Baščaršija: Visitor Guide, Sarajevo

Baščaršija has been Sarajevo’s commercial and cultural centre since Isa-Beg Ishaković founded it in the 1450s. Five centuries later, the copper hammering, coffee brewing, and cevapi grilling haven’t stopped. It’s touristy on the main square but authentically lived-in a block deeper.

What to see

The Sebilj fountain on the main square (Baščaršija Square) is the landmark — an Ottoman-style wooden fountain rebuilt in 1891. Locals say if you drink from it, you’ll return to Sarajevo. Around it: the Pigeon Square, copperware workshops on Kazandžiluk street, and dozens of small cafés.

Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

One of the finest Ottoman mosques in the Balkans, built in 1532. Free to enter (donations welcome), with a beautiful interior of calligraphy and painted domes. The courtyard has a šadrvan (ablution fountain). Dress modestly — women are offered a headscarf at the entrance.

Bosnian coffee

Find any small café without an English menu, order a Bosnian coffee (not Turkish — locals will correct you), and sit. It arrives in a džezva on a tray with sugar cubes and lokum. Around €1.50. The ritual is the point — don’t rush it.

Copperware shopping

Kazandžiluk street (Coppersmith Street) still has working craftsmen hammering coffee sets, plates, and decorative items. Prices are fair and quality is genuine. A hand-hammered džezva coffee set makes an excellent souvenir — around €15–25.

Tips

Evening is the best time. The afternoon heat empties the bazaar and it refills around 6pm with locals doing their evening stroll. The call to prayer from multiple minarets at sunset is atmospheric. Baščaršija connects directly to Ferhadija street — the transition from Ottoman to Austro-Hungarian architecture happens within a few hundred metres.

Nearby

Latin Bridge — 5 minutes walk, where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914.

Ferhadija street — pedestrian avenue heading west into the Austro-Hungarian quarter.

Yellow Fortress — 10 minutes uphill east for Sarajevo’s best sunset view.

Getting to Sarajevo

Sarajevo connects to Mostar (2h), Dubrovnik (4.5h), and Split (4h) by private transfer.