'''Sarajevo''' [http://www.sarajevo.ba/], the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a lively city of 400,000 people, nestled in a valley, mainly within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but with parts in the Republika Srpska entity.
Note
Sarajevo is one of the most historically interesting cities in Europe. It is the place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire split; where the people of the Roman Catholic west, Eastern Orthodox east and the Ottoman south, met, lived and warred. It has been both an example of historical turbulence and the clash of civilizations, as well as a beacon of hope for peace and tolerance through multi-cultural integration.
Today the city has physically recovered from most of the war damage caused by the Yugoslav Wars of the 1992-1995. Sarajevo is a cosmopolitan European capital with a unique Eastern twist that is a delight to visit. The people are very friendly, be they Bosniaks, Croats or Serb. There is very little crime. Also there are not nearly as many tourists as on the Croatian Dalmatian coast and a wealth of architecture (not to mention history) to see.
Get in
The city is very tourist friendly - once you get to the city center. There is a tourist info office in the center of town, take the #1 tram in front of the station and it will take you to town or just walk for about 20 min going right out of the train station and follow the river. Tram #1 will follow the river up until Bascarsija square (in the turkish quarter) where it will make a 180 degree turn and drive back towards the station. The Bascarsija tram stop is located directly after the tram turns away from the river.
By plane
'''Sarajevo Airport''' [http://www.sarajevo-airport.ba/assets/English.htm] ({{IATA|SJJ}}) is located in the suburb of Butmir and is relatively close to the city centre.
Getting to/from the airport can be problematic: there is no direct public transportation, and taxi fares to/from the airport are surprisingly expensive for the short distance - your best bet is to take a taxi to the tram terminus at Ilid?a and board the tram for the last part of your journey, cost 1.6KM. Alternatively you can take bus 36 to Ned?ari?i (1.6KM), the bus stop is located somewhere on the main road outside the airport parking lot. At Ned?ari?i you can change for a tram to the city center (again 1.8KM). Bus 36 runs about every 30 minutes. Service hours are 6-23 Mon-Fri, 6-8 and 14-18 Sat and 8-15 Sun.
Banja Luka with BH Airlines [http://www.bhairlines.ba/]
Belgrade with JAT Airways [http://www.jat.com/]
Budapest with MALEV [http://www.malev.com/]
Cologne with BH Airlines and Germanwings
Copenhagen with SAS and Lufthansa
Frankfurt with BH Airlines
Istanbul with Turkish Airlines [http://www.turkishairlines.com/] and BH Airlines
Ljubljana with Adria [http://www.adria-airways.com/]
Mostar with BH Airlines and Croatia Airlines [http://www.croatiaairlines.hr/]
Munich with Lufthansa [http://www.lufthansa.com/]
Oslo (Rygge) with Norwegian [http://www.norwegian.com/] (starting June 2009)
Stockholm (Arlanda) with Norwegian [http://www.norwegian.com/] (starting May 2009)
Stuttgart with BH Airlines and Germanwings
Vienna Schwechat with Austrian Airlines [http://www.aua.com/]
Zagreb with Croatia Airlines
Zurich with BH Airlines
By train
Train services across the country are slowly improving once again, though speeds and frequencies are still much lower than usual European standards. Much of the rail infrastructure was damaged during the recent conflict, and lines have been opened on a priority basis, though not to the high level of service pre-war.
Interrailnet (official Interrail website) has a good map of the European rail network [http://www.interrailnet.com/downloads/interrail/map_interrail_2007.pdf]
'''From/To Hungary'''
A ''day'' train now leaves Budapest (Keleti pu. station) daily at 9.45, arriving in Sarajevo at 21.09. One-way ticket costs more than the return ticket which is currently costs around 65 Euro (12.120) forints at actual HUF to Euro rate of 1 Euro = 188.2 HUF. There is a dining car, but only till Pecs. Typically, it departs from platform 13. You will be bothered at least four times for your passport, and around four times for your ticket, and once by very nosy and insistent EU customs staff.
The return train departs at 7:02 every morning for Budapest, via Osijek, in Croatia, and costs 96 KM. It arrives at Keleti pu. station at 18:14. For more information visit Hungarian Timetable [http://www.elvira.hu/elvira.dll?language=2] or Hungarian State Railways [http://www.mav.hu].
