The ultimate City Guide to Sarajevo »

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, definitely fascinated me! The city has two sides: an atmospheric old town with nice places but also the scars of its past. From 1992 until 1995, the Bosnian War was going on. There are several places in Sarajevo where you can still see rests of the war; but there are also beautiful and impressive museums which shows the story of the Bosnian War.

In this article I’ll tell you some more about the places to visit when travelling to the city. It’s a very diverse city with a lot of beautiful places in and around the center.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral

The Sacred Heart Cathedral, also known as Katedrala Srca Isusova, is the largest cathedral in Bosnia and Herzegovina and features beautiful stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings. A statue dedicated to Pope John Paul II, who visited Sarajevo in 1996 and 2003, sits in the front square of the cathedral.

Srebrenica Gallery 11/07/95

This is one of the impressive museums about the Bosnian war. The photo museum is located in the middle of the center, right next to the church. You can visit the museum every day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. It features an exhibition with several catching photos which shows and express the story of the Bosnian War.

You can also watch a movie (there are two displayed) about the time during the war. It’s an absolute must-visit during your time in Sarajevo and you can easily spend here an hour or two. The museum tells you more about the city and its history.

The Old Town

The old town of Sarajevo, also called Sarajevo Baščaršija, is a really nice and atmospheric area of the center. There are many cute shops, but also restaurants where you can have a delicious dinner and small cafés where you can have a fun night and enjoy a drink.

In old town, you can also find the Sebilj Fountain. The water of the fountain is clean and drinkable; take a sip and legend says you’ll return in the future.

Cable Car to Mount Trebevic and the abandoned Bobsleigh Track

In the winter of 1984, Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics. The bobsleigh and luge track still stands at the top of Mount Trebevic, but is not in use anymore. However, it’s nice to pay a visit to this abandoned bobsleigh track, as it’s now full of graffiti and therefor a fantastic place to photograph! You can walk through the track as far as you’d like.

Last year (in 2018), a cable car has been built which takes you to the top of Mount Trebevic. Besides paying a visit to the bobsleigh track, it’s also a really nice environment to spend the day hiking.

Tunnel Museum

Another impressive museum about the war, is the Tunnel Museum. This one is located just outside of the center and easily to reach by car in, approximately, 20 minutes. 800 metres of man-made underground tunnel connected the city of Sarajevo with the United Nations ‘safe place’ at the airport. People brought food and more from one to another side. In this museum you can still find (and walk through) a bit of this tunnel. Also, this museum is absolutely worth a visit if you would like to learn more about the city and its history.

Yellow/white fortress

One of the best places you can have a beautiful view over Sarajevo, is at the Yellow Fortress. Especially during sunset it’s a beautiful place to be. The Yellow Fortress is located just outside the city center and is easy to walk to. You can also walk a little further, where you’ll reach the White Fortress. This place gives even a higher viewpoint.

The Olympics Abandoned Hotel

Driving approximately 30 minutes from the city center, you can find the abandoned hotel from the Olympics (1984). If you have a thing for abandoned places, like I do, this is thé place to be. The best thing about abandoned places is the fact they’re very photogenic. Furthermore, the abandoned hotel in Sarajevo is located in such a beautiful environment full of nature, trees and hills. This is also a perfect place to make some hikes.

Have you been to Sarajevo already? What do you think, do you have other tips?

Author: Tamara

This article is part of the GPSmyCity iOS app. You can download it, read this article offline and obtain travel directions (by foot, car or bicycle) to the places mentioned in this article. Click here to download it.