Parks and the outdoors in Sarajevo

Parks and the outdoors in Sarajevo

1. See

   Avaz Twist Tower

   The easiest way to orient yourself in the city is to look for this distinctive 176 m twisted tower, completed in 2008, and hosting the media company Dnevni avaz. There's a café-bar & restaurant on Level 35, reached by lift (free access). From there you pay 2 KM in coins to pass the turnstile and walk upstairs to Level 36, which has an observation deck with outside walkway. The café-bar and restaurant are smoky and the food & service aren't up to much.

   Open now · closes 10 pm·2 KM

2. Buy

   Bosmal City Center

   Shopping centre on the south bank of the river with 50 stores.

3. Eat

   House of Spite

   Inat Kuca

   The history of this restaurant dates back to the Austro-Hungarian occupation, when Sarajevo underwent large scale infrastructure projects which resulted in the post office, the National Museum, the Faculty of Law and many others. When the City Hall was to be constructed however, the Austro-Hungarians faced the stubbornness of an old Bosnian man named Benderija who lived in a house in that location. He refused to have his house demolished for the construction of the City Hall, and only after long negotiations he agreed to give up his property under 2 conditions: he wanted a bag of golden coins as compensation, and the house had to be moved brick by brick to the other side of the river. Since then, the building is known as the house of spite, and a symbol of Bosnian stubbornness and resistance against the government. In 1997, the house was converted to a lovely restaurant selling hearty stew-like meals and Bosnian specialities. A terrace offers a view over the river and the Sarajevo City Hall which it replaces. The house is decorated in oriental style, and worth visiting for the ambient alone.

   Open now · closes 11 pm·6-20 KM (Aug 2017)

4. Do

   Ilidza Thermal Riviera

   Termalna rivijera Ilidža

   Water park with several indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wave pool, massage amenities and water slides. Slightly outdated infrastructure, but the natural sulphur rich water makes up for it on hot summer days. Sauna and fitness centre available at the adjacent Hotel Hills.

   Open now · closes 10 pm·Basic entry 9 KM, extra for wellness & fitness centres

5. See

   Memorial for the Children of Sarajevo

   Monument erected in 2009 by sculptor Mensud Kečo and dedicated to the 1,600 children who were killed during the Siege of Sarajevo. The monument is located in Veliki Park, and consists of a glass sculpture constructed by stacking individually cut layers of green glass with a total height of 5 m, and is 1.7 m in diameter at its base. In 2010, the names of 521 children were inscribed in seven cylinders of anodised aluminium and placed on a concrete plinth around the sculpture.

   Open now · open 24 hours·Free

6. See

   National Museum

   Zemaljski muzej

   Static displays of the natural and human history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including an exhibition of traditional Turkish-style homes of Sarajevo prevalent in the nineteenth century, an extensive collection of insects and stuffed mammals and a large geology section with samples from around the world and a number of meteorites. The museum also offers access to the botanical garden in the middle of the four main buildings: (1) archaeology from the Roman period up to the nineteenth century, (2) Library, (3) Ethnology and (4) Natural sciences.

   Tue-Sun·6 KM

7. See

   Roman Bridge

   Rimski most

   Crossing the Bosna River at the historic Western entrance into the city. It is the only preserved stone bridge over the Bosna River, and considered one of the most authentic Ottoman bridges in the country. It was built out of carved stone between 1530 and 1550 using lime mortar and stones from ancient neolithic, Illyrian and Roman settlements in the bridge's vicinity, most importantly the Roman village Aquae Sulphurae (Latin for sulfur waters) which served as the region's cultural and administrative centre. Numerous archaeological artifacts from that period (jewelry, coins, ceramics etc.) from the Roman period have been found around the bridge. Some of the stone tiles (kaldrma) have shallow engravings of Roman origin, from which the bridge derived its name.

   Open now · open 24 hours·Free

8. Do

   Sarajevo Zoo

   Pionirska dolina

   A small zoo and recreation park at the outskirts of Sarajevo, primarily aimed at children. It is the oldest zoo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the Austro-Hungarian period it was located in Ilidza. There are 57 species of animals from all over the world on display, including lions, which were donated by the Sofia Zoo in 2013. A little train and several other attractions and playgrounds are available for the entertainment of children, some at an additional charge.

   08:00–21:15·3 KM for adults, 2 KM for children

9. Do

   Skakavac Waterfall

   Vodopad Skakavac

   Waterfall 12 km north of the city, above the Nahorevo Village. At 98 m in height, it is among the tallest waterfalls in Europe. Located in an area of exceptional natural beauty, surrounded by lush forests of spruce, beech and fir forests, the waterfall is worth a day trip if weather permits. A wooden pedestrian bridge takes visitors under the waterfall.

