Baščaršija – Old Town
Baščaršija is the main tourist attraction of Sarajevo. Located in the very heart of the city, this bazaar is one of Sarajevo’s older wards as well as a well-preserved example of oriental architecture in the Balkans. The name “Baščaršija” is derived from two Turkish words, “bas” meaning “head” or in this case “main, and “çarşı”, a commercial streets. Situated along the northern bank of the Miljacka River, Baščaršija is an oriental bazaar, a maze of narrow streets located in the center of the city’s historic core and is an idal spot for shopping while taking in Sarajevo’s main sights.
Seek for real souvenirs where trades people traditionally had their shops, studios, ateliers, and boutiques. You’ll find t-shirts and trinkets, of course, but even today you can find pieces that folks here have been making for centuries. There are coppersmiths pounding metal into tea and coffee sets, for instance. There are carpet dealers, and shops specializing in Oriental slippers. The best part: in between your shop-a-thon, you can stop for Bosnian coffee.
