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What is the best time to visit Sarajevo Many people will say August,
during the Sarajevo Film Festival, while others will choose the fall
season, when MESS, an international theatre festival, and the Jazz
Festival take place. The rest might select wintertime and enjoy the
opportunities for winter sports. After all, Sarajevo, which is surrounded
by lovely mountains, was the host of the 1984 Olympic
winter games.
Whether you reach the city overland by bus or train, of if you
land at Butmir International Airport, you will notice the remnants
of the past war and the nearly four year siege between 1992 and
1996: some of the reconstructed houses still have bullet holes and
scorch marks on their faćades. The first interesting experience you
might get is on your way to the city centre. The taxi drivers in Sarajevo
are known to gossip a lot, and they always have anecdotes that
they like to share. On the main road into the city you can see how
Sarajevo looks today, with post-war urbanization and the so called
»symbols of transition«: shopping centres almost every kilometre,
new uniform buildings that oppose previous Modern architecture
with an uncreative use of glass and concrete, while downtown the
Ottoman period architecture joins together with the Austro-Hungarian.
The progress of Austro-Hungarian city planning strengthened
the atmosphere of modern Europeanism in Sarajevo. Parallel
to the Vienna Secession movement, local architects such as
Ludwig Huber, Josip Vancaš, Josip Pospišil and Rudolf Tönnies
used Secession elements in their works; geometric forms are especially
visible on many buildings.
Today Sarajevo seems to have conquered its war trauma. There
is a strong sense that people have decided to move on and avoid
perpetuating the image of Sarajevo as the »city of the siege«. Its
rich tradition is intermingled with the lively ferment of new ideas,
a place of warm and welcoming people. When a visitor asks a local
for directions or information, instead of a short answer he/she will
get a pleasant chat or even a drink invitation.
Sarajevo natives always say that you can’t be hungry or thirsty
in this city. In the centre, the choice of restaurants, grills, and typical
Bosnian restaurants called »aščinica«, »buregdžinica« and »ćevabdžinica«,
where Bosnian dishes are served, is ample for every
age, taste, and budget. National cuisine includes a variety of dishes
with meat and vegetables, including Sarma (cabbage rolls stuffed
with meat), Bosanski lonac (goulash with two kinds of meat and
vegetables) or Klepe (Bosnian ravioli). You can find these Bosnian
delicacies at famous places in the old town, which is called
Baščaršija, a former trade and business centre from the Sarajevo
Ottoman period. The most popular spirit is rakija, made of various
fruits. Be advised: don’t try competing with locals in drinking
Sarajevo
natives say
that you
can’t be
hungry or
thirsty in
this city
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Sarajevo
SPIKE ART GUIDE EAST 01 — 2009
Sarajevo