Where to stay in Sarajevo

Where to stay in Sarajevo depends on what you want from the trip. For a first visit, stay in or near Baščaršija, the Old Town, or the centre around Ferhadija street, so you can walk to the main sights.

Marijin Dvor suits business trips and shopping. Ilidža suits a slower stay by the parks. The old streets on the hills are quieter, with views, but you walk uphill to get home. We are a small hostel on one of those hills, so we will be honest about the trade-offs, ours included.

Should I stay in Baščaršija, the Old Town?

Stay in Baščaršija if you want the Old Town right outside. It is Sarajevo's old bazaar, and the Sarajevo Canton tourist board, Visit Sarajevo, says there are over 1,000 shops there. Many of the streets are named after old crafts, such as Kazandžiluk for the coppersmiths.

The big sights are a few steps apart. The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque was built in 1530. The city once had over 100 public fountains like the Sebilj, says Visit Sarajevo, but they burned in the great fire of 1697. Bravadžiluk is the street for ćevapi, pita and old-style eateries, and there are cafés everywhere.

If you want to stay in Sarajevo Old Town for the views of the bazaar and coffee on your doorstep, this is the place. Our full guide to Baščaršija has what to see.

What is the centre around Ferhadija like?

It is the busy, flat part of the city, with shops, restaurants and bars. Visit Sarajevo calls Ferhadija and Titova the two main promenade streets. Where they meet is the Eternal Flame, a monument to the liberators of Sarajevo and the victims of fascism in the Second World War, lit in 1946.

Much of this area was built in the Austro-Hungarian years. Around the Eternal Flame and along Titova and Branilaca Sarajeva there are many pubs, shops and restaurants, and Visit Sarajevo points to clubs in the centre for a night out.

Stay here if you want to eat out late and walk home on the flat.

Is Marijin Dvor a good place to stay?

Yes, for a business trip or if you want shops close by. Visit Sarajevo calls Marijin Dvor the political and business centre of Sarajevo, with key government buildings within 1,000 metres. Three shopping centres, Alta, Sarajevo City Center and Importanne, sit within 500 metres of each other.

It is a bit less than 2 kilometres from the Old Town, says Visit Sarajevo. That is fine for a walk in the day, but you will spend more time getting to Baščaršija than people staying in the centre. Look out for the twin towers of the former UNIS company, built in 1986 and badly damaged in the war, now restored.

What about the neighbourhoods on the hills?

They are quieter, greener and have views, but you climb to get home. Old Sarajevo was split into the čaršija, the trading area, and the mahalas, the homes built on the slopes around it.

Alifakovac, above the Old Town, has steep alleys with houses placed so that each one has a view. Džidžikovac is central but, in Visit Sarajevo's words, still far away from tourists and city bustle, tucked into the green of the parks around it. Tin Ujević Street there has restaurants with small gardens.

The trade-off is the hill. Going down is easy. Coming back up takes longer, so check how close your bed is to a bus or tram stop.

Is Ilidža worth staying in?

Stay in Ilidža if you want parks and a slower pace more than the Old Town. Its best-known sight is Vrelo Bosne, the spring of the river Bosna, at the foot of Mount Igman. A 3.5 km avenue of plane and chestnut trees, the Velika aleja, leads to it, and you can walk it or ride a horse-drawn carriage.

Ilidža also has the old Roman Bridge and villas from the Austro-Hungarian years. GRAS tram line 3 runs between Ilidža and Baščaršija, so you can get into town without a car.

Where is Hostel Kucha?

We are at Zaima Šarca 24, on the hill above the centre. On OpenStreetMap the address sits in Bjelave, in the Džidžikovac neighbourhood, in the Centre municipality. Visit Sarajevo's page on Džidžikovac tells you more about the area.

It is downhill to town. The Cathedral is about 12 minutes' walk, and Baščaršija about 19. The walk back up takes longer. The easy way up is the tram to Skenderija, then a walk up through Veliki Park and Džidžikovac street, or bus 72 to Studentski Dom, the stop 1 minute from our door.

We are a 9-room hostel with themed dorms and private rooms. Linen and towels are included, there is a big shared kitchen and a terrace with a view over the city.

Who should stay somewhere else?

We are not a party hostel. If you want a bar crawl and a late crowd in the building, you will be happier in the centre near Ferhadija, where the nightlife is.

And if a hill is hard for you, stay down in the flat centre or in Baščaršija. Bus 72 stops 1 minute from our door, which helps a lot. Even so, the area around us is on a slope, and the walk back from town is uphill. We would rather you know that before you book.

What should I look for in a hostel in Sarajevo?

When you compare Sarajevo hostels, check the things that change your day:

• The walk and the slope. Look at the map, not just the distance. Is it uphill on the way home, and is there a bus stop nearby?
• Reception hours. If you arrive late, ask who lets you in. Ours is open 8am to 11pm. If you will be later, message us a day or two before so someone is up to let you in.
• Bag storage. Handy for a day in Mostar. We keep bags before check-in, after check-out and during a Mostar trip.
• Linen, towels and a kitchen. Ours are included, and the shared kitchen is big.
• A female-only dorm, if you want one. Ours is Ruže, a 6-bed female-only dorm.
• Getting in from the airport. Our shuttle takes up to 3 people and runs both ways at any hour. See how to get here from the airport and bus station.

Want your own space? Srce Sarajeva is a private room with its own bathroom.

Booking direct here means no booking fees. See all our rooms.

Quick answers

• Where should I stay on a first visit? In or near Baščaršija or the centre around Ferhadija.
• Is Marijin Dvor far from the Old Town? A bit under 2 km, says Visit Sarajevo.
• Is Hostel Kucha in the Old Town? No. We are on the hill above the centre, 19 minutes' walk down to Baščaršija.
• Is Hostel Kucha a party hostel? No.
• Can I get from Ilidža to the Old Town by tram? Yes, tram line 3 runs between Ilidža and Baščaršija.