Bosnia Trip Report — Sarajevo, Central Bosnia & Herzegovina

Intro

Part 2 of Trip Report after our Viking Cruise.

Any trip report on Bosnia and Herzegovina must reflect the years of conflict and tragedies that have shaped this beautiful country. Posted an O-T Thread delving more into the history of the Sarajevo Siege and atrocities committed if interested.

But this is the Travel Board and we like to talk about our travels! So on we go!

Trip Report

Why It’s Called Bosnia and Herzegovina

The country’s name comes from two historic regions that were joined together. Bosnia makes up the central and northern part, while Herzegovina is the southern region shaped by its own local rulers and identity. They’ve been linked for centuries, so the modern state kept both names to reflect the full country.

Religious Mix in Bosnia

Bosnia is religiously mixed, but the largest group is Muslim. About half the country is Muslim, roughly one-third is Eastern Orthodox, and around 15% is Catholic. That mix lines up with the three main ethnic groups: Bosniaks (Muslim), Serbs (Orthodox), and Croats (Catholic).

Our visit overlapped with Ramadan, so the city shifted into celebration mode as it transitioned into Ramazanski Bajram ("Eid"), the holiday that marks the end of the fasting month. Families were out having a coffee. Eating sweets. Dressed in their finery. A true sight to see.

Ever heard a "call to prayer"? We did the very first night. It was kind of like WTF, but you got used to it. And as you learned more about the culture, the mix of religions, how they all pretty much get along, living side by side, your stereotypes and biases fade away. They are among the kindest, most giving people you'd ever want to meet.

Our Time There

We spent our time in Bosnia using Funky Tours, and the experience was solid from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable, professional, and easy to spend a day with.

Here’s the simple rundown of what stood out.

Sarajevo — Streets & Food

A good way to get oriented. Walked the old city, learned the layout, and tried local dishes without feeling rushed. It’s a relaxed introduction to the culture and neighborhoods.

Funny side note: I have a Serbian friend. Despite the past, the average Serb and Bosnian do get along quite well for the most part. It's "the politicians" as they say. There is often a friendly banter between the cultures, often about food, and in particular about "Burek"!

Burek is a traditional Balkan pastry made with thin, hand-stretched dough (phyllo-style) and filled with meat. In Bosnia, “burek” specifically means meat pie. Anything else—cheese, spinach, potato—has its own name (sirnica, zeljanica, krompiruša).

As he told me, Bosnians are quite stubborn as it could be that only the first variant (with meat) is considered “the actual thing” and therefore other variations have to have different names to them. In fact, our guide said a local football club, to insult the other, put on the big board "XXX eats their burek with cheese"! Go figure.

Travnik, Jajce & Central Bosnia

This was a full day but worth it. Travnik’s fortress and Jajce’s waterfalls made for a great combination of history and scenery. It’s a different side of Bosnia—slower pace, smaller towns, and a lot of natural beauty.

Mostar & Herzegovina

Mostar is exactly what you expect visually but seeing it in person still hits differently. The surrounding towns and viewpoints rounded out the day. Good mix of culture, history, and scenery.

Sarajevo — Total Siege Tour

This was the most important tour of the trip. Being on the ground, hearing the history from someone who lived through it, and seeing the key sites gave us a real understanding of what the city went through. It’s heavy, but it’s the tour that makes Sarajevo make sense.

Guides

Stefan and Hamza were excellent, but Adnan was the standout. His knowledge, personal experience as a soldier in the Bosnian Army during the Siege, and ability to explain the history clearly made a big difference. He’s the reason the Siege tour was the highlight.

Overall

Bosnia ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of the trip. The tours were well run, the guides were strong, and the country itself leaves an impression. We’d use Funky Tours again without hesitation.

PS: Maybe the best time was watching these old guys play chess in the park with these huge pieces. Our guide interpreted what the spectators were saying to the players. The banter and insults were hilarious. There are these guys trying to play chess, and the "gallery" were saying things like "he doesn't know shite". Or "his wife is to fat". Some you can't post here!

Selected Photos From The Trip

Great Video On Life In Sarajevo!