Sarajevo is the Best European Capital for Summer

Is there anything crazier than a big European city at the height of summer? Throngs of sweaty people with frantic energy pounding the pavement all day long. In my mind, no…but I am at the far end of crowd averse.

Enter Sarajevo. The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is not only a tidy size of 275,000 people, but it is easy to get around, and like most of the country: Pretty affordable.

While we didn’t see and do everything in our short stay, here are a few highlights that will help you plan your trip.

Where to Eat in Sarajevo

We only ate out a couple of times while we were in Sarajevo, and I will not count the mall food court!

Avlija for Brunch/Lunch

We love a brunch when we have the opportunity to partake! We have found breakfast culture to be very hit or miss in Europe, but Bosnia definitely acknowledges this meal.

Avlija is a hole-in-the-wall casual restaurant with a lovely “indoor terrace” vibe. There are lots of jungley plants and brightly colored benches.

This place really has the perfect ambience, whether you want to Instagram it, or just soak it in.

The menu is simple but delicious Bosnian food. We liked that there were several options on the breakfast menu.

The price was higher than we saw in other parts of Bosnia, but we didn’t eat out enough in Sarajevo to say whether it was high for the city or not. Mains fell mostly between 12 and 20 BAM or approximately 6 – 10 Euros. Certainly nothing crazy.

Dinner or Take Out at Sushi Station

Sushi Station Sarajevo is a delicious Japanese restaurant with a pretty expansive menu. We don’t often find ourselves in cities with much by way of “world foods” so we were truly delighted by Sushi Station! (We do medium know good sushi.)

The popcorn shrimp was our favorite little surprise. Shrimp are battered in a slightly sweet tempura and served with spicy mayonnaise for dipping. For actual sushi, try the Gambori roll.

Sushi Station runs about 9 Euros per roll.

The ambience is also great in this little spot. We ended up getting Sushi both nights in Sarajevo. As the Balkan people like to say, it was “Top.”

Things to See in the City Center of Sarajevo

The first thing to do in Sarajevo, is to go for a walk around! This charming city on the small side has plenty of things to look at. There is interesting soviet architecture, more traditional European style buildings, and many shell-scarred facades.

There is also the pretty river and historical bridges.

The Site that Started WWI

Probably (?) the most famous thing to see in Sarajevo is the place that sparked WWI. On a street corner that now houses a museum, the Austro-Hungarian Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in 1914.

The killer’s footprints are stamped into the sidewalk, and some people stand in them to take pictures.

As an average history buff (meaning someone with an average understanding) I did not understand why we are smiling for pictures in celebration of WWI?? So I did a little reading.

A Very Brief History Lesson

Bosnians and Serbs in 1914 were united in resistance against Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary had just annexed Bosnia, and the Archduke was on something of a victory tour.

A rebel group of Bosnian Serbs hatched a plan to assassinate him, and after successfully avoiding a bomb, Franz Ferdinand and his wife still met their fate at the hands of Gavrilo Princip, when their car happened to turn down the street that he was on.

How this sparked the first world war? Austria-Hungary called on Germany for backup. Serbia called on their ally Russia for backup. Russia brought France and the UK, and the rest is history.

With all that in mind, technically Bosnia was team “good guy” even if their guy did accidentally start the war. His infamy or valor is still debated, and even his footprints were torn out and then brought back.

The Old Bazaar (Stari Bazar)

Sarajevo’s impressive Old Bazaar is a 15th century marketplace that has been restored and brought back to use.

It was earmarked for demolition after WWII but happily the plans were cancelled. It’s amazing that the bazaar not only survived the last nearly 600 years, but also both world wars, and the 1425 day siege of the city.

Inside the bazaar is truly a magical and charmed atmosphere. Outisde the bazaar are some ancient ruins.

Getting Around Sarajevo

While we were in Sarajevo we got around by bus, on foot, and by taxi.

Navigating Sarajevo by Bus

If you arrive to Sarajevo by air, there is a public bus that you can catch to reach the city center. This bus doesn’t run as frequently as the other bus routes, so if you find yourself between service times, you can also walk about 20 minutes to the main bus routes.

Seeing Sarajevo on Foot

The city center of Sarajevo is quite small and walkable, so if you are staying anywhere nearby, you probably won’t need transit that much.

We even walked to the intercity bus/train station! The main part of Sarajevo is thankfully pretty flat, so it’s an easy walk to most places.

Travelling Around Sarajevo by Taxi

Taxis in Sarajevo are pretty affordable. We only took one once, but it was far cheaper there than even one of the smaller towns in Bosnia.

It cost us about 30 Bosnian marks (15 Euros) for a 20 minute ride.

Pros of Visiting Sarajevo

I touched on the pros of this city a little in the intro, but here are the top plus points of visiting Bosnia’s capital city:

• It’s not busy

We visited in July and again for a quick stop in August and we didn’t find the city to be crowded at all. The main streets and historical sites were not more crowded than our hometown shopping mall on a Saturday.

This may not be the case after sunset. Most of Bosnia enjoys an evening out after the heat has subsided a little, so the center is probably more bumping at night. Still, it’s nothing like other European capitals.

• It’s not expensive

While Sarajevo accommodations and restaurants are definitely some of the most expensive in the country (probably tied with famous Mostar) they are definitely not budget busters.

• It’s easy to navigate

Sarajevo is easily explored on foot if you are anywhere near the city center. The main part of the city is very compact and mostly flat. If you do decide to bus or taxi, it is easy and affordable.

• It’s friendly (and there are a lot of English speakers!)

We found Bosnian people in general to be very pleasant, eager to help, and relaxed.

One does not come to the Balkans and expect a high level of service in English, but here in Sarajevo we found most people spoke it well! Obviously this isn’t necessary, but it does make things a bit easier.

Cons of Visiting Sarajevo

• It’s hard to reach and hard to leave

Sarajevo is not particularly well connected to the rest of Europe. We were in nearby Bulgaria, and still the most efficient way to get there had us routing through London.

• Stifling summer weather

The city can also be very hot in the summer. We can’t hold it against them, because that’s just Europe in the summer! However you might have heard that Bosnia is a good place to escape the heat and enjoy nature, but Sarajevo is not the place they are talking about. Try instead the nearby town of Visoko.

• Cold winter weather

Getting to Other Parts of Bosnia from Sarajevo

Despite not being super well connected to the rest of Europe, it is easy to travel around the country from Sarajevo. There seem to be a lot of regular buses to most parts of the country from the main bus and rail station. (They are beside each other.)

To get to the famous city of Mostar (near the Croatian border) there are regular buses and a popular train route.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is separated into territories: The “Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina” and “Republika Srpska.” Srpska occupies a large section of land along the entire eastern border of the country, and another piece in the north.

To get to cities in the Srpska region of Bosnia, you will need to get yourself to the East Sarajevo bus station for the best options. (That is when we took the taxi. He told us it is a standard 30 Bosnian marks for destinations “outside” of the city, and the East Sarajevo bus station is outside the city in Republika Srpska.)

Should You Visit Sarajevo?

If you are looking for a modern and welcoming city in Europe without the crowds, Sarajevo is a charming option.

I do think it can be somewhat difficult to tack it onto an existing European itinerary, so it might be best to include the city in a Bosnia/Croatia centered vacation.

I hope this was a helpful look at the city of Sarajevo! I will be covering lots more of beautiful BiH in the future.