Take a trip down the old bazaar

The beating heart since the late 1400s, Baščaršija is home to Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque and the wooden Sebilj Brunnen Fountain. From here, all lanes lead to Pigeon Square for bosanska kahva (Bosnian coffee), conversations or simply to watch the world go by.

Head to the extraordinary mountains

Trebević, Jahorina, Igman and Bjelašnica are the four mighty massifs that loom over the city. During winter, these make for the most affordable ski slopes in Europe. By summer, hikers from all over the world flock to the mountain trails for new adventures.

Sample a piece of culinary tradition

Largely influenced by 400 years of Ottoman rule, the cuisine is hearty, filling and heavily meat-inspired. Most street eateries serve up time-honoured specialities such as cevapi (kebabs), klepe (dumplings), burek (pastry) and other favourites.

Find hope inside a historic tunnel

Revisit the city's dark past inside an 800m-long, 1m-wide, 1.6m-high tunnel that tells the story of the 1992-95 siege and the tunnel's extraordinary construction through video, information boards and an audio-guide accessible via free wi-fi.