He stresses that Sarajevo has been a special place, ever since the time of its founding and, throughout its history, many have fought over it. He adds that the conquerors, both the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, bequeathed a rich cultural heritage to the city, especially with its diverse architecture.
According to Poćko, what makes this area so special is the amount of natural beauty, not to mention the lovely mountains that surround the city.
He talks about how he has special memories attached to nearly every corner in town, especially near Baščaršija and the area around First Gymnasium, which remind him of his school days. He now lives in Stup, where he enjoys his home, the garden and the view of Mt. Igman.
A perfect day for him is one spent with his daughter, Nejla, and when he decides to go for a walk he chooses Wilson’s Promenade or Vrelo Bosne. As for a trip out of town, he would choose Bjelašnica or the village of Umoljani, where, in his words, time has stood still.
He usually drinks his daily coffee at Opera Café and Aquarius Vils and his favorite destinations for an evening out are The Green Man Pub and Obala Club at the Academy of Fine Arts. As for cultural activities, his favorite events are concerts and he likes to take in a good play.
Nedžad’s favorite Sarajevo restaurant is Mala Pivnica, which, he believes, has excellent food and the prettiest garden in town. Poćko prefers ćevapi from Mrkva Ćevabdžinica, where he orders a portion of ten ćevapi with kajmak and lots of onions. He highly recommends sogan dolma from among the traditional Bosnian specialties.
He says that visitors can have the best view of town from Sedrenik, at the old Mehina Tavern, as well as from Vidikovac on Mt. Trebević. He adds that the view from Žuta Tabija offers an extraordinary experience.
Nedžad says he would take a first-time visitor to Vijećnica, which he considers Sarajevo’s most beautiful building, and then on an excursion to Umoljani.
In closing, we asked Poćko to describe Sarajevo in one sentence and he replied with the following:
- There isn't a small city with a heart this big anywhere in the world!
