2 days in Sarajevo is quite short for this beautiful city. However, with this travel itinerary by a local, you will definitely have a well-rounded trip no matter how tight the schedule may seem!
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country that has amazing variety when it comes to nature. Half of the country is covered with forests and mountains, while the other is old towns and buildings. In each place you visit during these 2 days in Sarajevo, there will be stunning scenery and delicious eats.
From the deep canyons and valleys of rivers to the mountains, thick forests, and long fields fill with fruits, I hope you fall in love with the country as I did!
Day 1: Sarajevo Old Town
The main attractions and most beautiful parts of Sarajevo, Bosnia, are its old town and city center. If you are only spending 2 days in Sarajevo,
On the first day, I would recommend walking around the city’s historic center. There are a lot of things to do in Sarajevo, so this will be a busy day with plenty of walking!
There are many attractions in Sarajevo. The ones you shouldn’t miss are:
- Eternal Flame
- Ferhadija Street & Saraci Street
- Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918 (Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassination Place)
- Bascarsija
- Sarajevo City Hall
- Yellow Fortress
- Cable Car to Trebevic
Start your day with a cup of tea at the top of Hecco Deluxe Hotel, next to the Eternal Flame. The view is amazing! A terrace overlooks the historic core of Sarajevo. Having a bird’s eye view of the town will help you navigate around Sarajevo later on!
On the terrace, you can also have a nice view of the Eternal Flame and a statue of Queen Katarina Kosaca. The first is a World War II monument and the second remains an important state symbol. Make sure to bring your camera!
Following tea, head towards Ferhadija & Saraci, which is right beside the Eternal Flame. Ferhadija & Saraci are two streets full of restaurants, shops and interesting historic spots. At the beginning of Ferhadija, there is Gradska Trznica (The Sarajevo Market Hall), a beautiful neoclassical building, and my favorite place when I want to buy some local cheese and meat! You can have a taste of the cheese and dry meat before purchasing it!
Sarajevo is truly a multicultural town! In just a few hundred meters, you can see a Catholic Church (Sacred Heart Cathedral), an Orthodox Church (Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos), the Museum of the Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque.
This is where East meets West. There is a spot on the street that seems like a cross between Istanbul and Vienna. This is the border built between a town in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and another in the Ottoman Empire. You will for sure enjoy these two spectacular architectural styles!
From Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, you will arrive at the Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, was an event that triggered the beginning of World War I.
The corner where the museum is situated is where this assassinationtook place. You can opt for a city guide to better understand the significance of this death and the war that ensued.
Following the museum, head to Bascarsija, which was the center of the town and main bazaar during the time of the Ottomans. During that time, many small streets surrounded the big plaza, each was home to a different craft.
Today, only Kazandziluk street kept its original purpose. In this charming, narrow alleyway, coppersmiths can be heard every day as they make beautiful artifacts, such as coffee pots for traditional Bosnian coffee. This is a great place to find some souvenirs!
In the middle of the square, there is a beautiful wooden fountain called Sebilj. Legend says, if you drink water from one side you will return to Sarajevo again, and if you drink from both sides you will get married.
Parallel to Kazandziluk street is Bravadziluk road, a prominent area for tasty eats. Although Bravadziluk was originally not a food hub, today, it’s full of restaurants.
At the end of Bravadziluk street, you will arrive at Sarajevo City Hall, known as Vijecnica. This magnificent building was destroyed in the war in the ’90s, and was finally rebuilt in 2014. All ornamentations were repaired by hand. In the City Hall, there are rooms with exhibitions that depict the history of Sarajevo.
One of the best things to do in Sarajevo is the Yellow Fortress, which stands in the heart of the Old town. This is the perfect place for sunset and offers a beautiful view of the town. It is located at the eastern entrance of the city, at the beginning of the Sarajevo Valley, where the entire city sits.
Next to the fortress, there is also a nice cafe to get a drink and relax in a soothing ambiance.
In addition to the fortress, there is a cable car beside the City Hall. Sarajevo is surrounded by mountains and one of them is the Olympic mountain Trebevic. The cable car will take you to Trebevic Mountain within 10 minutes.
Visit the abandoned bobsled track, whch held a competition during the XIV Olympic Winter Games in 1984. It’s a 10 minutes walk from the last stop of the cable car.
If you’re interested in hiking, 2 days in Sarajevo may not be enough. Plan an extra day in town and do a 3-hour walk to the top of Trebevic from Pino Nature Hotel!
Day 2: Sarajevo. Tunnel of Hope & Vrelo Bosne Natural Monument
For the finale of your 2 days in Sarajevo, head to the other side of the town.
Tunnel of Hope and Vrelo Bosne are close to each other and situated on the edge of Sarajevo. But before you jump into a car, I would highly recommend visiting the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The National Museum is my favorite building in Sarajevo. It’s a complex of 4 buildings with a beautiful botanical garden in the middle. The displays in the museum are fantastic! There is an archeological, natural, and ethnology section. They are all huge and full of information! Make sure to come exactly at 10 am when they are opening, so you will have enough time to visit all the displays. Following the visit, continue towards the Tunnel of Hope and Vrelo Bosne.
Tunnel of Hope is a museum dedicated to the Bosnian war from 1992-1995. If you’re interested in war history, visit the museum with a local tour guide, who will explain the significance of this monument. In the museum, there is a room where you can watch a video about the Siege of Sarajevo. This museum is situated in the building that used to be a house of one local family. Below the house is a tunnel, which was the connection between Sarajevo and the outside world. It is built perpendicular to the International Airport of Bosnia airport runway
Vrelo Bosne is one of the top things to do in Sarajevoa, as this natural monument sits proudly at the foot of the Olympic mountain Igman. The source of river Bosna originates from here. It flows through the heart of the country toward the northern border with Croatia.
Because of many small lakes and vast greenery, this is one of the local’s favorite places during weekends. During the summer, the temperatures at the foot of Igman are always lower and more pleasant than in the city.
Natural Park Vrelo Bosne is connected by a beautiful 3.5 km long and more than a 100-year old tree-lined avenue.
Sabina is a blogger from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina . Follow her on Wild in the Balkans and Pinterest, Instagram & Youtube!
2 Comments
I enjoyed the Five Days in Bosnia and Two in Sarajevo, a lot of information and ideas. I’ve been trying to keep an open mind in regards to travel and my curiosity has been peaked. Hopefully if things stay the same in regards to the border being open and no quarantine, we should be there in two weeks, any other insight would be appreciated given the constant changes in regards to Coronavirus, thank you in advance.
Hi Brian, I hope all went well with your trip! It is definitely a strange time!