Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ded the world's attention in 1984, or ascend even higher for sweeping views over one of
Europe's most stunningly set capitals. Make friends with a gregarious Sarajevan—it's easy
to do—and ask him the best way to prepare and drink Bosnian coffee. Ponder the scars of
war, hunch over to squeeze through the tunnel that was the besieged Sarajevans' lifeline to
the world, and listen to a local relate personal stories from the harrowing time of the siege.
Play a game of giant chess with the jeering old-timers in an urban park. Shop your way
through the copper-laden canyons of the Turkish-style bazaar, bartering down the price of a
hand-hammered Bosnian coffee set. Relax in a hidden caravanserai, take a slow drag on a
šiša (water pipe spewing sweet plumes of fruity smoke), and sample some honey-dripping
pastry treats. For dinner—or just a snack—nibble on some of the best bureks (savory, flaky
pies) and ć evapi (grilled sausages) this side of the Bosphorus. Go ahead—it's OK to enjoy
Sarajevo.
Planning Your Time
Sarajevo demands a minimum of a day. Side-tripping here from Mostar lets you scratch the
surface,butyouwon'tregrethavingone,two,oreventhreenightshere.Withwhatevertime
you have, begin in the characteristic Turkish quarter, the Baš č aršija.
I've described two self-guided walks. If you only have time for one, take the first one,
which provides a good orientation to Sarajevo and takes you all the way through town, with
opportunities to stop at virtually all of the important sights (except the Sarajevo War Tun-
nelMuseum,whichrequiresalongbutworthwhiledetour).Thesecondwalkfocusesonthe
urban, “downtown” zone called “Sniper Alley,” with some harrowing tales of the Siege of
Sarajevo.
Note that Sarajevo is a 2.5-hour trip beyond Mostar, making it a logistical deadhead
that's not really “on the way” to other destinations in this topic. To maximize efficient use
of your time, consider flying in or out of here (for example, Croatia Airlines has reason-
ablypricedflightstoZagreb).Butbeawarethatinwinter,heavymorningfogoftengrounds
flights.
Orientation to Sarajevo
With approximately 310,000 people (660,000 in the greater Sarajevo area)—filling a city
that held up to 525,000 at its prewar peak—Sarajevo is barely contained by its valley. It's
surrounded by steep mountains on all sides, with its houses scampering up the valley walls
(more recently joined by wartime cemeteries occupying what once were forested parks).
It's a long, skinny city, lining up along its humble Miljacka River and main thoroughfare.
You can trace the city's historical and architectural development from east to west, starting
with the historic Old Town core, called the Baš č aršija. West of that is the Austrian-feeling
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