Once glorious, now oft-maligned and misunderstood, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina provides visitors with one of the most singular travel experiences in Europe. The cultural center and focal point of a relative newcomer on the world stage, Sarajevo is a marvel.

Rich with history and heritage, natural beauty and superb landmarks, the host of the 1984 Winter Olympics rewards those enlightened enough to set aside news reel footage of the 1990s long enough to discover a new Sarajevo. A Sarajevo in vibrant recovery mode, well over a decade after the most destructive siege in the history of modern warfare.

Not that the horror of the Bosnian War has been swept under the rug. Tangible evidence lurks in the Martyrs’ Memorial Cemetery, skyline in flux and most notably, in pure demographic terms. Once home to a population of more than half a million, Sarajevo now contains just over 300,000 people. The cost of war was indeed high in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Nonetheless, Sarajevo is on the verge of a comeback. It would be optimistic to claim the recovery complete but until tourism nears post-Olympic levels, such a premature outburst would be neither realistic nor fair. Truth be told, the city will always have a tremendous legacy to fall back on.

Indeed, metro Sarajevo sits on a treasure trove of culture with roots in the Neolithic Age no less. The pretty suburb of Ilidza and district of Butmir for example, contain archaeological artifacts that rank as some of the most important finds on the continent over the last century. Collections of Butmir Culture pottery, most of which date back over 4500 years ago, are on hand at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.

Thankfully, the destruction of war did not rob the city entirely of the cultural institutions it had become famous for a decade earlier. Sarajevo still teems with superb museums that belie the capital city’s size. Although 1990s demolitions did raze several key institutions to the ground, national and city governments have become reliably defiant and proactive in post-war efforts to preserve, protect and build up cultural monuments.

As such, points of interest like the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Center for Sarajevo Culture, Museum of Sarajevo, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sarajevo City Library rate highly on the must-see scale. Others, like the Bosniak Institute and Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art sprang forth after and perhaps more importantly, because of the war. As a result, both museums deserve a special visit to appreciate the flourish of creative expression that arose in Sarajevo in the wake of the war.

Creative expression of another kind is on tap at the National Theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sarajevo Youth Theatre. From opera to ballet, contemporary dance to classical and modern drama, both offer a full calendar of events to visitors.

Sarajevo is a notable festival city as well. The National Theatre hosts perhaps the most famous annual event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the form of the Sarajevo Film Festival. The premier film festival in the Balkans began in 1995, at the height of the siege of Sarajevo.

Other worthwhile festivals for visitors to the city include the Sarajevo Jazz Festival, held every November, as well as the giant Bascarsija Nights festival. Held every July, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s de facto national celebration of culture features a wide array of artists and performers, with events held outside in the Old Town district and Bascarsija quarter.

Thus, from archaeology to music, art to culture, Sarajevo is a veritable jewel and fabulous gateway to not only Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the Balkans as well.

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