'''From/To Serbia'''
It is possible to buy a night-train ticket Sarajevo to Belgrade and vice versa. There is a short transfer to a different train at the Doboj stop in Bosnia. The train takes 9 hours from Sarajevo to Belgrade, and 11 hours from Belgrade to Sarajevo. There are no sleeping cars available. You will be bothered at least four times for your passport (since the train crosses through a small piece of Croatia), and at least as many times for your ticket. Do not expect to be able to sleep. You can also use the daytime train to Budapest and change in Croatian station Strizivojna-Vrpolje to the connecting train to Belgrade. This train also has a dining car. Travelling daytime should be more relaxing.
'''From Croatia'''
There are two trains each day between Sarajevo and Zagreb.
''Daytime''
A train leaves Zagreb daily at 08:55, arriving in Sarajevo at 18:05 - this train continues onto Plo?e, arriving there at 22:15 [http://vred.hznet.hr/hzinfo/Default.asp?VL=..397&category=hzinfo&service=izvr3&SCREEN=4&KO=Zagreb%20Gl.%20Kol.&LANG=en]
The return train to Zagreb, via Zenica, Doboj and Banja Luka, departs at 10:27 (having started in Plo?e at 06:00). It arrives in Banja Luka at 15:24 and finally into Zagreb at 19:45.
A ticket should cost 24EUR/170KN. The train does NOT have a dining car on board, though men with trolleys selling food and drink will board the train at various points on the journey. Be advised to bring supplies beforehand!
''Overnight''
There is now also a overnight service operating between the two cities for the same price. This train now has a much-needed couchette car for which you have to pay a small supplement, though the inconveniently-timed border crossing from Sarajevo to Zagreb (ensuring you won't get a full night's sleep) remains! Travelling on this train has the benefit of comfort (as opposed to the bus journey taking almost the same time), or the cost factor of flying and a night's accomodation in either city.
This train leaves Zagreb at 21:25 arriving in Sarajevo at 06:39. The return train leaves Sarajevo at 21:20 and arrives in Zagreb at 06:42.
See below for trains to/from Plo?e.
'''From Plo?e via Mostar'''
There is another train route from Plo?e in Croatia to Sarajevo via Mostar. One of the most beautiful and scenic rail routes in Europe, travelling through lakes and mountains with many tunnels and switchbacks.
Trains depart Plo?e daily:
06:00, arriving in Sarajevo at 10:00, via Mostar at 07:34
17:00, arriving in Sarajevo at 20:59, via Mostar at 18:38
Trains from Sarajevo to the south:
07:05, arriving in Plo?e at 11:00, via Mostar at 09:24
18:18, arriving in Plo?e at 22:15, via Mostar at 20:41
Single tickets from Sarajevo to Mostar cost 9.90KM (return: 14.10KM). Additional trains operate each day to the town of Konjic (about half way between the two cities). Holders of an ISIC student card can get a 30% discount.
See the Croatian Railways website [http://www.hznet.hr] for more information.
By car
Roads in Bosnia are often only a single lane in either direction, and due to the mountainous topography tend to be very windy and speed limits are lower (mostly 80kph). Beware of trucks and people dangerously overtaking on any road. There are many tunnels, and you must always drive with your lights ON (day or night).
From Zagreb (Croatia) - taking direction to Slavonski Brod - Derventa - Doboj - Zenica - Sarajevo
From Adriatic Sea - taking ferry Ancona - Zadar, then by car Zadar - Split - Metkovic - Mostar - Sarajevo.
From Belgrade (Serbia) - taking direction to Sabac - Zvornik - Vlasenica - Sokolac - Sarajevo.
There is a company which offers connections by mini-van or private cars between Sarajevo and Belgrade, the name of the company is GEA Tours, the company is based in Belgrade and Podgorica.
It is compulsory to contact before the departure either by phone or by email. The Belgrade office telephone number is +3812686-635,2686-622,2643-840,2685-043, the address is Kneza Milosa 65-Belgrade, the email is: [mailto:gea@eunet.yu gea@eunet.yu].
A single journey between Sarajevo and Belgrade costs 30 Euros and it takes about 5 hours and a half to 6 hours.
