Are you thinking about where to spend your next summer? If you haven’t made it to Bosnia and Herzegovina yet, you ought to! Here’s AUBiH top recommendations for things you must do in Sarajevo to convince you:

Take a stroll around the Old Town

Though it sounds like a tongue-twister-mouth-full to pronounce, Baščaršija (pronounced Bash-Char-She-Yah), this old Ottoman bazaar is the charming heart and soul of Sarajevo and has been a meeting point for locals since the 15th century. From here, looking at the Islamic domed roofs and down the small stone-paved alleys flanked by doll-size, wooden storefronts and craftsman’s workshops, it’s easy to imagine life as a medieval trader, bunking down with a donkey caravan during the earliest days of Ottoman rule!

Watch the sunset from the Yellow Fortress

The Yellow Fortress (or Yellow Bastion) is a cannon fortress located 10 minutes walk from Old Town. It served as one of the defense points against the Austro-Hungarian troops in 1878, but nowadays it’s a great place where you can sit and enjoy beautiful sunsets over Sarajevo. During the month of Ramadan, this area is packed with locals waiting for the cannon to go off which marks the end of fasting for that day, followed by some fireworks.

Taste traditional Bosnian cuisine

Do not let yourself leave Bosnia and Herzegovina without trying local Bosnian delights! Our advice is to take advantage of the generous exchange rates and try as many cafes/restaurants as you can. Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. 

The food is closely related to Turkish, Middle Eastern, and other Mediterranean cuisines with some culinary influences from Central Europe. Top recommendations would definitely be ćevapi, sarma and tufahija together with some Bosnian coffee.

Take a tour to the Olympic Bobsled

The Sarajevo bobsled, located on Trebevic Mountain, is often seen as a depiction of the juxtaposition of the city’s recent history. Sarajevo was flourishing in the 1980’s and hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, only to find itself in the midst of conflict a decade later during the Bosnian war. During the siege, the track was used as an artillery position by Bosnian Serb forces. Today, the tracks still remain mostly intact with war wounds of fighting holes, drilled into one of the last turns of the course.

Visit the place where the First World War started

In 1914, Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo. The assassination, which began the First World War, is marked with a stone plaque and is located near the beautiful Latin Bridge.

Visit the Sarajevo War Theater

The Sarajevo War Theatre (SARTR) was founded on 17 May 1992 during the infamous Siege of Sarajevo. Despite limited resources, SARTR is today a successful professional theatre with a number of international co-productions, appearances and awards under its belt.

Learn about the rich history

If you are interested in history, you’ll find Sarajevo a moving testament to the ways in which diverse cultures have historically found ways to co-exist, and the terrible price that is paid for war. You will find it to be vibrant and inviting in the way that a northern city can be at the very earliest signs of spring, as though it, as a city, was deciding whether the bitter cold of its recent history was really past.

Visit the Sarajevo War Tunnel

The Sarajevo War Tunnel is a great reminder of the perseverance of Sarajevo people during the war. The city was cut off from the rest of the world and the tunnel was constructed as a way to get to the other side of the airport, a Bosnian-held territory overseen at the time by the UN. The siege of Sarajevo lasted over three years during which over 2 million people are believed to have passed through the tunnel.

Take a quick trip around the country

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a small country. Just a few hours’ trip from Sarajevo will take you to beautiful places such as idyllic Stari Most in Mostar, Buna spring in Blagaj, the Kravice waterfalls, beautiful Olympic mountains and the delightful Adriatic coast.

If you’re interested in visiting Sarajevo,  American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina can offer you a unique chance. Our summer programs are specially designed to meet academic, career and personal interests, and to provide the best possible, unforgettable experience.

“There are many cities called Saraj in this world…, but this fortified Bosnian city of Sarajevo is the most advanced, most beautiful and most lively of them all.” 

– Evlija Čelebi, 17th century Ottoman traveler.

This article is sponsored by American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina.