Sarajevo is a beautiful town, even more beautiful if you enjoy it from on high!
Here is a list of my eight favourite panoramic viewpoints. Among them, some could be considered quite touristic, while others are very unconventional, but all of them are worth the long, sometimes exhausting walk until the top, ‘cause the view is really breath-taking!
1. Dnevni Avaz Tower
Let’s start from the highest building of Sarajevo, a 176-metre tall skyscraper which is the headquarters for the main Bosnian newspaper company – “Dnevni Avaz”. Towering over the business district, you can easily reach it from the train station.
At the top of the twist tower you can find a nice cafeteria with a great view over the town, while on its roof there is a panoramic terrace you can access paying a very cheap ticket (1 KM).
Before doing my researches in order to plan my trip, this modern tower was among the few landmark images of Sarajevo I had in mind, its mirrors clearly outlined against the grey sky.
2. Hotel Hecco Deluxe
Surprisingly the small cafeteria at the 10th floor is crowded with businessmen as well as young people and families.
It offers a spectacular 360-degree view over the town centre, rising at the intersection between Maršala Tita and Ferhandia, at the very dynamic heart of Sarajevo.
Locals advice to don’t order cakes here, they won’t be as nice as the panorama!
3. Yellow Bastion (Žuta Tabija)
One of the most popular viewpoint of Sarajevo, it is especially striking at sunset, at the time of the Adhan (Ezan in Bosnian, the Islamic call to worship recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day), because here you can hear it from multiple mosques.
4. White Bastion (Bijela Tabija)
Up on Vratnik Hill, only ten-minute walk from the yellow bastion, there is this ancient fortress from which you can enjoy an amazing panoramic view. It was part of the fortification of the Vratnik village, which you can fully admire in all its red-roofs-and-ancient-mosques beauty from this bastion.
5. Park Prinčeva Restaurant
I’ve already wrote about a tasty dinner at Park Prinčeva, now I want to spend few more words about the great panoramic view you can enjoy from its terrace.
This restaurant is located up on the hills above Bistrik neighbourhood, therefore from here you can admire the old town and the famous Vijećnica (the Austro-Hungarian building of the National Library, which is still under reconstruction after the war).
If you are not hungry, you can still enjoy the view from the restaurant’s parking lot.
6. Old Jewish Cemetery
The cemetery itself rises up on a hill (the Kovačići hill), offering a magnificent view on Skenderija neighbourhood and the town centre.
It is the second biggest Jewish cemetery in Europe, so it is worth a visit by itself for its ancient tombs and its decadent charm.
7. Ciglane Elevators
Ciglane is a working class neighbourhood not so far from the centre, famous for its flea market.
Its buildings are constructed on a fairly steep hill, which you can climb using the elevators. Once you get at the last row of buildings the view on the park and on Sarajevo is astonishing.
8. Vraca Memorial Park
Another great viewpoint, which unfortunately I didn’t have the time to see, is the Vraca Memorial Park.
Born as an Austro-Hungarian fortress, this park rises on the slopes of Trebević, on the southern part of town, and it is dedicated to the World War II victims. So if you go there, please show me your pictures!
Events manager, world foodie and budding travel blogger, I’m passionate about arts, food and people from different cultures. Raised in the most touristic district of the world, no wonder I’m terrified of a tourist like I’ve seen a UFO! As soon as I’ve been allowed to go out alone, I tried to experience Rome in a totally different way. That’s the spirit I’ve kept while moving to London, Madrid, Dublin and a little village in Slovenia, from where I went to Turin and then back to Rome (Sweet Home).
