Sarajevo Activities: Bazaar and Mountain

Sarajevo sits in a narrow valley, so most activities fall into two groups: the Ottoman and Habsburg centre on the valley floor, and the mountain edge reached by cable car. Prices are in convertible marks (BAM, also written KM), pegged at about 1.96 BAM to the euro. Cash is still common at small cafes, bakeries and some museum desks, so carry some. Pickpockets work the busiest streets, as in any capital, and the US State Department rates Bosnia and Herzegovina at Level 2, exercise increased caution, mainly for crime, landmines and terrorism.

Trebević cable car and the bobsled track

The cable car runs from Bistrik, a short walk from the old City Hall, up to Vidikovac on Mount Trebević in about 7 minutes. The tourist fare is 20 BAM return or 15 BAM one-way, and children under 7 ride free. Hours change by season and day, and the line closes for maintenance at times, so check zicara.ba for the day you plan to go.

From the summit station a signposted paved path leads down to the concrete 1984 Winter Olympic bobsled and luge track, now covered in graffiti. It is a derelict structure with crumbling edges and no railings, so wear shoes with grip, skip it in snow, ice or after dark, and do not climb the raised walls. Mines from the 1990s remain in parts of the hills around the city. Stay on marked paths and paved areas, never enter abandoned buildings or woods, and respect any red “PAZI MINE” sign. For anything off the main routes, go with a local guide.

Coffee, ćevapi and burek in Baščaršija

Baščaršija is the old bazaar, centred on the wooden Sebilj fountain. Bosnian coffee is served in a copper džezva with a small handleless cup, a glass of water and a cube of Turkish delight. Expect to pay roughly 3 to 4 BAM. Čajdžinica Džirlo at Kovači 16 is a long-standing tea and coffee house, and it takes cash only.

Ćevapi are small grilled minced-meat sausages served in somun flatbread with raw onion and kajmak. Željo (Kundurdžiluk 19) and Petica Ferhatović (Bravadžiluk 21) are the names most guides list, and a portion typically costs 10 to 14 BAM. Burek, the spiral meat pastry, and its cheese, spinach and potato cousins are sold by weight at bakeries across the bazaar, usually with yoghurt.

Viewpoints and parks

The Yellow Fortress (Žuta Tabija) is an 18th-century bastion above the old town. It is free, open at all hours, and a popular spot at dusk. The walk up is steep, and the route passes a large cemetery, so keep voices low. In Ramadan the evening cannon is fired from here.

Vrelo Bosne, the spring of the Bosna river at Ilidža, is a flat park of plane trees, footbridges and clear streams. Tram line 3 runs from Baščaršija to Ilidža in about 45 minutes, and from there you can walk the long tree-lined avenue or take a horse-drawn carriage. Foreign adults pay 6 BAM at the park, foreign children aged 6 to 18 pay 3 BAM, and parking costs extra.

Museums and rainy days

The National Museum on Zmaja od Bosne has a botanical garden courtyard and several pavilions. Adults pay about 20 BAM, it is closed on Mondays, and it shows the Sarajevo Haggadah only on a limited schedule, so ask the museum before you go. The Miljacka river through the centre is shallow and used for walking beside, not for boating or swimming.

If you want a guided option, a general search such as Sarajevo tours and activities lists what is currently offered. Official sites such as warchildhood.org and vijecnica.ba carry current hours.

Read more: Sightseeing in Sarajevo , Walking tours in Sarajevo and Outdoor activities in Sarajevo .