The beating heart of a most vibrant city, the Baščaršija will almost certainly be your first port of call in Sarajevo. The capital’s old bazaar holds a wealth of historical and cultural attractions within its narrow streets, alleyways that can be as bustling as they are serene. Full of cafes, shops, restaurants and burek so good it might make you pack up your life and start afresh, maybe living somewhere on Vratnik, allowing you to stroll down the hill on a daily basis and eat that burek, oh my, burek from the heavens, the absolute heavens. Wait, what were we saying? Ah yes, Baščaršija. It came together in the 15th century when Isa-Beg Isaković was developing the city, and it has staged a thrilling coming together of people ever since. The famous 17th century travel writer Evliya Çelebi described its stores as a ‘model of beauty’, and we’re not about to disagree. One little aside, the Baščaršija was almost destroyed following World War II, as the socialist government thought it somewhat obsolete in the new utopia. ​​​​​​​