Baščaršija is an old Ottoman bazaar and the historic heart of Sarajevo. It is not a single monument, but a series of pedestrianised streets full of cafés, small eateries, mosques, shops and craft workshops that are still in operation.

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It is the most visited part of Sarajevo, and you cannot avoid the shops selling the usual souvenirs.

However, despite the crowds of tourists, Baščaršija doesn’t feel like an open-air museum. The sound of copper being hammered drifts from the workshops, locals linger over Bosnian coffee, and the aroma of grilled meat mingles with the smoke from the bakeries.

• Admission: free
• Opening hours: no restrictions
• Time needed for a visit: 2 to 3 hours
• Location: the historic district of Stari Grad

What to see in Baščaršija

• Sebilj – a wooden fountain in the main square and the most famous meeting place in Baščaršija
• Kazandžiluk – the coppersmiths’ street, where you can watch craftsmen making džezves, trays and traditional coffee sets
• Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque – the most important mosque in Sarajevo, whose courtyard is one of the most beautiful spots in the whole quarter
• Sahat-kula – the clock tower displaying the traditional time calculated from sunset
• Gazi Husrev-beg’s Bezistan – a covered bazaar that still serves traders today
• Morića Han – the only surviving Ottoman caravanserai in Sarajevo, featuring an inner courtyard, shops and a café
• Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures – a mark in the paving where the Ottoman streets give way to the Austro-Hungarian centre of Sarajevo within a few steps

The interior of the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque is open to visitors outside prayer times. Admission costs 3 bam and opening hours vary depending on the season.

How to explore Baščaršija

You don’t need a set route. Start at the Sebilj fountain, walk through the Kazandžiluk and Bravadžiluk streets, and then continue along the main street, Sarači, past the mosque, the clock tower and the bezistan.

At the western end, you’ll come to a sign reading ‘ Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures ’, from where the Ferhadija pedestrian zone continues seamlessly.

It is precisely this rapid transformation of low-rise Ottoman houses into grand European façades that ranks among the most interesting features of Sarajevo’s city centre.

It takes about an hour to walk through the neighbourhood at a brisk pace.

If you want to stop for a coffee, visit a mosque, browse the shops and grab a bite to eat, allow for two to three hours. Together with Sarajevo’s town hall, Vijećnica, and the Latin Bridge, Baščaršija will easily fill half a day.

When to visit Baščaršija

Early in the morning, the streets are almost empty and offer the best photo opportunities, but most shops and cafés will still be closed.

Baščaršija is at its liveliest from late morning until the evening.

The best time is in the early evening, when the biggest crowds have thinned out, the workshops and shops are still open, and the outdoor seating areas are starting to fill up with locals.

Food, coffee and shopping

For traditional food, head to Bravadžiluk Street and the surrounding area.

Here you’ll most often find ćevapi, burek, sirnica and other pastries baked under a sač lid. In Bosnia, the term ‘burek’ refers only to the meat-filled variety, whilst the cheese-filled pastry is called ‘sirnica’.

The most typical souvenir is a hand-hammered copper set for Bosnian coffee.

If you want a genuinely local product, shop directly at the workshops in Kazandžiluk, where you can watch the craftsmen at work. In smaller shops, it’s still best to pay in cash (BAM).

How to get to Baščaršija

From the centre of Sarajevo, you can walk along Ferhadija Street. If you’re staying further away, the easiest option is to use Sarajevo’s public transport and alight at the Baščaršija tram stop on the eastern edge of the district.

Do not drive into the narrow pedestrian streets.

A practical option is the paid underground car park opposite the Vijećnica Town Hall, from where you can walk to the Sebilje in a few minutes.

Accommodation near Baščaršija

Baščaršija is the best area for your first stay in Sarajevo. You can walk to most of the sights, and in the evening you’ll be staying right next to restaurants and cafés. However, rooms facing the main streets can be noisier, and taxis cannot reach some of the buildings in the pedestrian zone.

In terms of specific hotels, the following have the best locations and reviews:

• Hotel Old Town – a smaller hotel right in the Baščaršija pedestrian zone, ideal for those who want to stay right in the heart of the historic centre
• Hotel President Sarajevo – a more modern and comfortable hotel between the Sebilj and the Latin Bridge, which also has its own car park
• Isa Begov Hamam Hotel – a more intimate, Ottoman-style hotel with a historic hammam, just a few minutes’ walk from the bazaar

You can compare cheaper apartments and other smaller hotels in the range of accommodation options near Baščaršija.

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