Things to Do in Sarajevo

Tunnel of Hope Museum

You crouch through the 25-metre stretch of the original war-time tunnel. Timber beams still smell of damp earth and diesel. The guide kills the lights for a second. You hear only your pulse. That silence is a visceral taste of the 1992-95 siege when this passage kept Sarajevo alive.

Baščaršija copper-smith alley

Copper hammers ring against tiny coffee pots. Burnt sugar drifts from the baklava cart across the lane. Artisans engrave trays with patterns older than the city. Linger and they'll hand you the tool. Your first strike leaves a wobbly star. They'll rework it once you leave.

Yellow Fortress sunset

The call to prayer drifts upward. You climb crumbly stone steps. From the parapet the city glimmers like a tray of brass trinkets. Someone below lights a barbecue. Paprika-laced pljeskavica rides the breeze. Minarets glow pink in the last light.

Sarajevo cable car to Mount Trebević

The new gondola swings over pine-covered graves. Sniper nests have turned into street-art galleries. From the top station you can still trace the Olympic bobs track through the trees. The air is suddenly cool and smells of resin. The city below looks toy-small, wrapped in its steep green amphitheatre.

Austro-Hungarian cafés on Ferhadija

Order a bijela kafa under stucco ceilings where archdukes once gossiped. Porcelain clinks softly while tram bells echo outside. Bosnian sugar cubes dissolve on your tongue. Staff still wear waistcoats that match the wallpaper's faded burgundy.

Baščaršija: warren of guesthouses. Dawn brings the smell of fresh pita. Church-mosque bells wake you in stereo.

Marijin Dvor: Habsburg apartments near the opera house. Ten quiet minutes on foot to the old town.

Grbavica: leafy 1984-Olympics suburb along the Miljacka. Still pock-marked, safe, half the price of the centre.

Hrasno: high-rise valley floor. Brutal to look at. Excellent tram links. Bakery breakfasts under a dollar.

Novo Sarajevo: business hotels and mall food courts. Handy for the airport shuttle.

Bistrik: hill above the river. Morning views over red roofs. Call-to-prayer echoes up the slope.