Sarajevo 

Activities, tours and attractions

• Sarajevo is the most beautiful capital city in the Balkans. It feels like a mini Istanbul

• The old town (called Baščaršija) is quite compact, with major attractions within a walking distance

• Walk to Cable Car Sarajevo (type Teleférico de Sarajevo in Google Map), return ticket for the cable car costs KM 20 (€10), then walk towards Bobsled Track. The views are stunning from the hill that overlooks the cable car when they move downward to the city

• Sarajevo City Hall (Vijećnica) is the largest building of the Austro-Hungarian art and architecture. The place is not worth the visit. The ticket is expensive and includes an audio guide that requires installing an app with paid options! The building looks fancy from outside. It houses artefacts and manuscripts about different presidents and the history of the country, including the recent war but better to learn about it in other museums 

• Yellow Bastion (Žuta Tabija) has the stunning views of the city. On the way to the Yellow Bastion, you will pass by a large cemetery of Muslim victims killed during the war. The cemetery is called “Šehidsko Mezarje Kovači”. It is heartbreaking how all the tombstones have similar death dates! There is one entrance to the cemetery. If you decide to climb the hill of the cemetery, then you need to come down to exit. Do not jump over the fence!

• Do not miss Srebrenica 11-07-1995 Gallery! Learn about the horrific massacres and genocide committed by the Christian Orthodox Bosnian-Serbs (known as Republica Sprska paramilitary), and the Yugoslav People’s Army (modern day Serbia). Civilians from different Muslim villages fled to Srebrenica and Potočari (supposedly UN Safe Zone), seeking refuge and safety under the UN shelters. The Serbs attacked the UN zone, killed more than 8,000 people mainly men and boys. Until this day, not all bodies or remains have been found. United Nations partially played a role in the massacre of Srebrenica 1995. The U.N. disarmed the Muslims in so-called Safe Zone while the Orthodox Bosnian-Serbs were fully armed by the Yugoslav People’s Army (Serbia), and Catholic Croat-Bosnians were armed by Croatia. When the Bosnian-Serbs attacked Srebrenica, the U.N. Dutch battalion did not fire a single bullet against the aggressors. The Bosnian-Serb war criminal, Ratko Mladić, said “Srebrenica has returned to Serbia, we shall revenge from Muslims”

• Another museum to visit is the Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide 1992-1995. It is an excellent one to learn about the tragic Bosnian war. I was left traumatized on how humans could turn into cannibals! The museum houses items and anecdotes about the siege of Sarajevo, concentration camps and horrible genocides committed by Orthodox Serbs against Muslim Bosnians, in addition to crimes committed by Catholic Croats. Do not miss this museum, I spent around 2.5 hours, the content is very graphic and heartbreaking but it is the reality and truth which everybody must know about. One lady was crying when she was watching a video on Sarajevo siege. The museum is a shame on humanity! Only cash is accepted for the admission ticket 

• Even in summer, Sarajevo gets chilly at night. Keep a sweater on you

Transportation

• If you arrive by train or bus, you get off at the Railway Station, Željeznička stanica. From the station, take a bus or the tram. The tram journey is very interesting as it is among the oldest in Europe. Most of the tram routes stop by Baščaršija (the old town)

• Bus 31E connects the airport with the old town. The ticket costs KM 1.80 (around €1). For the opposite direction (from old town to airport), I took the airport bus from the station behind the Sacred Heart Cathedral, station name is “Katedrala”

Restaurants and cafes

• Barhana: expensive, unfriendly staff, very common among tourists

• Board Room: hippy-style cafe, located in a narrow alleyway with graffiti, cozy seating, good for drinks and coffee

• Terrazza: I had chicken curry, came with French fries, rice and salad. The curry sauce was delicious, excellent service, big portion

Accommodation

• Hostel Franz Ferdinand: tiny rooms with poor ventilation, attentive and helpful staff, excellent breakfast with a good variety of food including cereals, jams, toast bread, cheese, boiled egg and unboiled so the guests can make their own, excellent WiFi connection, central location. located in an old and dirty building. Mind you, payment is only in cash, credit cards aren’t accepted so plan ahead