10. See

    Skenderija

    Tito-era cultural and sports centre on the south bank of the river, constructed in 1969 and opened with the premiere of the film Battle of Neretva. It was later expanded for the 1984 Winter Olympic Games, and features a market and shopping mall. Because of its concrete construction, it only sustained minor damage during the war, but gradually decayed afterwards due to neglect. In February 2012, after a record snowfall in Sarajevo, the roof of one of the halls collapsed under the snow pressure, which was estimated to be around 160 kg/m². The building was subsequently restored by the city and returned to service, and receives 500,000 visitors per year.

11. See

    Sniper Alley

    Snajperska aleja

    Sniper Alley was the informal name primarily for streets Zmaja od Bosne Street (Dragon of Bosnia Street) and Meša Selimović Boulevard, the main boulevard in Sarajevo which during the Bosnian War was lined with snipers' posts, and became infamous as a dangerous place for civilians to traverse. The road connects the industrial part of the city (and further on, Sarajevo Airport) to the Old Town's cultural and historic sites. The boulevard itself has many high-rise buildings giving sniper shooters extensive fields of fire. Signs reading "Pazi – Snajper!" ("Watch out – Sniper!") became common. People would either run fast across the street or would wait for United Nations armored vehicles and walk behind them, using them as shields. According to data gathered in 1995, the snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225; 60 of whom were children.

    Open now · open 24 hours·Free

12. Do

    Spring of the Bosna River

    Vrelo Bosne

    The beginning of the river Bosna, where the pure and ice cold water surges out of the mountains. You can walk in the large, well-kept park, picnic and spend the whole day without getting bored. The 1st May festival, a public holiday in the country], is held here.

    08:00–23:00·2 KM park admission, 2 KM/hour parking, 20 KM for a one way horse-and-carriage ride

13. See

    Tašlihan

    Tašlihan served as one of the three stone caravanserais in Sarajevo (the others being the Morića Han and Kolobara Han), the name literally translates to 'stone han'. It is believed that Tašlihan was the largest and most representative inn of its kind in the region, and built between 1540-1543 by craftsmen from Dubrovnik, who equipped the building with lead cupolas unlike the other two inns. It had a square foundation with sides of 47 m, guest rooms on two levels, and a fountain in the courtyard. Several fires damaged the building, and the last one in 1879 completely destroyed it. The last remaining bits of rubble were removed in 1912, except for the shared wall with the bezestan. When archaeological research was carried out as part of the 1998 renovation of adjacent Hotel Europe, the remains of Tašlihan were uncovered in the hotel's garden. The site was declared a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Committee for the Preservation of National Monuments in 2004.

    Open now · open 24 hours·Free

14. See

    Tomb of the Seven Brothers

    Jedileri

    The history of the tomb dates back to the founding days of Sarajevo, and it is assumed that a certain sheik who had arrived with the army of Sultan Mehmed II el-Fatih was the first to be buried at this spot. The sheik built his house next to the current tomb, and in his will asked to be buried at the base of his garden, with the remaining area used as Muslim cemetery. Later on, two dervishes were also buried here, falsely accused of stealing gold from the Sarajevo treasury in 1494. Over two centuries later, 4 army commanders who were accused of collaboration with Prince Eugene of Savoy in his raid of the city, were also buried in the tomb after, according to the legend, a heavenly light descended upon their grave as evidence of their innocence. Thus, the tomb unites the 7 individuals, who are brothers by faith rather than brothers by birth. In 1815 a wall with seven windows was built around the tomb, and a room for a tomb keeper was added. Some of the property was demolished in 1937, but the wall and tomb still stand today.

15. See

    Šeher-Čehajina Bridge

    Šeher-Ćehajina ćuprija

    Built in 1585/1586 and survived major damage from flooding in 1619, 1629, 1843 and 1880, but was repaired each time. When the Miljacka River was dammed in 1897 to regulate the water flow, the riverbed was altered and one of the original 5 arches of the bridge on the left bank was buried, a subtle change that can still be seen by observers with a keen eye. According to the legend, the city's vizier Hadzi Husein had ordered to erect the bridge and embed a diamond in one of its pillars to finance future repairs. One night the diamond disappeared, and a poor young man confessed to have stolen it as a gift to a girl he fell in love with. Swayed by the love between the two and the return of the diamond, the man was released from prison, but the diamond was never embedded back into the bridge. In 2005, the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments declared the bridge a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Open now · open 24 hours·Free

16. Do Not mapped

    Cable car

    Restored in 2018, this cable car runs up to the former. The area boasts views, hilltop strolls, and a decent cafè. However, the ride could be considered a bit overpriced. Forest paths lead to the Pino Hotel (accessible by road, e.g. by taxi) and the pictureque and Instagram-heavy Trebevic Bobsled Track, which mad off-road bikers hurtle down, and which is being restored for winter sports. You could walk one direction to see the bobsled track, and use the cable car the other direction, since the slide is pretty much between the Ski Station and the city.

    Mon–Tue 10:00–20:00; Wed–Sun 09:00–20:00·30 KM return, 20 KM one-way (locals pay less than a third)

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Sarajevo (CC BY-SA 4.0).