I’m back in Europe and am thrilled for the change of scenery. My last six months has been spent in Asia, a first taste visiting that corner of the world as an adult. Time for Europe summer. Finding myself in a completely new to me destination, here are my first impressions of Sarajevo in Bosnia.
Be Careful
My very first impression of the city comes from being royally ripped off by the taxi ride from the airport. I scold myself for falling for such a typical scam. Airport taxis are notoriously sketchy here. I had arrived very late, was tired, did not have data because the SIM card store at the airport was closed. My only option for transport was a taxi and I succumbed to overpaying by double.
All I can do now is shrug it off and be ware of any taxi, anywhere in the city. Having that driver aggressively demand the money from me, on the street, in the dark, in front of a bar full of people was so uncomfortable. Did anyone intervene from the bar 10 feet away? Nope.
Beautiful
The architecture here is lovely, very pretty and bold. Huge multi-floor buildings line the main street just outside of Old Town, with decorative detailing that creates a beautiful contrast in the sunlight.
The central core of Old Town consists of very old wooden one story structures that line the sides of the 16th century stone streets. These days most shops here are selling tourist souvenirs, Turkish delight and other sweets.
I am very excited to explore these areas further.
The War
Now over 30 years ago, the evidence of the war is all around me. I had not expected to see quite so much. Buildings covered in holes from shell fire are still quite common. Most have been repaired, but a good number are visible.
There are shallow splatter craters in the ground too, on the sidewalks specifically, where an impact has gouged out the pavement. I haven’t really explored far afield yet, but visitors will see this just walking around the old town.
Bridges
There are so many! I was not expecting this many spans across the narrow river, right through the centre of town. All except a few are traffic bridges. Two so far are old stone ones, including the infamous Latin Bridge.
On a sunny day and standing at one end of the waterway, these bridges are very picturesque.
Walkable
Sarajevo has proved very walkable so far. The sidewalks are in good shape in the areas that have them. Up into the hills on either side of the valley, one can walk on the roads, for there is very little traffic on these steep mountain roads.
Traffic flows orderly and obeys pedestrian lights, making it a safe and pleasurable city to explore.
I am so excited to be here in Bosnia & Herzegovina for the very first time. The history, beauty and summer vibes are proving to be alluring and just the change of scenery I was hoping for.
