Search results for

Zlatna Ribica (“goldfish”) Bar in Sarajevo, on Kaptol just north of Marsala Tita, has a Sarajevo-hipster-mixed-with-postwar-intellectual vibe, including the cluttered ephemera-filled decor, the thick cigarette smoke, and the handlebar-mustachioed waiter. Stop by for a rakija or a beer and soak in the atmosphere.

The mountain village of Lukomir, one of the few that retains the traditional Bosnian way of life. The village is the highest continually inhabited in the country.

Josip Broz Tito ruled Yugoslavia from World War II until his death in 1980. Today he’s a pop-culture icon, celebrated on mugs and T-shirts and at Caffe Tito, a spot behind the National Museum where students born after his reign get their caffeine fixes. Zmaja od Bosne 5, 387/(0) 33-210-418

We stopped for a snack at this sweet shop on the main drag. We got a piece of sticky-sweet kadaif and a hunk of halvah (it’s sold by the kilo; we, being unable to speak Bosnian, simply motioned for a small slice). Kadaif is made from shredded phyllo dough, stuffed with nuts (or sometimes cheese), and soaked in sugar syrup. Extremely sweet, extremely good.

The siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War provided the enduring image of the city for many Westerners. Bullet casings from that conflict have been turned into pens and vases, symbolic souvenirs of the city’s healing. Pick one up on Kazandžiluk (Coppersmith’s Alley) in the Baščaršija quarter. Take a look at Jeremy’s video of Sarajevo’s cafe culture. This appeared in the September/October 2011 issue.

As interesting as the city of Sarajevo is, the tragic side is still very evident. Many of the buildings are still bombed out from the war, with bullet holes in them and also in some signs around town. The most tragic thing however is all the grave markers. This one was especially simple yet sad mostly for the fact that the little person died 8 years old.

Salep is a warm drink made from the tubers of an orchid genus called Orchis (according to Wikipedia at least). It tastes a little like warm horchata—comforting and creamy. In fact, we thought it was rice-based at first. Morica Han is an old caravanserai In the center of the Ottoman side of Sarajevo. It was built in 1551, and used as a roadside inn for a few centuries. The building, all wood, was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 70s. The inner courtyard now is home to a restaurant, a rug-seller, and a bustling cafe. Try salep!

The owner of the place we were staying told us that Bosnians respect their stuffed dough creations enough to give each kind (they have different fillings) unique names. The jab is at Croatians, who refer to all of these filled pies as burek. This one, filled with potatoes, is a krompiruza, and covered with delicious, tangy sour cream. Buregdzinica Bosna, in the old town of Sarajevo, was a hopping little place, with seats inside and outside. The flaky pastry and delicately spiced potatoes served as a very hearty snack for two.

The most important lesson that I learned from my time in Ljubljana.... is that I love Bosnian/ Serbian food. I may be suffering some serious Ćevapčići withdrawal when I return to Canada. But while the Bosnian excel at food they are masters of coffee. If you end up at Harambasa don’t miss out on the perfect end to a perfect meal...treat yourself to the Bosnian Coffee!

During the Siege of Sarajevo in the spring of 1993, the Bosnian Army built an underground tunnel to link the city of Sarajevo, which was entirely cut off by Serbian forces, with Bosnian-held territory on the other side of the airport, an area controlled by the United Nations. The tunnel allowed food, war supplies, and humanitarian aid into the city, and people out. It also was a way of bypassing the international arms embargo. These days, part of the tunnel that remains standing, and the nondescript house that served as its entrance, has been transformed into a museum dedicated to the war, complete with exhibits and short films.

Formerly known as the Vrbanja Bridge, in 1999, this bridge was renamed Most Suade i Olge, after Suada Dilberović and Olga Sučić, the first victims of the war to be killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In local slang, kujundžiluk is a cosmopolitan place where all languages are understood—and Mostar’s Old Bazaar is one such place. The cobblestone streets of the town’s oldest quarter are a maze of small artisan shops, tiny galleries and souvenir stalls. Stop in a riverside café for an energizing Turkish coffee.