Luca Cirese, a 30 years old Italian who is really fascinated by history and culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Anna Abbate, 42 years old woman born in Pordenone in Friuli-Venezia Giulia whose family love Balkan region, shared their experiences of traveling through BiH in August this year.
“In this hard times for Europe, I need deeply to visit Sarajevo, because I want to understand its strong history. We were in Mostar too – a very beautiful city – but Sarajevo impressed me deeply. Its soul and inter-ethnic core made the city unforgettable,” Mr. Cirese explained to Sarajevo Times.
On the question of which cities they have visited, Mrs. Abbate said she has decided to go back to this part of Europe because she is really interested in communities and relationships.
“My first time in BiH was with my family in Mostar, where I came back gladly. During our journey, my favorite city was Sarajevo, which touched me because it is full of life and emotions,” Mrs. Abbate explained.
On the question regarding people in BiH, Mr. Cirese said he thinks they are really friendly and full of life.
“My first time in BiH was in Tuzla and I met for work a local guy, Faruk and he was really cute with me, giving me a bottle of handmade rakija as a present,” Mr. Cirese explained, and Mrs. Abbate added that people they had we met in their journey were cute and welcoming:
“I love the young boys and girls who work in the small shop in Sarajevo and I taste freedom in the behaviour of people.”
How much did you know about BiH before arriving here? Did you have any prejudices and did they changed after you spend some time here?
“In my opinion I do not have any prejudices about Bosnia. I know quite well her history, but almost nobody tells me something on this part of Europe. I have just read Sarajevo was a very important place of togetherness before the war: and I saw that’s true today too,” Mr. Cirese said.
“I don’t have so many expectations or prejudices in this travel: what impressed me was the beautiful landscape and the worldwide tourism in Sarajevo,” Mrs. Abbate explained.
Regarding the most beautiful things they saw in Sarajevo, Mr. Cirese said that for him, the most beautiful is Baščaršija, adding that it is the piece of East in the middle of Europe, that remind him on the existence of European Islam, the symbol of the survival and renaissance of Sarajevo.
“It was full of meaning to me, I can go to to Suada i Olga bridge and left roses for lasting peace,” Mr. Cirese said.
Mrs. Abbate also liked Baščaršija the most, and for her, it keeps together different colors and tastes from East to Central Europa.
“The second thing I want to remember is the sign in Marsala Tita Street that remind us that “The first casualty where war comes is truth”: because that’s the truth that leads us to be better people and that’s Sarajevo remind us,” Mrs. Abbate concluded.
