Have you thought about where to eat, what to drink and what to shop while spending your time in Sarajevo? If not, read these useful tips and enjoy!
As elsewhere in the Balkans, cuisine in Bosnia-Herzegovina tends to be rich and relying heavily on dairy products and meat, particularly beef, lamb and pork, which is often grilled or barbecued. People usually shop for ingredients daily.
Meat is always well prepared and often organic. In the towns and cities, a wide variety of quality restaurants can be found serving mainly Italian, Mediterranean, Viennese and traditional cuisine.
A popular entree is Bosanski lonac, a mixture of meat and vegetables slow roasted and served in a ceramic pot with a long, wide neck.
Other popular dishes are japrak, cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice and pies such as sirnica, made with cheese, and zeljanica, made with spinach.
Fresh fish is eaten close to seaside areas. Many Bosnian dishes, such as shish kebabs and burek, a kind of pastry filled with meat, bear testimony to the influence of Turkish cuisine.
Bosnians often drink beer and sometimes wine to accompany their meals and many local varieties are available.
Men also like locally produced rakija (brandy), which comes in several flavours, such as grape and plum.
The wine-making tradition of Herzegovina dates back to Roman times and as for price and quality the savoury reds and dry whites of Herzegovina easily take their deserved place in the world wine market.
Much of the social life centres on coffee. The traditional coffee is bosanska kafa, similar to what is commonly known as Turkish coffee.
Espresso and white coffee are also served in towns and cities. Drinking tea is also a local tradition, although herbal teas are preferred. Often they are organic, coming straight from the forest.
Bosnia-Herzegovina offers shoppers a wide range of goods and some excellent bargains.
Bartering is a way of life here and enjoyed equally by buyer and seller. Brass Alley is an alley in Sarajevo’s tourist district known as Old Town.
It is lined with tiny shops overflowing with brass, silver and copper goods. Every seller wants to persuade you to visit their store, so plan some extra time here and be warned, they can be very persuasive!
Many of the shops look much like each other and nearly every vendor offers identical items to his neighbour.
Even if they are not mass-produced, you need to do a little digging to find something unique.
There are hundreds of small entrepreneurial kiosks in dozens of towns. Here, shoppers can find almost anything they could want such as CDs, handicrafts, souvenirs and jewellery.
When looking for the perfect souvenir to buy in Sarajevo, many visitors want to pick up something made locally. Typical Bosnian handicrafts include items made of copper or brass, rugs, jewellery and ceramic items.
(Source: hoteltravel.com)