By bus
There are two bus stations in Sarajevo, the '''main''' bus station ('autobusna stanica', by the train station) serving Croatia and most other international destinations, as well as destinations within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in the end of number 1 tram line that takes you to the old town (1,80 KM). There is also another bus station in Eastern (Serb-dominated) Sarajevo on the outskirts of the city serving the Republika Srpska and destinations in both Serbia and Montenegro.
To get to this bus station (called 'Lukavica' or 'Isto?no Sarajevo') it is probably easiest to book/order a taxi (cost from the Turkish Quarter was around 15KM in September 2005). If you prefer public transport, use 103 and 107 bus/trolleybus, exit at the last station, and ask people how to get to Lukavica bus station (buses and trolleybuses to the city centre depart from a terminal around 200m from where the international buses arrive). Be warned that Lukavica is the name of suburb/district, not just the bus station! In this bus station, Cyrillic script is prevalent so you should probably check the spelling of your destination. If you need Bosnian currency there is a Visa/Mastercard cash machine (bankomat) in the nearby Pom shopping centre.
At the main street in central Sarajevo there is an Eurolines office where is possible to get bus tickets to any other country, also it is possible to get ticket to any other major cities in Bosnia like Mostar although they do not run the services, they only provide the tickets. A ticket to Zagreb costs 30 Euros, May 2008 prices and it runs three times a day. Lines tend to be much shorter, and the staff have a much stronger command of English. This can be helpful as if you do not speak Bosnian well, it can be rather hard to get good advice from the bus station. Double-check with the tourist office as they can often confirm the existence of a route or timetable that the staff at the bus station have denied!
From the main bus station, there are several buses a day to/from Mostar which also stop at Konjic and Jablanica along the way. These leave at 6, 7, 7:35, 8, 8:15, 9, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30 and up to 18, and journey time is approximately two and a half hours. Single tickets cost 13.50KM, return tickets are 19KM. There are also buses to Split (5-6 hours) and a daily bus to Dubrovnik which leaves at 7am and costs 40KM/160KN.
There are several buses a day from the main bus station to Banja Luka. These leave at 5:00, 07:55, 09:15, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30. Journey time is approximately 5 hours.
The bus ride from Lukavica bus station to Podgorica in Montenegro takes 7 hours but is an absolutely amazing ride through some wonderful countryside on the route Lukavica-Trnovo-Rataj-Foca-Brod-Hum-Goransko-Niksic-Danilovgrad-Podgorica. One bus goes at 8:15 and another at 14:00. Cost is 35 KM (July 2008) which is about 18 Euro, Euro is acceptable.
Buses to Tuzla leave from the main bus station approximately every hour every day. The journey takes approximately 3 hours, and costs around 11 KM (June 2006).
There is a daily bus to Graz and Vienna (Centrotrans/Eurolines), leaving from the main bus station at 8am, reaching Graz at 7:45pm and Vienna around 2 hours later. A one-way ticket is 44 euro (note that when I asked for a cheaper student ticket, the seller told me that this includes only Bosnian students). You will have to pay the driver 2 KM to transport luggage. There are frequent stops on the way, including for food and toilets. Do not rely on this "food stops" very much as the drivers stop at the places like local coffee etc. The problem is that it is not any petrol station and you have to have the currency of the country where you are. The longest 30 min. stop is at one village local coffee in Croatia, and if you don't have any Croatian money, you'll be waiting in front of the bus for 30 min. unable to buy anything but coffee or non-alcoholic drinks.
Do not waste your time in Sarajevo if you want to travel with Eurolines and buy your ticket ASAP because the buses to European Union use to be very crowded.
Travel to Kosovo from Sarajevo is possible, but one must book a bus to Novi Pazar in Serbia first, and then travel from there to Pristina.
The journey to Belgrade goes through amazing scenery, takes about 7-9 hours and was 28 KM (bought from the bus driver) in September 2005. The bus departs from Lukavica bus station in Eastern Sarajevo. There are several buses a day. As of April 2007, there is now a daily service from the main bus station, cost 35 KM.
There are many bus lines linking most towns and cities in Bosnia and Hercegovina. See Centrotrans [http://www.centrotrans.com] for details (in Bosnian only). Check the transport sections of other destinations for more information. From Germany you can go by Euroliner (Centrotrans is part of it), have a look on Touring.de [http://www.touring.de].
