Sarajevo is the great phoenix city of the Balkan states, risen to great prosperity from the tumultuous conflicts that plagued it for much of the 1990s. Today its dark past and curious fusion of historical epochs converge to produce a destination at once mysterious and alluring, laden with the peaked minarets of old Ottoman mosques, the onion-domes of Slavic churches, and all shrouded by the dramatic cliffs of the Bosnian Dinaric Alps.
To stroll along the Miljacka riverside that meanders its way past the bustling Turkish Town is to take a journey through some of the most defining moments of European history; by the spot where the Emperor Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, to the sprawling stones of the Jewish cemetery, still riddled with the bullet holes and bunkers of this city’s most recent conflict. More recently, Sarajevo has also established itself as one of Eastern Europe’s most evolving cities, with an array of nightlife and gastronomy to rival metropolises twice its size. Discovering the hidden bars and underground beer halls here is now a favourite summertime activity, and eager travellers should be sure to ask their Sarajevo tour guide for local tips on the most happening spots.