Sarajevo in Two Days

Two days is better than one, but still short. You will see the core — the bazaar, the mountain, the museums, the springs — without the time to sit in them properly. Three days is the number we recommend. But two works, if you move.

Budget for two days: roughly 120–160 BAM (~€60–80) for food, transport, entries and the cable car.

Day 1 — Old Town and Trebević

08:00 — Breakfast at Željo

Ćevabdžinica Željo on Kundurdžiluk. Ten ćevapi, somun, raw onion. ~12 BAM.

09:00 — Baščaršija walking loop

The Sebilj fountain first, then Kazandžiluk for the coppersmiths, Morića Han for a Bosnian coffee in the caravanserai courtyard, Sarači westward to the brass Meeting of Cultures line in the pavement.

10:30 — Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

The 1531 mosque is open to visitors between prayer times. Shoes off, shoulders covered, ten minutes of quiet inside. ~3 BAM.

11:00 — Vijećnica

Walk east along the Miljacka to Vijećnica. The 1896 pseudo-Moorish city hall burned on 25 August 1992 and reopened in 2014. The stained-glass atrium and the ground-floor exhibition on the fire are worth the entry. ~10 BAM.

12:30 — Lunch on Bravadžiluk

Ćevabdžinica Hodžić or Mrkva. Burek at a pekara if you want something different. ~12–15 BAM.

14:00 — Cable car up Trebević

Fifteen-minute walk uphill to the lower station at Bistrik. The Sarajevo Cable Car takes nine minutes to the top. Walk the Olympic Bobsled Track through the forest. Bring a layer — the ridge is ten degrees cooler. 30 BAM return (foreign visitors).

17:00 — Žuta Tabija for sunset

Back down by cable car. Walk or Moj Taxi to Žuta Tabija. The view from the 1727 bastion is the reason people come back to Sarajevo. Free.

19:00 — Dinner

Dveri for Bosnian home-cooking, or Bašča kod Ene in summer. ~25–35 BAM.

Day 2 — Museums, the Tunnel, and Vrelo Bosne

09:00 — Ferhadija and the Latin Bridge

Walk Ferhadija west to east, past the Sacred Heart Cathedral, past the Eternal Flame, and down to the Latin Bridge — the corner where Gavrilo Princip shot Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914. The Museum of Sarajevo 1878–1918 is at the north end of the bridge. ~5 BAM entry.

10:30 — National Museum

Tram or walk west to the National Museum on Zmaja od Bosne. Four pavilions of archaeology, ethnology, and natural history, plus the botanical garden, plus the Sarajevo Haggadah in its climate-controlled vault. Ask at the desk for Haggadah viewing times. Allow two hours. ~5 BAM.

13:00 — Lunch near Marijin Dvor

The area around the museum has several places. Keep it quick — the afternoon is full.

14:00 — Tunnel of Hope

Tram 3 to Ilidža, then a Moj Taxi to the Tunnel of Hope museum in Butmir (~10 minutes, ~10 BAM by taxi). The 800-metre tunnel was dug under the airport runway during the siege. Walk the preserved 25-metre section. Take a guide if one is available. ~10 BAM entry. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

16:00 — Vrelo Bosne (if time allows)

From the Tunnel, taxi back toward Ilidža and continue to Vrelo Bosne — the springs of the Bosna river at the foot of Mount Igman. Walk down Velika Aleja (the 3.5 km avenue of plane trees) or take a fiacre (~20 BAM). The springs are cold, the park is quiet, the willows are good company. ~2 BAM entrance.

If you are short on time, skip the springs and return to the centre for a slower evening in Baščaršija — a coffee at Čajdžinica Džirlo or Ministry of Ćejf on Kovači.

19:00 — Dinner

Back in the centre. Zlatna Ribica for an atmospheric evening drink, then dinner wherever the day has left you hungry.

Practical notes

Day 2 transport: the Tunnel of Hope and Vrelo Bosne are both in the Ilidža area, west of the centre. Combining them in one afternoon saves a return trip. The tram to Ilidža is roughly 40 minutes from the bazaar.
Moj Taxi is the local dispatch app. Uber and Bolt do not operate in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cash: the Tunnel of Hope, the cable car, and smaller cafés prefer cash in BAM.
Shoes: Day 1 involves cobblestones and a mountain. Day 2 involves the uneven tunnel floor and park paths. Something sturdy both days.