On all intercity buses you pay a fee for luggage. This fee of 1 euro per piece of luggage is paid to the driver upon boarding. Some drivers are rather picky about being paid in exact change in the correct currency (sometimes a local currency, at other instances requesting to be paid in Euros) and sometimes also refuse to be paid in too small coins. So keep some change ready.
A compilation of departure times from the main station can be found here: [http://www.sarajevo-tourism.com/bos/autobuskisaobracaji.wbsp]
Hitch hiking
From Mostar, hitching a ride through the beautiful mountains up the M-17 road to Sarajevo is quite easy. Make sure you have a sign though and a Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian language phrasebook would be useful. If you have trouble getting out of Mostar, change the sign to Jablanica where traffic will branch of NW to Banja Luka and then hitch on to Sarajevo from Jablanica. Sarajevo is a long thin city so try to get a lift into the centre. If not, get one at least to the tram tracks that go there from the west of the city limits.
Getting around
The center of Sarajevo is served by a spinal tram network which makes an anti-clockwise loop around the central district (the first in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, opened in the mid-1870s) and a number of trolley-bus and bus lines which fan out into the suburbs. Tickets should be purchased in advance from kiosks labeled ''tisak'' on the street or from the driver, where they cost slightly more (around 1.80KM). Tickets should be validated upon boarding the vehicle and are valid for a one way trip only. Changing tram or bus means validating a new ticket. A day card valid for unlimited travel on all local public transport in zone A is available for about 5KM. Please note that inspectors board public transport very frequently.
The local transit network is operated by GRAS. More information including timetables can be found at the website: [http://www.gras.co.ba].
To reach the Tunnel museum in Butmir you can take the tram to the terminus at Ilid?a and change there for bus 32 to Butmir. Leave the bus at Butmir, where the bus turns around to go back, near two small graveyards. From there you cross the bridge on your left hand facing the airport into tuneli street. A better option could be to catch a taxi from the tram terminal.
In Sarajevo, street signs are few and far between, and small and on the sides of buildings too far away to see when you're standing on a street corner. Building numbers are more or less consecutive but don't follow the "hundreds" styles of the United States, e.g., 23 Bjestiva street may be blocks from 27 Bjestiva street. An excellent map of Sarajevo is available at bookstores, all of which are located downtown and not open early or late or on holidays. Maps aren't sold in gas stations or other stores. Alternatively, the kiosk next to the Latin Bridge (a.k.a. the Princip Bridge) also sells maps. Lastly, asking Sarajevans for directions is an exercise in futility. People don't know the names of streets a block from the building they've lived in all their lives. However, they won't tell you this, and as a rule will point you in some direction, usually not the right direction. Taxi drivers can't be expected to find anything but the most obvious addresses unless you tell them where to go, in Bosnian. So buy the map before you go to Sarajevo, and when you get there walk around a bit instead of taking taxis. It's a small, beautiful city with many landmarks. Getting lost is next to impossible if you have the map, and maybe a compass.
Be careful taking taxis from the main train or bus station and the airport. The well-known "taxi scam" operates in Sarajevo, where the unsuspecting tourist will be taken to a more expensive hotel than the one he or she has asked to be taken to, and the driver and receptionist will swear that the new arrival is in fact in the right place. Many accommodation options, even the cheapest, will offer a pickup from wherever you arrive, and this is usually free or at a very minimal cost.
See
'''City tour''' - The local tourist information (Zelenih beretki 22a, +387 33 220 724) has a free brochure called 'A day in Sarajevo', it offers a city tour route and decriptions along that route.
'''Old Town''' - The cobbled streets, mosques and Oriental style shops at the heart the city are a world away from Europe, and when the call-to-prayer starts, one could be forgiven for thinking that they were actually in the Middle East. The most interesting thing (you call it the most amazing thing as well) is that you could actually be walking by a Catholic church, Orthodox church and a Synagogue and hear the Islamic call to prayer at the same time.
'''Latin Bridge''' - This bridge bears a plaque commemorating the assassination of Archduke of the Austrian Hungarian empire Franz Ferdinand, the event that sparked the beginning of World War I. On the Bridge itself was a memorial to the assassin Gavrilo Princip, but this was removed during the 1992-1995 War. Bosnia was at the end of World War Two the biggest haven for Balkan and European Jews who found a perfect environment to build their society back.
