From Belgrade: Visit Sarajevo with East Bosnia & West Serbia on 2-Day Tour

Morning: Our team will arrange a free pick up at your address in Belgrade in the morning hours. First part of the drive will be a roughly three hours of pleasant ride through the remote suburbs of Serbia during which you will have a chance to get to know our team and learn about (in)famous relations between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The town Bajina basta and its unmissable attraction House on Drina will be the first stop of the day. One of the most photographed monuments in Serbia and the Balkans, House on Drina was chosen as one of the “wackiest” houses by Business Insider Magazine.

House on Drina dates back from 1968, when a group of friends decided to build a hut on the rock in the middle of the river using only the planks of wood provided and brought by the river itself. Over the years, it was severely damaged, destroyed and rebuilt.

Nowadays, this site represents one of the most popular attractions in Serbia, and a place that is simply a “must” during the Balkan explorations. 

We will make a shortstop at the site, admire the captivating setting which is a home to this wooden cabin peacefully nestled in the middle of Drina river, and take some amazing photos.

Early Afternoon: An hour-long, incredibly scenic ride will take us to the next stop – Tara National Park which, according to the legend, was a haunt of the Illirian Gods.

Unlike other National Parks in Serbia, Tara is known as the charming modest nature miracle that kept remaining in a shadow of the shiny tourist attractions, yet not a single time failed to absolutely surprise every traveler who decides to go this way. 

After all, that is the least you can expect from the Mountain named after the supreme God Tar who choose Tara as a home to his throne.

Embraced by the smells of beech, spruce and fir, high mountain peeks, steep cliffs and picturesque gorges, we will take some nice and easy hikes towards the famous Banjska stijena viewpoint looming over the youngest BiH National Park Drina and its remote Perucac lake which represents a natural border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

❐ Stunning views from Banjska Stena Viewpoint

Our next adventure will be the 45 minutes long famous “Šargan Eight” train ride. 

The Šargan Eight is narrow gauge (760mm) steam railway originally built in 1925., famously called Ćira (Chira). It used to connect Sarajevo and Belgrade, and the name “eight” originates from the shape of the track which, if looked from the sky, looks like number 8. 

It became famous for the impressive engineering which enabled it to rapidly climb a height of 300m over the short distance of 3.500m where the total length of the railway today is 15.440m.

Due to the accelerated development of technology, this railway route has fallen into oblivion, but its most impressive section passing by Mokra Gora has come to life again, this time for tourist purposes. What levels up the overall experience is the fact all of this was achieved by passing through 22 tunnels and 5 bridges. 

Rattling of the wheels of authentic composition, through rocky straits and dense forests, to the old-fashioned stations, this nostalgic journey is designed to take you through the time of the open air museum of Mokra Gora.

The explosive roller coaster of hills surrounding Mokra Gora will take us to the Serbian fairy tale – Drvengrad. Drvengrad, or Kustendorf, became one of the most interesting ethnographic-complexes in Serbia.

Rising from the Hill Mecavnik, this place will introduce you to the world where the time has stopped.  The idea and creation of this place was a work of movie director Emir Kusturica after the shooting of the film Life is a Miracle.

As the name of the complex suggests, the entire town is made up of pine trees in detail. The old log cabins transferred from the surrounding villages were given new, diverse functions and gave the whole complex an idyllic look.

We will explore this wooden kingdom and take a stroll in its streets named after the famous people whom Kusturica wanted to pay a special tribute to. It is important to mention that this place won the “Philippe Rotthier European Architecture Award” from the Brussels Foundation for Architecture.

In Drvengrad we will make a lunch break, enjoy the traditional specialities and share the so far impressions. 

Afternoon: Welcome to Bosnia. After Drvengrad, we will cross the border with Bosnia. Embraced by the vivid mountainous sceneries, we will reach one of the most important Serbian Orthodox symbols, Dobrun Monastery. 

Also known as Krusevo, Dobrun Monastery found its home only 12 kms from Visegrad, in the picturesque valley of the Rzav river. It was built in 1343 and dedicated to the Dormition of the holy mother of God.

We will explore the premises of the monastery together, learn about the present Orthodox religion on Bosnian ground and admire the richness of marvellous frescoes adorning the walls of this captivating temple.

Accompanied by the turquoise Drina river canyon we will arrive to Visegrad, town that is a proud home of the UNESCO site, old Ottoman bridge described as “The unique elegance of proportion and monumental nobility of the property as a whole bear witness to the greatness of this style of architecture”.

The bridge was built in 1577. by the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasa Sokolović and today represents one of the most important attractions of the region. 

We will take a walk from one to another side of the bridge, take some amazing photos and meet with a local who will take us on a serene boat cruise over the Drina river.

After the boat ride, we will check out the stone town of Andrićgrad (eng.Andrić town) dedicated to the Nobel winning author Ivo Andric whose book “Bridge Over Drina” has given most of the glory to Visegrad and its bridge. 

Besides enormous cultural and historical heritage, Visegrad will also slowly introduce us to the fall of Yugoslavia and 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Last stop for a day, before we are finally welcomed by the lights of European Jerusalem and BiH capital Sarajevo, will be a small and remote village where UNESCO protected Borak Stećci necropolis found its safe haven.

We will take a walk through the dense and misty forest and discover the unique history of the Medieval Bosnian Kingdom, discovering the hidden signs and symbols on its blocks of limestones scattered all around Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Evening: We will arrive in Sarajevo around 7.30 PM, just on time for dinner. After the hotel check-in, and provided with a handful of local tips, we will let you discover the city on your own and have a nice dinner in the cozy ambience of the local restaurant.

Breakfast: We will let you wake up and have breakfast at your own pace. Your nice and centrally located hotel will serve the buffet breakfast that will compliment the local cuisine offering an abundance of typical Bosnian choices but also the international.

Morning: Once you are ready, we will pick you up from your hotel and introduce you to the city in depth.

Sarajevo is one of the most walkable cities in the world so, naturally, we will start with the old town and city center making sure to take a peek into the every smallest detail of the city which gained its reputation as world’s emblem of multiculturalism often called the European Jerusalem.

During a nice and easy walk, we will take a stroll in cobblestone streets of Bascarsija, discover the small hidden alleys, blend with the clamour of the vibrant old town, and admire the city’s symbols such as Gazi Mosque, Jewish Sinagogue, Orthodox and Catholic church, Franz Ferdinand assassination spot and many other sites important for understand the overwhelmingly rich history of Sarajevo.

Most importantly, we will catch up with the locals, take a peak into the art of the old crafts, learn about coppersmith and calligraphy, and treat ourselves with some mouthwatering local products brought by the local vendors at the famous Markale market.

Lunch: Tasting some tasty local food is an inevitable part of adopting the spirit of Sarajevans and comprehending the city’s DNA. 

In a cozy atmosphere of the small local restaurant we will taste some of the most popular Sarajevo meals and get an inside scoop on rich history immensely intertwined with famous local cuisine. Traditional Bosnian coffee and home-made juice is just an icing on the cake.

Afternoon: With full stomachs it is time to face the story of a once completely besieged city. Guided by an ex soldier, you will have a chance to not only visit but get a first-hand gripping experience, and hear some overwhelming personal stories. 

We will drive through the notorious Sniper Alley, take a photo of the famous Holiday Hotel, take a walk through the Tunnel of Hope which used to be the only connection of the city with the rest of the country, wander through one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe and end our visit at the grandiose Olympic Mt. Trebevic admiring the vibrant colours and captivating views over the city.

In the end, we will let you be on your own and soak up the atmosphere of the city before we drive you back to Belgrade, or any other destination of your choice.