This Underrated European Capital Set To Surge In Popularity This Summer
Once you consider a European metropolis break, it is in all probability Paris and its grand Haussmann-era boulevards, London’s skyscraper-lined Thames riverfront, or perhaps Milan’s glamorous really feel and haute delicacies that come to thoughts, not an offbeat Sarajevo.
Actually, you is likely to be questioning the place that even is.
The (a lot) missed capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a criminally-underrated nation itself, Sarajevo is making some waves lately, persevering with to see an uptick in arrivals after hitting its target 1.5 million overnights in 2024 (a 26.6% year-on-year improve).
Unheard-of as it could be on our facet of the pond, it is by no means been extra fashionable than it’s at this very second amongst Europeans, with Turks, Croats, Serbs, and Germans leading the way—and it is excessive time we seemed into a number of the explanation why.
Why Are Vacationers Immediately Flocking Into Sarajevo?
Positioned close to the geometric heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is just becoming for a capital, Sarajevo is one among Europe’s most various capitals, house to Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Catholics, a cultural hub of the primary order, and maybe the continent’s most unsung vacation spot, at that.
It has a wealthy (albeit complicated) historical past, encompassing durations of Ottoman and Austrian management, and for that cause, it’s typically described as a spot the place cultures conflict:
Istanbul would be the most well-known metropolis to (actually) straddle two continents, but it surely’s in Sarajevo you will discover ornate medieval mosques and their adjoining bazaars inside quick strolling distance of imposing, Sixteenth-century Orthodox temples and Gothic church buildings.
Bosnia is a multi-faith nation born out of the necessity to let go of previous variations and grievances, and although that hard-fought peace reveals its cracks every so often, nowhere else in the Balkans will you see a melting pot as fascinating as this.
Medieval Mosques, Picturesque Bridges & Cobbled Lanes
Taking a stroll across the riverside Outdated City, with its cobbled streets, and a plethora of tea retailers and comfortable cafes, you will come across majestic mosques, like Gazi Husrev-beg, a centerpiece of Ottoman structure relationship again to the Sixteenth-century, but additionally Orthodox temples and Gothic church buildings.
Additionally constructed within the Sixteenth century, the Byzantine-inspired Church of the Holy Archangels is a testomony to Sarajevo’s deeply ingrained sense of multiculturalism. It serves the native ethnically Serbian neighborhood and is among the many capital’s oldest non secular websites.
Curiously sufficient, a brief 6-minute stroll away is the towering Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral, a Neo-Gothic marvel that includes a marble-cut altar and complicated stained glass designs. It caters primarily to the ethnically Croatian inhabitants of Sarajevo and is Bosnia’s largest cathedral.
We all know World Struggle I isn’t as widely-taught in colleges throughout America as its rather more catastrophic follow-up, however when you had been ever curious as to how the unhappy story of wounded troopers in trenches and bayonet bearers began, look no additional than Sarajevo’s Latin Bridge:
Uncover Sarajevo’s Struggle Wounds
Yep, WWI began not over some disagreement in palatial chambers in Germany however proper there on town’s oldest stone pedestrian crossing, spanning the in any other case peaceable Miljacka River.
That is the place Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, an occasion that many Historians regard as having sparked the Europe-wide battle, and moreover crossing the bridge to take in the eerie ambiance your self, you may go to a close-by museum the place you may study all about it intimately.
Sadly, Sarajevo’s standing within the Annals of Time didn’t take a flip for the higher in the identical century, as within the 90s, it will be rocked by ugly occasions and instability as soon as extra.
You have heard of the Bosnian Struggle, proper?
Whereas spared the identical degree of human tragedy that introduced smaller cities like Srebrenica and Mostar to their knees, the capital endured a 4-year siege, and it, too, has its lifeless to mourn.
For these of you who’re into Darkish Tourism, there are nonetheless some colleges, hospitals, and cultural landmarks that carry bullet holes and different battle scars, most notably the Nationwide Library, an Islamic-inspired brick-and-concrete palace proper on the water that was almost burned to the bottom.
One more fashionable attraction is the Tunnel of Hope: regardless of its identify, it is the truth is a battle tunnel used to smuggle individuals and provides over the battlefront in the course of the siege, and it now hosts a museum.
Nonetheless, not all is doom and gloom.