'''Bosnian Historical Museum'''- The moving display on the siege of Sarajevo is a must-see - if you are able to cope with the pictures of the maimed citizens after shelling of markets. Wonder at the photos of an ineffective UN providing armored vehicles citizens could wait behind before risking sniper fire to cross the street. And you will be heartbroken by the pictures drawn by children.
'''National Museum''' - Statistic displays of the natural and human history of Bosnia and Herzegovina - most interesting is the traditional Turkish style homes of Sarajevo prevalent in the nineteenth century.
'''Sarajevo Tunnel Museum''' - This museum shows the tunnel which was used to ferry supplies into the besieged city during the conflict and is next to the airport. Taxi from the center city costs around 17KM one way. Entrance to the museum is 5KM. It is open 7 days a week from 9 to 5. Get the number three (3) tram to the end of the line from the city center. Then get a taxi to the Tunnel Museum and walk back to the tram station if it's a nice day (takes about half an hour). The tunnel itself is in the garden of a house so don't be worried if you think you're headed into suburbia! Alternatively, the tourist office in the city center offers Tunnel tours for 12 Euros or 24KM, with transportation to and from the city center included. After seeing the tunnel, they also take you on a drive through the part of the city that is in the Republika Srpska, which you can't get to via the tram.
Svrzina kuca (Svrzo house). lo?ina ulica 8. 00m north of the old town. KM. A beautiful old Ottoman house built in the 18th century shows how Svrzo family lived there
Stara pravoslavna crkva (Old Orthodox Church). ula Mustafe Baseskije. ld town.
Careva dzamija (Emperor_Ls Mosque). bala Isa bega ishakovica.
Vijecnica (City Hall). bala Kulina Bana.
Crkva Sv. Ante (St. Anthony_Ls Church). ranjevacka. Modern Catholic church with beautiful stained glass windows
Morica han (Morica Inn). araci. ld town. The only preserved Ottoman Inn in Sarajevo. The first floor used to contain 43 rooms for travellers, mostly traders, houses nowadays a carpet shop and a traditional restaurant with engravings of Rubaiyat of Umer Khayam, the famous 12th century Persian poet.
Sebilj (Fountain). ascarsilja. ld town.
Do
For history buffs - A must see is the "Spanish/Latin Bridge" on the river in downtown Sarajvo. This bridge is where on 28 June 1914 Arch-Duke Fraz Ferdinand of Austria (and his wife Sophie) were assassinated. Historians widely hail this event as the catalyst that began World War I.
Sarajevo's '''surrounding hills''' offer fantastic views over the city, but some landmines from the war still exist on some of them. To be safe, stick to paved roads and sidewalks and do not walk into fields, grass, or wooded areas. Also be alert for stray (and possibly rabid) dogs when venturing out of the city. The hills also offer a taste of suburban Bosnian life, including some of the surviving wooden mosques from before the war.
If walking up these hills seems too much like hard walk, simply walk up to the old bastion wall and get a view over town from there. Follow the river towards the hills and, where it makes a right hand bend and the main road goes through a tunnel, there's a slip road that goes up, over the tunnel and doubles back towards the bastion. Alternatively, find your way through the war cemetery at the top of the old town.
There is now a walking guide to Bosnia's 2000m peaks. It is called Forgotten Beauty and is available from the 'Buy Book' book shop in the center of Sarajevo (In English and Bosnian).
Go to famous Olympic Stadium and follow a match of Sarajevo Football Club. Though football quality is low it is interesting to follow a match in a stadium which hosted the opening ceremony of 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games peacefully just a few years before civil war broke out.
Visit one of the many cemeteries located within city limits. With white marble grave stones for those who gave their lives at their 20s during civil war these cemeteries are quite visit worthy.
See Markale market place, very close to Bascarcija, which marked the start of NATO intervention and thereby end of the civil war after a Serbian bombing which took the life of some 40, including Croats and Serbs as well. Markale was bombed two times, first in Feb 1994 and second in Aug 1995. First is important in terms of casualties and second is important in terms of initiating NATO military intervention.
'''Vrelo Bosne'''. The beginning of the river Bosna where the water is pure and ice cold. Here you can walk in a beautiful park, picnic and spend the whole day without ever getting bored.May 01 festival is held here.
