Sarajevo is gorgeous. It has a unique feel to it due to the cool mix of cultures that formed it. The city was founded by the Ottomans in the 1500s but was always an east-west crossroads. There is a cool old turkish quarter with tons of old shops and kebab stands. There are a number of old (and new) mosques whose minarets populate the skyline. But there are also a number of churches and synagogues and a massive cathedral in the town center. And the city is in a beautiful setting. There are cool hills and mountains rising up above the town which sits in a valley with a nice river running through town.
Sarajevo is also extremely energetic at night. The central downtown area is all pedestrian-only and walkable. During the two Euro Cup games there had to be 3,000 people in all the bars and cafes that had set up outdoor tables chairs and tvs for watching the games.
We also ate really good food. Two favorites of mine were the doner kebabs from street vendors and the local dish of czevapi which was like a very onion-y hamburger in a grilled pita. Excellent.
The city seems very safe and pleasant too. Something I read here quoted a resident as saying, While we have war criminals hidden throughout the city, you will never feel unsafe wandering the streets. So there's that.
During the day, the biggest past-time in Sarajevo must be cafe sitting. Bosnians are big fans of the "Cafe-Bar" which serves alcohol, coffee, and sometimes ice cream. Everywhere you look around town, people are sitting. Sometimes sitting and smoking. Sometimes sitting and sipping. Sometimes having some ice cream. No one is eating though, and most cafes don't serve real food.
Coffee drinking seems to be a bigger part of Bosnian life even than elsewhere in Europe. There are even three different Bosnian words for coffee - one for the 1st coffee of the day, one for daytime coffee taken with friends or colleagues, and one for coffee served at the end of a meal or gathering intended as a polite way to tell guests that it's time to leave.
Still though, the rocky last century's worth of history are barely beneath the surface. Tour maps highlight the bridge where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated (starting WWI), the Holiday Inn where journalists hid out during the 1992-95 siege of the city, and the Sarajevo roses (when particularly deadly mortar attacks hit town, the sidewalk holes were repaved with red cement) which are all over town, including right in front of our hotel. And finally, this may just be in my head, but people here, especially the older people, seem to look like they are somewhat weary and distant below the surface. There also seem to be more than the average number of beggars missing limbs and many people seem to be shopping but nobody seems to be buying anything. While this NYT article gives a darker perspective we generally experienced the city as very happy, lively, and energetic.
I would definitely recommend Sarajevo. It was culturally unique, felt authentic (almost no Western tourists), really energetic, and very scenic.
Old mosque
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