The Coolest Neighbourhoods in Sarajevo, Bosnia
Sarajevo mixes Ottoman and modern skyscrapers, elegant Austro-Hungarian buildings with drab socialist blocks. Each of the city’s neighbourhoods have their own characteristics, attractions and stories to tell. Here are the most interesting to check out on your trip to Sarajevo.
Sarajevo’s neighbourhoods
Modern Sarajevo’s story dates back six centuries. The Ottomans created a central commercial zone, Bascarsija, in the same way as they did many other Bosnian old towns. Residential hamlets grew up in the surrounding hills with their own mosques and bakeries. The Austro-Hungarians, and later Yugoslavia, extended these, forming modern-day Sarajevo.
Walking west through the neighbourhoods is like travelling through time, from Ottoman Bascarsija to the more central Austro-Hungarian and socialist districts.
Bascarsija
Bascarsija
The most famous neighbourhood is Bascarsija, Sarajevo’s old town. During the Ottoman era (15th-late 19th century), Bascarsija was Sarajevo’s centre of trade and commerce. Each of the branching cobblestoned streets had their own crafts.
In 1462, Isa-Beg Isakovic commissioned the Old Bazaar on the River Miljacka’s northern side. From this point, Bascarsija boomed. Gazi Husrev-beg built his mosque in 1530, as well as Hans and caravanserais for roaming traders.
The Golden Age came in the 17th-century, as the neighbourhood covered more than double its current size. Over 1000 shops with 80 different crafts filled the streets, until a fire destroyed most in the 19th century when Bosnia was part of Austria-Hungary. It wasn’t rebuilt.
Today, Bascarsija has souvenir shops, bars and restaurants filled with locals and tourists, instead of the artisans and traders of the past. You’ll find lots of hotels and hostels within easy walk of each other in the heart of Sarajevo.
Barcarsija, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coffee shops and souvenirs in Bascarsija | © Sam Bedford
Bistrik
Brewery, Bridge, Church, Monastery, Mosque, Museum
Bistrik
A few decades before Bascarsija, a small settlement existed on the southern side of River Miljacka, served by the Emperor’s Mosque. Bistrik dates back to the middle of the 15th century, making it one of Sarajevo’s oldest neighbourhoods, which starts at Latin Bridge and rises up the hill.
As a tourist, you may not appreciate the historical significance without a guide. The Sarajevo Brewery and the red and white Saint Anthony’s Church and Monastery are popular places to visit. The Brewery has a museum, fresh beer and played an essential role in survival during the Siege of Sarajevo (April 1992–February 1996).
Bistrik, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Sarajevo | © Sam Bedford
Marijin Dvor
Marijin Dvor
Marijin Dvor, the correct name for Central Sarajevo, has a fascinating and romantic history. In the 19th century, the Austro-Hungarians controlled Sarajevo. Wealthy Austrian August Braun commissioned the neighbourhood, two kilometres (1.25 miles) west of Bascarsija, and decided to build a palace for the love of his life, his wife Maria. Karal Parzik, the Czech architect who planned many buildings in Sarajevo, also designed Maria’s Palace. The neighbourhood is named after Maria.
Yugoslavia extended Marijin Dvor and it became Sarajevo’s commercial and administrative centre. Endless Austro-Hungarian buildings line the streets, along with the Holiday Inn, modern skyscrapers and malls. The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and infamous Sniper’s Alley are here too.
Gorica
Building
Gorica
A few minutes to the north of Marijin Dvor is Gorica. This small neighbourhood is one of Sarajevo’s coolest neighbourhoods because of the Avaz Twist Tower. Being the Balkans’ tallest tower at 176 metres (577 feet) high, the twisting building is a major attraction. The 35th-floor café is the biggest drawcard, with cheap Bosnian coffee and beer (less than $2) and a birds-eye view.
Gorica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Avaz Twist Tower, Sarajevo | © Sam Bedford
Ciglane
Apartment
Ciglane
Ciglane, north of Marijin Dvor, has grey Yugoslavian-era apartment blocks. It looks uninviting, but this socialist neighbourhood plays an integral part in Sarajevo’s modern history. Many of the city’s residents still live in these almost dilapidated apartment blocks that give a glimpse into life under socialism. Between the concrete lies Ciglane Market, which is Sarajevo’s best flea market. You can buy Yugoslavian trinkets and memorabilia that makes a unique Bosnian souvenir.
Hillside neighbourhoods
If you stand in Sarajevo and look around, you’ll see houses rising from the surrounding hills. Orange roofs contrast with blue sky and green hills, with a minaret popping up every now and again. These are Sarajevo’s oldest residential areas. People have long lived in small hillside neighbourhoods, only coming down to Bascarsija to trade. Most such neighbourhoods have a mosque, so residents didn’t have to go up and down five times each day for their prayers. Hike up the steep roads and stroll along old streets to glimpse Sarajevo’s history.
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.