Events
'''Sarajevo Film Festival''', [http://www.sff.ba/]. Held annually during August, the festival has a reputation of being one of the best in Europe (if you compared the funds used).
'''MESS - International theater festival Sarajevo, held annually during October
'''Sarajevo Jazz Festival''', [http://www.jazzfest.ba/] - Held during first week of November since 1997
'''Sarajevo Winter International Festival''', [http://www.sarajevskazima.ba/]. The first festival was held in 1984 during the Olympic Games in Sarajevo. Since then, it has been held regularly each year and brings into the city various artists from around the world. The interesting thing about the festival is that it has never stopped even during the war.
Other than the four mentioned festivals, it is important to note that Sarajevo is a vibrant city that lives all year long. The city's regular calendar of events is compiled in a crafty www.sonar.ba to make it easier to plan your visit.
Eat
Budget
Sarajevo has countless shops selling ''burek'' (meat pie, sold in layers by weight or by piece), cevapi and pizza stores. Pita (burek, sirnica, krompirusa, tikvenica, zeljanica etc) is a phyllo type pasty pie generally offered in several varieties - cheese (Bosnian cheese called "young cheese" similar to ricotta and never aged) (sirnica), cheese and spinach (zeljanica), pumpkin (tikvinica), and spicy potato (krompirusa). It is usually served and consumed with a traditional yogurt sauce which resembles sour cream. Most Cevapi places do not serve alcohol.
'''Ago Fast Food Pizzeria''', Mula Mustafe Baseskije 17.
Mid-range
'''Bambus''', 71000 Sarajevo, #32, Ferhadija bb, 557-190. An amazing jewel of a restaurant in the downtown shopping district. You actually have to go down a small staircase and push a button to be buzzed in to the restaurant but once you are there you will be happy you took the time to find it. It is very classy, quiet, clean, English menu and the waiters speak English. Very good food at good prices. The food is cooked with pride and for the prices charged, it really is a good deal.
'''Bosanska Kuca''', Bravadziluk 3, Bascarsija. Seats inside and out in the heart of the old town with a wide range of traditional Bosnian food at reasonable prices. You can sit outside against the warm wall of the oven if it's chilly. Their Muckalica, a veal broth, is delicious and good value at ?5.
'''Capucino''', Grbavica. Delicious Bosnian meals and the best pasta and pizza in the region. Capucino Restaurant is near river Miljacka in green area.
'''Inat Kuca''', Veliki Alifakovac 1, Bascarsija. An old Turkish house by the river converted to a lovely restaurant selling hearty stew-like meals.
'''The Hacienda''', Bazardzani 3, [http://www.haciendasarajevo.com/]. Mexican food, cocktails. Stays open late. Large portions at an average of 8-12KM for a main course, with very fresh ingredients and a pleasant atmosphere.
'''Karuzo''', Mehmeda Spahe bb. While it doesn't serve traditional Bosnian food, this restaurant features a vegetarian/fish based menu, with a mostly Italian influence (although sushi is also available). The pasta dishes are also highly recommended. Its a very intimate restaurant seating only 18 at a time, the chef takes your order prepares the food and serves it himself. Do be aware that you probably do need to have a good deal of time to spare - it can take a couple of hours before you leave.
'''Mrkva''' and Zeljo (which has 4 different locations) are the favorite places for the locals to go and get the most Bosnian of meal: Cevapi which are breakfast looking sausage meat patties made with a mixture of ground beef and a special mixture of spices usually kept as the house secret. The patties are grilled to perfection and served in a warm pita-like bread called somun or lepina usually baked in brick ovens. Cevapi are usually accompanied by diced sweet onion and sour cream, although the possibilities are endless.
'''Park Princeva''', Iza Hrida br. 7, +387 61 222 708. Slightly more expensive than Inat Kuca, also serving Bosnian food. Located on one of the hills of the city, you have a beautiful view, especially around sunset, when you can hear the prayers from the mosques around the valley.
'''Sarajevo Brewery''' - A large bar and restaurant near the Latin Bridge. Serves 'western' food, accompanied by a variety of beers brewed on the premises, for example also dark beer.
'''Ottoman Kebap House''' - Turkish restaurant on a side street in the old town. The inner courtyard lets you eat outside while being away from the noise of the street. The staff are really friendly, and will cook the food to your desired level of spiciness. Entrees are 7-12KM. Sargile are 8-10KM, depending on the flavor.
