Why Honeymoon in Sarajevo
Sarajevo is one of the few European cities where the call to prayer, church bells and a tram bell can overlap in the same minute. Mosques, Catholic and Orthodox churches and a synagogue all stand within a short walk of each other, which is why locals have long called it the Jerusalem of Europe.
It rewards couples who travel with curiosity. You can spend the morning learning about the 1914 assassination at the Latin Bridge, the afternoon in the war tunnel museum near the airport and the evening eating cheese pies in a courtyard. None of it feels staged.
Costs are gentle compared with Western Europe. That leaves room for a private historian guide, a splurge dinner with a view over the valley or a few nights in one of the city's grand old hotels. The mountains around the city add skiing in winter and green walks in summer.
When to Go
Late spring through early autumn is the best window. May and June are green and fresh. September is warm, settled and lovely for walking. Sarajevo sits at around 1,700 feet, so summers are milder than in Mostar, with average July highs in the low 80s Fahrenheit.
August brings the Sarajevo Film Festival, when the city fills with screenings, parties and visitors. Book rooms well ahead if your dates overlap.
Winters are cold and snowy, with average January highs just above freezing. Snow on the minarets is beautiful and the nearby Olympic mountains of Jahorina and Bjelašnica offer good-value skiing. The catch is air quality: cold air often traps smoke in the valley, so winter smog can be unpleasant for days at a time. Late autumn and early spring tend to be gray and damp.
Where to Stay
Base yourselves in or near Baščaršija and the pedestrian streets of Ferhadija and Sarači. Everything important is walkable from there, including the river, the cathedral and the best coffeehouses. Hillside neighborhoods like Kovači and Vratnik, just above the old bazaar, offer guesthouses with terraces and city views, though the walk up is steep.
Hotel Europe, founded in 1882 and rebuilt after the war, is the city's classic grand hotel and sits right at the edge of the old quarter. Couples who want a contemporary room with a spa might look at Swissôtel Sarajevo in the newer part of town, a quick tram ride from the center.
Small boutique hotels and apartments in restored Ottoman or Austro-Hungarian buildings are the sweet spot for character and price. Check for air conditioning in summer and ask whether the room faces a busy street, since the old town stays lively late.
Romantic Things to Do
Ride the Trebević cable car, rebuilt and reopened in 2018 after being destroyed in the war, up to the slopes of Mount Trebević. At the top, walk to the graffiti-covered concrete curves of the 1984 Olympic bobsled track, then catch the view back over the city as the light drops.
Spend an afternoon at Vrelo Bosne, the spring that feeds the Bosna river on the western edge of the city. A long avenue of plane trees leads there. Horse-drawn carriages have long carried couples along it.
Climb up to the Yellow Fortress at dusk, when locals gather on the walls to watch the lights come on. During Ramadan, a cannon fired here marks the evening breaking of the fast.
Take a historian-led walking tour of the siege years. It is heavy but deeply moving. It also gives the rest of your stay context. Finish with dinner at a hillside restaurant overlooking the valley.
Getting There and Around
Sarajevo International Airport has connections through Istanbul, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and other European hubs. There are no nonstops from the US. A taxi to the old town usually takes 20 to 30 minutes; agree on the fare or make sure the meter is running.
From Mostar, buses take about two and a half hours. The train through the Neretva canyon is the scenic choice, though check whether it is running before you plan around it. Buses also connect Sarajevo with Dubrovnik and Split for couples doing a loop through Croatia.
The historic center is best on foot. Trams run along the river from the old town toward the train station and newer districts, which is handy for reaching the bus station or the Swissôtel area. Taxis are cheap but use a reputable company. You do not need a car in the city; save the rental for trips into the mountains or toward Herzegovina.
Food and Drink
Sarajevo takes ćevapi seriously. Small grilled sausages arrive in a pillow of somun bread with chopped raw onion, sometimes topped with kajmak. Petica and Željo are two of the long-running names in Baščaršija; locals argue loyally about which is best.
Pies are the other staple. Burek is filled with meat only, while sirnica, zeljanica and krompiruša are the cheese, spinach and potato versions. Buy them by weight in a buregdžinica and eat them warm with yogurt.
Bosnian coffee comes in a copper džezva with a sugar cube and a small sweet. Order it at a traditional cafe in the bazaar and plan to stay a while. For dessert, try tufahija, a poached apple stuffed with walnuts and topped with cream.
In the evening, Herzegovina wines like Žilavka and Blatina appear on most menus. Small wine bars and cafes in the Austro-Hungarian streets stay busy late.
Honeymoon Tips
Do not hike off paved paths in the hills around the city. Landmines and unexploded ordnance from the siege still lie in some areas, even on slopes that look like ordinary woodland. Stick to the cable car, marked trails and guided walks.
Watch your bags in Baščaršija and on crowded trams. Pickpocketing is the most common crime affecting visitors.
If you visit a mosque, women should cover their hair and both of you should cover shoulders and knees. Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque welcomes visitors outside prayer times for a small fee.
Try to fit in at least one conversation with a local about the war years if they offer it. Let them set the tone. Many Sarajevans find it important that visitors understand what happened.
If you are combining Sarajevo and Mostar, end in Sarajevo to fly out of its airport, or reverse the order to finish on the coast near Dubrovnik.
