Nightlife in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Ottoman old bazaar district is where most nights in Sarajevo begin. Many end here without anyone quite planning it that way. The cobbled lanes hold a dense concentration of bars, cafes, and small restaurants operating at varying hours. Copper-domed mosques, narrow stone alleys, wooden shopfronts give the whole area a particular atmosphere. The famous Bermuda Triangle cluster of bars here, named for obvious reasons, is where you are most likely to lose track of time in the best possible way. The crowd skews local and young. The pace is unhurried in that specifically Bosnian way.

Sarajevo's main pedestrian artery and the surrounding Centar district function as the more polished, contemporary complement to Baščaršija's old-quarter character. You will find the cocktail bars with actual mixology ambitions here. Slightly more design-conscious venues and outdoor terraces become the social focal point of the city in warm weather. It is also where Club Sloga and several of the more established live music venues sit. This makes it the logical anchor point if your night is going to extend into the small hours.

Mostar's nightlife concentrates in a compact zone around the well-known Stari Most bridge. Bars and terraces cluster on both the Bosniak western bank and in the streets leading up from the river. The crowd here is noticeably more mixed between travellers and locals than in Sarajevo. In summer the area is lively well into the early morning. The terraces overlooking the Neretva river at night, with the illuminated bridge as a backdrop, are one of the more memorable settings for a drink you are likely to find in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is tourist-facing, but it earns its reputation.