Vegetarian
'''Vegehana''' - restaurant which also serves as a yoga exercise area. Serves decent daily ajurvedic menu's from 11:00 till 19:00 (Mo-Sa). Before 18:00 its 10KM, after 18:00, 6 KM. [https://www.vegehana.com], 061-592 123, Kemal-begova 4 , a sidestreet of the Alipa?ina, not far from the train station.
Splurge
'''Moja Mala Kuhinja''' is a small and quaint pilot project restaurant owned by Bosnian celebrity Chef Muamer Kurtagic who has hosted an array of cooking shows on national and privately owned TV stations. The idea is that the whole cooking process is open for public and his customers can enjoy the artistry of cooking the food while being educated at the same time. His menu changes daily according to the availability of the freshest and best tasting organic ingredients. Most dishes served by Chef Muamer are inspired by some of the best restaurant in Germany where he worked and honed his skills for a number of years. The restaurant can only serve 15 guest or so at a time.
Drink
'''Baghdad Cafe''', Bazardzani 4 (''across from Hacienda in Bascarsija''), Tel: 033/ 121-121, [http://www.baghdadcafe.ba]. Danceclub/hookah bar in one of the most crowded areas of the Old Town for nightlife.
'''Central Cafe''', ?trosmajerova 1 in the Bascarsija, Tel: 033/ 200-442 [http://www.centralcafe.co.ba] - Cocktail bar with great music. Get there early or call to reserve a table. The place is very busy until midnight when people leave to hit the various nightclubs around town. The street is a whole promenade with many other cafes around.
'''Tre Bicchieri Wine Store & Tasting Bar''', Kranjceviceva 8, tel. + 387-33-222654, [http://www.uva.ba]. Long list of Italian wines. Very cozy and comfortable place. Good music & relaxing atmosphere.
Sleep
Budget
There are numerous '''houses''' around town '''offering accommodation''' in rooms for as little as 3KM per night (around 1,5 Euro), although they can be hard to find. Best bet is to go to one of the accommodation bureaus near the old town and find somewhere for a night (at their prices, with their 500% markup), then arrange with the landlord/lady to stay on for their own rate.
One of the options is local '''hostel''' named '''Sartour''' [http://www.sartour-hostel-sarajevo.ba]. They work in price range from 10 to 15 Euros per person per bed per night for accommodation and can also recommend alternative accommodations.
When you get tired of being bundled in cars by various agencies to look at various far-flung and grotty rooms, nip one door down from Sartour's office on Mula Mustafe Ba?eskije. Down a passage is an internet cafe with a big sign saying ROOMS - virtually the only one which does actually have rooms right there. They're cheap (30 Euros for a twin room) and cozy and clean enough, you get a little terrace and the staff are very friendly. Can be a bit noisy from the cafe and aircon though, but the location, virtually opposite the central square and right near the tram stop, is perfect.
Haris Youth Hostel is one of the most pleasant places to stay in Sarajevo. Although you must walk uphill for about ten minutes from the main square to get there, it is worth the walk for the beautiful view and hospitable, warm atmosphere. This writer has been to Sarajevo three times and truly recommends the hostel. hyh.ba, +387 33 23 25 63. Address: Vratnik Mejdan 29. The owner, a young chap named Haris, also owns a tourism agency right near the pigeon square at Kovaci 7.
One useful '''apartment''' is '''Skend''', located about 15 minutes walk from the center, but with comfortable, large rooms and breakfast available. Around 30KM. Tel: +387 61537775, or, for English, +387 912523834
Another good, cheap option is '''Hostel Posillipo''', which is almost directly opposite the fountain ("Pigeon Square"), on Besarina Cikma. You pay around 30KM a night for comfortable, well-placed accommodation. This writer found the staff there to be very friendly and informative on everything from good restaurants to tales of the nineties conflict. Tel:00 387 62 910546
'''Hostel City Centre Sarajevo''' [http://www.hcc.com]on Gazi Husrev Begova 9 and close to the tourist information in the Old town is a clean and nice place to stay with free soup and kitchen facilities, book beforehand at least in summer time (14 euros summer 2008).
