He sees multiculturality as the city’s essential feature.
- Sarajevo is what Europe would like to be. The melding of east and west gives it the epithet, “European Jerusalem,” and walking through its center is like traveling through different periods of history.
He insists that this city has been marked by tragic moments, like the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which made Sarajevo a name known around the world; or the Siege of the 1990s, which tourists can learn about on war-themed tours.
- The Museum of Sarajevo 1878-1918, where the Sarajevo Assassination occurred, in front of the building, looks at Austro-Hungarian rule in BiH and the event that led to WWI; while the Siege of the 1990s is covered by many other museums, with the Tunnel of Hope being the most visited.
XIV WOG
The XIV WOG of 1984 is a positive event that turned the world’s attention to Sarajevo.
- Most of the Olympic infrastructure, including the Olympics Museum, was ruined in the 1990s. We are now rebuilding that capacity for the EYOWF, the Youth Olympic Games that will be held in Sarajevo and East Sarajevo in February 2019. If we pass that test, we can also hope for new Olympic events.
Nermin is glad the reconstructed city symbol – the Trebević cable car – has brought people back to Trebević, and he says an advantage of Sarajevo is that the mountains are only 20 minutes from the city center.
He says the city can compete in many types of tourism: congress, sports, health, religious….
- Hills and Terme Hotels have large congress centers; Ilidža, with its healing thermal waters, is a famous spa center; and Mt. Igman is a “fresh air spa.”
Nermin says that many tourists are drawn to Sarajevo by the wide range of food, the variety of cultural offerings and fun events, and reasonable prices.
- The traditional Bosnian food served in aščinicas thrills tourists, who should visit Baščaršija and go for an iftar at Žuta Tabija during the month of Ramadan.
Nermin says the city breathes more peacefully during Ramadan, the same as when it is livelier at Christmas, when the Cathedral has a special ambience leading up to the midnight mass.
- The whole city is alive during the holidays, just like during the SFF, which is an example of how one festival should be developed.
Sports and culture
- Sporting events like Vučko Trail and the Sarajevo Half Marathon attract participants from around the world and, from the realm of culture, I definitely recommend Summer at the Historical Museum.
The hospitality of Sarajevans and the famous Sarajevo spirit bring most guests back.
- Sarajevans are good hosts who try to help all guests have pleasant memories of the time spent in our city.
