Cicatrices y sonrisas

Información

A horrific past sits side-by-side with a welcoming future on this Sarajevo tour that takes you deep into the dark days and back out into the light of today. See the sites that mark some of the city's biggest tragedies but have since become places to celebrate life, as you listen to stories of the siege, from those who lived to tell the tale.

This Sarajevo walking tour tells the story of the most difficult times to have befallen the city of Sarajevo, but alongside tales of the will, courage, and determination of the local people to survive what was once hell on Earth.

Your Sarajevo tour will start at the most beautiful building in the city: the City Hall/National Library, which had originally burned down during the siege of Sarajevo but was rebuilt and re-opened in 2014 — a sign of the rejuvenation seen throughout the city. From there, we'll head to a local historic brewery, founded in 1864 and with a sad story behind the brews, as it was one of the few sources of drinking water for Sarajevans during the war. We'll then visit the gallery that's home to the exhibit Siege'92-'95, honoring the longest siege in modern history. You'll learn about the darkest parts of Sarajevo's past before heading to the street of Green Berets (resistance organisers), which is now the centre of the city's nightlife.

Next up on your Sarajevo tour, we'll head to the local marketplace, which was the site of a horrific massacre in 1994. Yet today, it's a place to get fresh produce and local goods, and while we're there, we'll stop into the beautiful Market Hall, where we'll try local delicacies such as smoked beef and cheese. We'll then continue to the Central Bank, where the famous Sarajevo Haggadah (an ancient manuscript containing the traditional text of Passover Haggadah) was kept safe during the siege. From there, it's on to the Great Park of Sarajevo, where you'll see the monument to the murdered children of Sarajevo, and then on to the presidencey building and Olympic Hall. We'll keep walking along the Miljacka River and see the contemporary bridge that's named Festina lente, meaning “make haste slowly“.

Next up, your Sarajevo tour will proceed to the Central Post Office, which burned down in 1992 but has since been rebuilt, before finally reaching the National Theatre, the main stage for two of the biggest cultural events in Sarajevo: the Theatre Festival and the Sarajevo Film Festival (founded during the siege as cultural resistance to the madness of war).

Duration: 3 hours.
Start/opening time: 9am.
Languages: English.
Included: Local English-speaking guide, entry fees to sites, food samples in the market, drink (glass of wine, beer, or soft drink) at the last stop.
Not included: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips/gratuities for your guide.
Dress code: Please wear casual, comfortable clothing and shoes for walking.