place in the eastern town of Srebenica during July 1995. The gallery uses a range of multimedia content that is both confronting and shocking; particularly when reminded that this genocide occurred just over 20 years ago. A small haunting space, the walls of the first room are covered in black and white portraits of the identified men and boys murdered in the massacres. Sit and watch the documentary of collated footage from the war, archaeologists sorting through bones of mass graves and interviews with widows after the conflict. It’s definitely worth placing this museum on your Sarajevo itinerary.
The museum houses a permanent exhibition of Sarajevo during the Austro-Hungarian period from 1878 – 1918. The actual building is located right next to the spot where the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie were assassinated, thus sparking the beginning of World War 1. The museum features important historical items and artworks from the period charting the city’s past; from the Middle Ages, to Ottoman rule and to the governance of the former Yugoslav republic.
The neo-Renaissance building that houses the Markale City Market was constructed in the late 19th century and remains one of the best examples of civil engineering in Sarajevo. Come visit the bustling indoor market where vendors sell locally made cheese, smoked meats and fresh fruit and vegetables.
During our brief time in Sarajevo, I learnt many facts about the city including the fact that it hosted the 1984 Winter Olympic Games. The bobsleigh & luge track used in the Games is approximately a 15 minutes drive south of the city centre. If you’re stuck for what to do in Sarajevo, this is a pretty neat alternative to add to your Sarajevo itinerary. Tucked in the overgrown forest, the concrete shell remains. The track has been decorated by graffiti artists over the years, but you can can still see evidence of warfare from when the track was used as an artillery base during the Sarajevo Siege. Today, you can walk or skate the track. Or if you’re a 90s kid, flashback to your childhood and make like Cool Runnings.
The present day Bosnia & Herzegovina fell under Austro-Hungarian rule in the 19th century following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Consequently, Austrian influences remain in decor and cuisine. Weiner Cafe sits under newly renovated boutique hotel Ovo Malo Duše (Hotel Baština). Enjoy a typical Viennese breakfast served English high tea style with Bosnian coffee if you dare to deviate from your regular latte. Inside, a wrought-iron spiral staircase leads to a mezzanine level or seat yourself at one of the comfy booths on the lower level. Open 7 days a week (including early on a Sunday morning, thankfully).
For true simple Bosnian cuisine, head to Ćevabdžinica Petica. Owned by the famous Sarajevo family, Ferhatović, select your number of ćevapčići or other grilled specialties, accompany with pita bread and onion, and wash it down with cold pivo. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating in this establishment which has served traditional homemade food for over 50 years. Walk away with a full stomach that hardly causes a dent in the travel budget.
For an ultimate Bosnian dining experience, head to the hills of Sarajevo. Here, you’ll find Kibe Mahala, a restaurant serving fine national dishes accompanied with panoramic views of the city. Don’t miss the house specialty, spit-roast lamb, and choose from an assortment of wines from throughout the region. Admire the twinkling lights of the city in a modern setting for a dinner date away from the tourist crowds. Seating is available in the undercover outdoor courtyard or inside. Reservations are recommended and it is advisable to take a taxi if you are not travelling the country by rental car.
We stumbled across this cafe when walking back down from the Yellow Fortress, the little Australian flag hanging from the top of door having caught our attention. Ćejf loosely translates as “chill out” and who else to christen their cafe as a place to relax than an Australian owner with Bosnian roots. Take a moment to enjoy your latte or Bosnian coffee, accompanied with one of their vegan cookies.
Apart from the city centre, the suburbs of Sarajevo are VERY HILLY. Streets are narrow, very steep and often uneven. If you have hired a car, with hope, it is a small one as parking is difficult. If like us, you choose to stay in an Airbnb outside of the city centre, prepare for an uphill walk back to your accommodation.
Unfortunately, Google Maps is not yet fully up to speed with the hilly streets of Sarajevo – particularly when driving. Although we tried to follow the instructions of our Airbnb host, we didn’t realise that many streets had stairs that cars were unable to drive up or down. We found this out the hard way. In one instance, we were fortunately rescued by a friendly Bosnian man who helped us turn our car around in his property and gave us directions out of the maze! Be cautious of the narrow and uneven streets.
As mentioned earlier, the official currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the Bosnian Convertible Marka (BAM). The capital city is smack bang in the middle of the country, but unlike Mostar, do not expect to be able to pay in Euros or Croatian kuna. Most businesses (in our experience) only accept Marka as legal tender. Card payment is available in most establishments and there are many ATMs in the city centre.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is beautifully scenic but also very mountainous. Given the terrain, there are few major highways. Roads are windy and narrow, often with only a single lane in each direction. If like us, you decide to explore the country with a rental car and you’re unfamiliar or not too confident driving on the right side of the road, take note of the following advice:
TIP: If you plan to hire a car to travel through the Balkans, you do not need to pay for a special cross-border card to enter Bosnia & Herzegovina. The rental company should provide you with a green insurance card which you should keep in the car at all times. Provide this card along with your passport to the officers when crossing borders.
The present day Bosnia and Herzegovina still bears apparent battle scars from the Sarajevo Bosnian War, an armed conflict that took place between 1992 and 1995 following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Key events such as the Siege of Sarajevo and the Srebenica massacre have become iconic of the period, with an estimated 100,000 people killed. Hailed as the most devastating conflict in Europe since the end of WWII, it’s not difficult to miss evidence of the war and the damage it left behind almost 30 years later. Half-crumbled houses, holes in walls from artillery fire and large cemeteries bearing identical white gravestones are just some of the remnants you’ll notice as you pass through the country.
