Sarajevo Hotels
Hotels in Sarajevo are mainly local hotel chains and small cozy hostels, there are practically no international giants. The most interesting offers are concentrated in the historical part of the city, where you can stay in a four-star hotel overlooking the old cobbled streets. For example, in Emiran. The cost of accommodation is 160 BAM per day. Another option: look for more affordable deals in hotels with fewer “stars”: for a room in the “three rubles” they will ask from 85 BAM per night.
Housing is even cheaper in residential areas of the city, for example, in New Sarajevo. Accommodation will cost 70 BAM depending on the level of comfort provided. The most accessible are hostels, where an overnight stay will cost 25 BAM per bed (more expensive in the center).
Shopping
According to wholevehicles, shopping in Sarajevo is an amazing mixture of colorful Turkish bazaars and luxury malls. The most picturesque shopping streets are located in the historical center. You can start their inspection from the mosque of Gazi Khusrev-bey (Sarachi street, 18), moving in any direction. They sell mainly carpets, chased copper utensils and oriental sweets. But it is not them that are recommended to be brought, but traditional sets for making Bosnian coffee. Another original local souvenir: national clothes.
For fashionable things, licensed equipment and branded goods, it is better to go to shopping centers. There are two large malls in the city: Sarajevo City Center (Hamdije Kresevljakovica, 60) and Alta Shopping Center (Franca Lehara, 2). The first is an ultra-modern business center with modern architecture and its own hotel complex. Tourists come here not only for shopping, but also just to look at an unusual building for Sarajevo. Alta Shopping Center attracts visitors with round-the-clock work and cooperation with many global networks: LEGO, Hello Kitty, Apple and others.
Cuisine and restaurants in Sarajevo
The city has many cafes, restaurants and small eateries that serve local fast food. The most expensive restaurants are concentrated in the Old Town, many of which convey the national Bosnian flavor. Even the most sophisticated ones serve “Sarajevo sakhan” (stuffed vegetables and dolma), which is unsightly at first glance. Another local delicacy is lonak, meat boiled together with a variety of vegetables. Dinner with moderate alcohol will cost 50 BAM.
Bosnian cuisine is filled with oriental spices and unique flavors. Dishes are spicy, hearty and juicy. You can try traditional delicacies in almost any establishment.
You can also have a tasty and satisfying lunch in a more budgetary cafe. Finding this is easy: just turn off the main pedestrian streets. Confectionery and coffee shops are interesting to visit, which serve “tulumba” (custard tubes) and “khurmasik” (delicate cookies). Grab a bite to eat at local fast food. But they don’t offer burgers or hot dogs. Instead of them – “bureks” (puff pastry pies with various fillings) and fried sausages “chevapchichi” for 3-5 BAM.
Entertainment and attractions
During its history, Sarajevo belonged to the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Principality, Yugoslavia. The city has absorbed several cultures and preserved the monuments of each dominant civilization.
First of all, travelers tend to climb to the observation deck, open on the 36th floor of the Avazov toranj skyscraper (Teshanska St., 24a). In good weather, it offers a breathtaking view of the entire city. The second most visited attraction is the Military Tunnel, built by the defenders of Sarajevo during its siege in 1993. Humanitarian aid was brought through its narrow passages and civilians were taken away from the places of hostilities. For this, he received another name: the Tunnel of Life. The total length of the underground passages does not exceed 700 m, but it took several months of round-the-clock work to create them.
You can relax and ventilate after visiting the tunnel in the Vrelo Bosne Park (Ilidza Area). Time here dissolves in clean air, the murmur of a small river, the green crowns of trees. This is a favorite place of calm and spiritual relaxation of local residents.
Fans of architecture and the history of religion will be interested in visiting the Gazi-Khosrevbey mosque. The building was erected in the 16th century and still remains an important center of the local Muslim community. The building impresses with its scope: a 26-meter dome rests on walls two meters thick. The interior halls are decorated with elegant ornaments.
Another religious, but this time a Christian shrine is in the Cathedral of the Heart of Jesus. The largest Catholic church in the country was erected by the same architect who oversaw the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral, so both buildings have a similar layout and common style elements.
Weather
The climate in Sarajevo is mild and warm, without sweltering heat in summer and frost in winter. The most comfortable for unhurried walks around the city are the summer months. In July and August, dry and sunny weather sets in, warm days last until November. The wind from the Adriatic Sea brings rain clouds all year round: precipitation falls evenly.
It is not recommended to come here during the spring flood: the Bosna and its tributaries swell and overflow their banks, flooding the nearby area.
The best time to travel is autumn, which is warmer than spring in Sarajevo. Winter holidays are popular due to the abundance of ski resorts.