For 2 of the very best sundown views on the town, both take the cable automobile from Stari Grad (Outdated City) to Trebević Mountain (costing roughly $18), or hike a brief quarter-hour from the middle, as much as the Yellow Fortress, a fortress perched atop one among Sarajevo’s many hills.
This one’s free.
From each viewpoints, you will be rewarded with sweeping views of the minaret and belfry-dotted townscape, the landmark-lined meander that’s Miljacka, and the lush greenery throughout it.
One Of The Least expensive European Capitals
We would exit of our solution to go to Sarajevo any day, no matter native costs, but it surely definitely helps that all the things from meals to lodging to transportation is shockingly-affordable.
If you happen to’re actually on a strict funds, you may pattern scrumptious native delicacies like Bosnian ćevapi, hand-mixed mince meat shaped right into a funnel, typically served with spices and flatbread, for round $5 in most Outdated City eateries, and the identical goes for börek pastries, hen soup with bitter cream, and the listing goes on.
Even small luxuries in Sarajevo will not precisely break the financial institution:
For example, Dveri is a well-reputed Outdated City restaurant, and a fairly touristy one at that, fashionable for its selfmade borscht and beef goulash, and a variety of rakija flavors (the native spirit, for these which can be unaware).
On common, eating right here will set you again by round $11–$16 by ordering a major dish.
Throughout from the Metropolis Corridor, Inat Kuća is equally well-known for its fashionable twist added to some Bosnian classics, and its homegrown wine and hearty stews will not run you up by greater than $16 for a sit-in lunch with river views.
After the second stew, you may understand Bosnian meals, tasty as it could be, is not precisely sitting effectively in your abdomen, so when you’re ever in fancy of a Balkan-Asian fusion, make certain Mala Kuhinja is in your listing, or the upscale trattoria Tavola, proper within the metropolis heart.
In search of a spot to remain? Sarajevo has an intensive provide of lodging, starting from funds to luxurious, but when you end up someplace within the center, there are whole, fully-furnished flats can be found on Booking.com from solely $48 per night time for two adults.
This Is How Authorities Are Bettering Sarajevo For Vacationers In 2025
You get the gist of it: Sarajevo (and Bosnia as an entire) is very cheap, it is incredibly-beautiful, and it is but to be ruined by the identical crowds which have made Italy’s Amalfi, or the French Riviera a dwelling hell.
Sarajevo Worldwide Airport (SJJ), serviced by low-cost flights from throughout Europe and choose Center Jap locations, has already reported a 44% uptick in passengers this 12 months, as confirmed by Statistika, so it has been gaining traction.
You higher get there earlier than it is too late, as this gem will not keep hidden for lengthy.
On high of that, authorities within the capital are investing closely in making Sarajevo better-connected, and extra tourist-friendly: the small airport has now expanded to host flights from main hubs like Dubai, Riyadh, and Kuwait, and the Outdated City is present process revitalization.
It is not unusual for historic facilities within the Balkan Peninsula to be a bit of rundown, given native authorities’s horrible observe file of defending monuments and materials heritage, however in Sarajevo’s case, important efforts have been made to revive its pre-war glory.
Reconstructions apart, it is seen the opening of latest museums, like Sevdah Artwork Home, each an artwork exhibit and a restaurant with an emphasis on sevdalinka, Bosnian people music, and even the buzzing Obala Maka Dizdara, a pedestrian promenade, is present process renovation.
On high of that, for all of the biking lovers on the market, a brand new, official bike path connecting Dubrovnik, in Croatia, to Sarajevo has just opened.
The 217-mile route has stops in lovely mountain villages, town of Mostar, well-known for its arched Ottoman bridge, and scenic lakes earlier than reaching the Miljacka River valley, the place Sarajevo lies.
Getting To Bosnia From America
Flying from america, the best solution to attain Sarajevo is touching down first in a bigger transit airport, like Istanbul (IST), Vienna (VIE), Frankfurt (FRA), or Munich (MUC), and from there, board a low-cost flight to the Bosnian capital.
Costs for an intra-Europe flight to Sarajevo (SJJ) begin from solely $40, and cities like Vienna or Budapest, served by funds carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair, have a tendency to supply the bottom fare.
Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll attain it by bus from neighboring nations that host U.S. flights, like Serbia or Croatia, for equally-cheap costs, or driving.
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