Sarajevo walking tour & city guide
An Ottoman bazaar and Habsburg avenues in a mountain valley.
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Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, lies in a narrow valley surrounded by mountains. In a short walk you pass from the Ottoman bazaar of Baščaršija to grand Austro-Hungarian avenues, a history that also includes the assassination that started the First World War and the long siege of the 1990s.
Baščaršija
Baščaršija, the old bazaar founded in the 15th century, is a maze of low wooden shops where coppersmiths still hammer coffee pots. At its center stands the Sebilj, a wooden fountain kiosk and the symbol of the city, surrounded by pigeons.
The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the most important Ottoman building in the Balkans, has a courtyard with a fountain, and the old caravanserai Morića Han now holds a café.
Ferhadija and the meeting of cultures
On Ferhadija Street, a marker on the pavement shows where the Ottoman city meets the Austro-Hungarian one, with the line 'Sarajevo, meeting of cultures'. Within a few hundred meters stand the Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Orthodox Cathedral and the Old Synagogue.
At the Latin Bridge over the Miljacka river, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, an event that led to the First World War.
Views and practical tips
The Trebević cable car, rebuilt in 2018, climbs to the mountain where the 1984 Winter Olympic bobsled track still twists through the forest. The Yellow Fortress on the hillside is a popular place to watch the sunset and hear the calls to prayer echo across the valley.
Sarajevo is easy to explore on foot and by tram. Summers are warm and winters snowy, with ski resorts close by.
Top sights in Sarajevo
- 1
Baščaršija
The 15th-century Ottoman bazaar.
- 2
Sebilj
The wooden fountain at the heart of the bazaar.
- 3
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
The finest Ottoman mosque in the Balkans.
- 4
Latin Bridge
Where the 1914 assassination took place.
- 5
Yellow Fortress
A sunset viewpoint over the city.
- 6
Trebević cable car
A ride up to the Olympic bobsled track.
Food markets & where to eat in Sarajevo
Baščaršija
Ćevapi grills, burek shops and coffee houses.
Markale Market
The city's central open-air market.
Ferhadija
Cafés and patisseries along the pedestrian street.
Food to try in Sarajevo
Ćevapi
Grilled meat sausages in flatbread with onions.
Burek
Spiral pastry filled with meat.
Bosnian coffee
Served in a copper pot with Turkish delight.
Baklava
Syrupy layered pastry with nuts.
Opening hours and prices change often. Please check with each place before you visit.
Plan your trip to Sarajevo
Enjoyed the walk? Here is everything you need to see it for real.
- Hotels in SarajevoCompare places to stay and prices.
- Tours & ticketsWalking tours, museums and day trips in Sarajevo.
- eSIM for Bosnia and HerzegovinaStay online from the moment you land.
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