Where to stay

The Ottoman heart: small guesthouses and boutique hotels among the lanes, mosques and coffee houses. Lively by day, calm late at night.

The pedestrian street and Austro-Hungarian blocks west of the bazaar. Central, flat and close to everything.

The hillside across the river, opposite Vijećnica. Quiet streets, views over the old town and the cable car station nearby.

The walled hilltop quarter above Baščaršija, near the Yellow Fortress. Family guesthouses and the best sunsets; the walk up is steep.

Business hotels, malls and the National Museum on the tram line. Practical and modern, a short ride from the old town.

The spa suburb near the airport, long popular with Gulf families. Larger hotels, green space and Vrelo Bosne nearby; taxis or the tram to the centre.