Sarajevo Under Siege: A War History Tour

White Fortress (Bijela tabija), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Start your journey with a visit to one of Sarajevo’s most scenic viewpoints. The White Fortress, originally built in the 16th century, offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire city. From here, your guide will introduce the story of Sarajevo’s strategic position throughout history — from Ottoman times to the Siege of Sarajevo.

Visit the neighborhood where your local guide lived during the war. This area, located near the former maternity hospital that was heavily bombed, witnessed some of the harshest days of the Siege of Sarajevo. Here you will hear a deeply personal story — about childhood under siege, daily survival, and life surrounded by constant shelling.
This stop includes a visit to the place where the guide’s father was buried, as well as the very street where he grew up and used to play during the war.

Drive along one of the most infamous streets of Sarajevo during the war — known as Sniper Alley. This main city avenue was under constant sniper fire, making every crossing a matter of life and death. Your guide will share powerful stories of how residents risked their lives daily just to fetch water, food, or reach safety.
Standing here today, surrounded by modern buildings, it’s hard to imagine that this same road once symbolized fear, resilience, and survival.

Explore one of the most important historical sites of the Bosnian War — the Tunnel of Salvation. Dug secretly beneath the airport runway in 1993, this narrow underground passage connected the besieged city of Sarajevo with the outside world.
It served as a lifeline for food, medicine, and hope, allowing thousands of people to survive. During your visit, you’ll walk through a section of the original tunnel, see authentic wartime artifacts, and watch a short documentary about the Siege.

The tour concludes with a drive through Lukavica — once part of the front line during the Siege of Sarajevo, today belonging to Republika Srpska. Here you will learn about the post-war division of Bosnia and Herzegovina into two entities: the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska.
Your guide will point out the former front lines, explain how the Dayton Peace Agreement reshaped the city, and show graffiti and murals that glorify wartime figures such as Ratko Mladić — offering a stark reminder of how memories of the war remain politically divided even today.
This part of the tour encourages reflection on reconciliation, identity, and the long road to peace in post-war Bosnia.

Visit one of the city’s most symbolic landmarks — Sarajevo City Hall, originally built in 1896 during the Austro-Hungarian period. Once the seat of the National Library, it was completely destroyed in August 1992 when Serbian forces shelled it, burning almost two million books and manuscripts.
Today, beautifully restored, Vijećnica stands as a powerful symbol of both destruction and rebirth. Your guide will share stories about its tragic past and what it means for Sarajevo’s cultural identity today.