Products are independently selected by our editors. We may earn an affiliate commission from links. When Sarajevo, the historic capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, comes to mind, most people think one of two things: That it was home to the Winter Olympics or that the civil war of the s devastated the region.
Nestled inside a valley surrounded by the Dinaric Alps along the Miljacka River in southeastern Europe, the city is an explosion of ancient culture, bountiful history, and a unique civilization, where past meets present a thousand times over.
Portions are big, the juices are freshly squeezed, and the coffee is strong. Choose an outdoor seat or sit indoors to step back in time within what looks like a retro apothecary, with ruby red and blush pink velvet chairs and tables throughout.
No matter the time of day, pigeons flock to be fed by tourists and locals alike and to sip water from the Sebilj, the famous wooden fountain with Ottoman flair from the s. Spend some time meandering through the tiny cobblestone streets, lined with small shops that will remind you of a strip mall of ancient dollhouses, each no bigger than a king-size bed and with doors shorter than six feet in height.
Order cevapcici che-VAHP-chee-chee , a type of non-spicy beef sausage, with pita, onions, and creamy kajmak cheese. The building, first opened in , is a work of art in itself; its design was chosen after an intense competition between two dueling architects who passionately wanted rights to the project. As fate would have it, the winning architect died during its construction and it was completed under the eye of another.
