Sarajevo: A city transformed

What to eat: burek. Where to eat it: everywhere in Sarajevo. Burek is a baked treat with flaky pastry and a savoury filling of, usually, ground beef but there’s also spinach, cheese and other meats to sample. It’s found all over the Balkans but Bosnian burek in Sarajevo is a special experience. There are so many tiny restaurants that serve it with yoghurt. We recommend the eateries that sport stools which seem to be a mere 30cm off the floor. A burek and yoghurt costs, on average, about $17 and fills you up for hours. 

For a historical foodie experience, head to the open-air Pijaca Markale market (Mula Mustafa Baseskije, +387 33214 954). This is the centre of Sarajevan life. Before the siege, it sold primarily food and drink. During the conflict it sold anything and everything to help the people survive. It’s now back to the olden days, serving mostly local food and beverages. An array of treats are on sale and the marketeers, who mostly don’t speak English, are a friendly bunch. There are so many fresh berries of all colours to try here and some stall-owners even give you handfuls for free. Mind you, for about $7, you can buy what seems like your own weight from them.

Bosnian coffee is part of the country’s culture, history and national identity. It comes from Ottoman Empire influences but has a distinct flavour all of its own in Sarajevo. It’s served piping hot and sipped along with a glass of ice cold water, which results in a smooth taste experience. For the best coffee, costing just $9 a cup, visit Kua
Sevdaha in Sarajevo’s old town (Halai 5, +387 33239 943).

For the best beer in town, though, visit a former cinema. The Kino Bosna (Alipašina 19, +387 61866 946), was forced to close its doors during the siege but has today become one of Sarajevo’s most famous bars. It’s also a nightclub and live music venue, run by a woman who used to sell tickets to adult movies but now lives in the projector room. Sample the local beer at the cinema bar for $9 a litre.

So, beer, berries, pastries and coffee, historical exhibitions, cultural tours and artistic representations of one of the worst sieges in history. Sarajevo has it all. It’s recovered from its tragic past and is looking forward to a future where tourism is one of its major industries. And now is the time to go. It’s super-cheap and there’s so much to see and do. That dreadful war in the 1990s is over. But the battle for tourism in the Balkans is only just beginning.

Roundtrip flights to Sarajevo from Hong Kong with Turkish Airlines start at $6,500. There’s one change in Istanbul.

Budget travellers should opt for the Doctor’s House hostel (Pehlivanuša 67, +387 61222 914). It’s owned by an American woman who was travelling the world and decided she couldn’t leave Sarajevo, so she married one of the city’s most famous musicians. Private rooms cost from $310 a night. The beautifully decorated shared dormitories are $78 a night. Everyone gets access to the fully stocked kitchen, rooftop, back garden, lounge and free tea and coffee.

For the non-budget traveller, look no further than Hotel Colors Inn (Koševo 8, +387 33276 600). This modern and bright hotel offers great rooms and a free breakfast buffet. Prices start at $620 a night for a double room.