The first address for an overview of budget accommodation of any kind is still ''''Sarajevo Accommodation'''' run by Mersad Bronja, better known as 'Miki'. He arranges overnight stays in private rooms as well as hostels, pensions and hotels in Sarajevo and its surroundings. See their website [http://www.sarajevo-accommodation.com] for further information.
Another option, 200 meters from the Old Town in the neighborhood of Bistrik is a very nice, sophisticated and modern place for excellent prices. It is called '''MD Apartmani''' and is family-run. More info can be found at their website: [http://www.md-apartmani.com]
Another good option is the '''Hostel Ljubi?ica''' [http://www.hostelljubicica.net/], situated in the Old town, just next to the tram station (you will often spot backpackers in front). They offer hostel and private accommodations starting at 10? and onwards. Note that you will probably be staying not in the hostel, but at a local's house. Also, the house can be at least a ten minute walk from the city past the river, and will be steeply uphill. If you are visiting for the first time, you can make arrangements online or by phone, and also arrange with them to be picked up at the train station, or the two bus stations in the city.
The friendly and homely '''Prenociste Kod Keme''' [http://www.hostel.co.ba/] is located in the heart of Bascarsija and you can get a single room ensuite at the price of 15 euros per night.
Mid-range
'''Hotel Konak ''' Mula Mustafe Ba?eskijeTake the number 1 tram from the train station to Pigeon Square. Follow the tram tracks west for two blocks, and it will be on your left, look for a red and white sign. Interesting place, as it offers luxury rooms from 100 Euro down to accomodation in a seperate, and quite nice hostel for as low as 15 Euro. Staff are friendly, speak English, and in the off season can be persuaded to negotiate. Hotel amenities include Breakfast, Ensuite bathrooms, Ensuite internet connected computers, while the hostel rooms are double bed privates with satellite television which share a bathroom among three rooms.
One of the best value hotels (many approach UK prices) is '''Motel Sokak''', Mula Mustafe Ba?eskije 24 Tel:+387 (0)33 570 355 / +387 (0)33 446 344 [mailto:contact@sokak-motel.com contact@sokak-motel.com]. It's small clean, quiet, friendly and comfortable, in an old building but modern inside. Top marks for location, just down the road from the old town central square and the tram stop. Double is 68 Euros for the room.
'''Pansion Cobanija''' charges 100KM (?50) per person per night, for a room with a private bathroom and satellite television. The rooms are clean and well-kept, and a continental breakfast is provided.
'''Hotel Michele''' [http://www.hotelmichele.ba/] This small paradise is probably the best "family" hotel in the city. The staff is wonderfully nice, breakfast and laundry included and also features private parking with direct elevator access to the room floors and wireless high speed internet.
Splurge
'''Holiday Inn''' [http://www.holiday-inn.com/sarajevo], [mailto:opm@holiday-inn.ba opm@holiday-inn.ba]. While it is part of InterContinental Hotels Group, it is quite unlike Holiday Inns found in the US. A great, classy and beautiful hotel that is a 5 minute walk the train and bus station, and about 10 minutes' walk from the town center. It has clean, safe, nice private rooms with private bathroom and shower, well-maintained. Friendly staff speaks English. They take credit cards and their prices are very good, at 118 Euros per night for two people (low season). The restaurant on the third floor is great.
'''Radon Plaza'''. Considered the best hotel in the city. It is located at the bottom of Avaz tower, next to the BMW showroom. It is named after the last name of its owner, who is also the owner of Avaz newspaper and one of the cities wealthiest people.
Stay safe
There are still many minefields and unexploded ordnances in the Sarajevo area and its surrounding suburbs. ''Never'' go into damaged buildings ( which are really rare to see) and always stick to paved surfaces avoiding grassy hills that surround the city . Areas that are not cleared are marked by yellow tape or signs, but still not all minefields have been identified due to the lack of resources and the lack of International help. Paved roads are always safe. Crime against foreigners is very rare and the city is safe to visit. (As with any country in former Yugoslavia, be careful not to get into sensitive discussions about politics with people you do not know, but even those can be very educational when you come across a person whose willing to discuss it.) Be aware of pick pockets who usually operate on public transportation vehicles.
A final point on health and safety is that the air in Sarajevo can be noticeably thick with pollution, so that asthmatics or those with other chest problems may find themselves short of breath a lot of the time, particularly of a night. Please do ensure you have ample medication, just in case.
Get out