Tips for a trip to Sarajevo

If you go

THE BEST WAY TO SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

From LAX, Norwegian, Turkish, Lufthansa, United and KLM offer connecting service (change of planes) to Sarajevo. Restricted round-trip fares from $1,654, including taxes and fees.

The main languages in Sarajevo are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian, but English is spoken at major hotels and in many restaurants and stores. Many businesses accept euros, but the currency of Bosnia-Herzegovina is the Bosnian mark.

TELEPHONES

To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (international dialing code), 387 (country code for Bosnia-Herzegovina), and 33 (area code for Sarajevo).

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Central Sarajevo, 8 Cumurija St.; 561-800, hotelcentral.ba. Central location. Rooms for two typically $165, breakfast and tax included.

Hotel Europe, 5 Vladislava Skarica; 580-400, hoteleurope.ba. Upscale rooms with a Vienna-style coffeehouse downstairs, medieval ruins outside, Old Town steps away. Rooms for two typically $180, breakfast and tax included.

Colors Inn, 8 Kosevo; 276-600, hotelcolorsinnsarajevo.com/eng. Opened in December. Colorful, bright contemporary look, 37 rooms, 15-minute walk from Old Town. Rooms for two usually $165 midweek, less on weekends.

WHERE TO EAT

4 Sobe Gospode Safije (The Four Rooms of Mrs. Safije), 61 Cekalusa; 202-745, 4sgs.net. Fusion cuisine (Bosnian, Arabic, Norwegian, etc.) in an elegantly converted 1910 home. Dishes $7-$21.

Cajdzinica Djirlo, 16 Kovaci; 61-159-965; no website. Tea (in a coffee-centric city) and Bosnian snacks. Everything under $5.

House of Spite (Inat Kuca), 1 Veliki Alifakovac; 447-867, inatkuca.ba/en. A well-appointed historic house alongside the river. Bosnian specialties. Main dishes $7-$14.

TO LEARN MORE

Sarajevo Navigator, sarajevo.travel/en

Tour guide and journalist Amir Telibechirowich can be reached at 61-304-966 and teleamir@gmail.com.