Four advices for a more complete experience of Sarajevo

Here are a few tips which will help you understand residents of Sarajevo better and make your stay more pleasant.

2014/04/12

Open Communication

In Sarajevo, people openly communicate among themselves. Sarajevans don’t hesitate to ask complete strangers intimate questions about their work, family and marital status, even though this might be considered inappropriate elsewhere. Also, one should not be surprised at how common it is for people to pat shoulders and to hug and kiss upon meeting…

Cofee and visiting others

In Sarajevo, people meet for coffee at any time of day. Drinking coffee is a kind of ritual and it is a reason for friends or family to come together and chat. If you’re invited to someone’s home, your host will offer coffee right away! Before entering a house, it is a custom to remove your shoes. It’s also a nice gesture to bring a small gift for your host.

Tipping

Tips are not included in bills. There are no set rules for tipping, but it is recommended to give a tip as a sign of appreciation for good service. In cafes, the balance is rounded up to the nearest amount (in KM), but in restaurants it is enough to tip 10%.

Visiting places of worship

In Sarajevo, places of worship are open to visitors, but one should be dressed appropriately. When visiting mosques, women should wear pants or a long skirt; it would also be best to wear a long-sleeved garment and they should wear a headscarf. For men, a t-shirt would be sufficient and pants should come to below the knee. Shoes must be taken off before entering a mosque. It is inappropriate to take photographs in places of worship during the times of prayer, but any other time is fine.