Recently updated on January 31st, 2024 at 06:08 pm
There’s no better way to experience life in Sarajevo, Bosnia than to step into the home of the locals. Full of warm welcomes, real conversations and delicious dishes, you’re in for an enlightening treat. We visited the Gradjin family to find out just some of ways a Be My Guest Experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
1. A welcome coffee unlike any you’ve tasted before
As you step in to the Gradjin’s home, you’ll be greeted by smiles and the warmest welcome. You’ll feel like you are visiting old friends. And in Sarajevo, Bosnia, every welcome is celebrated with coffee. In fact, everything is decided over coffee! But note, if you take sugar, don’t put it in your drink. Instead, bite from a cube and put it under your tongue to dissolve as you sip.
The rich, dark, thick coffee is served in small coffee cups , along with a glass of water, a dish of sugar cubes and a Bosnian candy. An experience for even the most seasoned coffee enthusiast, in Bosnia the ritual may be more important than the drink itself. Don’t worry though, you’ll be guided through each step by your hosts and will soon be drink your coffee just like a local.
Experience the best of Sarajevo, Bosnia on: Balkan Delight, Balkan Adventure
2. It’s the real deal
From the impressive collection of snow globes to the cooking books on the shelf, you can tell this is a real home. Nothing is staged, it looks just like a normal day. The well-worn magazines, family photos on the walls and school bags in the hall reveal a personal space, and you feel privileged and honoured to be taking a peek. The crux of a Be My Guest Experience is being invited into a local’s home for a lovingly prepared meal, and you can tell this is just that.
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3. Homemade Elderberry syrup
Served just before or at the start of the meal, this traditional drink is seriously tasty and refreshing. A traditional recipe handed through the generations, Elderflowers are cut from the many trees around Sarajevo, Bosnia. The little white petals are then added to a syrup base of sugar and citric acid, which is boiled with water and a sliced lemon. This mixture is left to sit for 48 hours, then strained, resulting in the most delicious ‘Zova Sirup’ as it is known locally. Families keep a supply in the fridge for special occasions, such as welcoming Trafalgar guests.
4. You can ask anything
What music do you like? Where do you get your vegetables? What was life like before, during and after he war? What sports do you do at school? This is an unrivalled opportunity to learn about Sarajevo history and Bosnian lifestyle and culture. But best of all, you get to connect with real people as you would over the dinner table at home.
You may also be interested to read: Life beyond war: Exploring Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo 30 years on
5. Feel at home, away from home
We all love travel for the sense of adventure and unknown. But we also love that cosy sense of home. Well, this is exactly what you get at the Gradjin’s home. You may well be in Sarajevo, Bosnia but you feel like you are in your own front room. Warm, welcoming and fun, this is adventure and comfort all together in one.
6. Tuck into Bey’s soup
By far the most famous soup in traditional Bosnian cuisine, Bey’s Soup or Begova Čorba is a real treat. The base ingredient is okra, which has also long been considered an aphrodisiac. Mixed with chicken, vegetables and herbs to form a thick flavoursome soup, the secret to this tasty Sarajevo food lies in the fine tuning of the ingredients. The soup is a tasty example of the tradition of slow cooking foods in their own juices, and the results are just delicious.
You may also like to read: Eating together: is it the secret to a longer, happier life?
7. Get expert cooking advice
Not just an expert on cuisine from Sarajevo, Bosnia, Grandmother Senada is a master cook and happy to advise on anything. You can ask her for tips on preparing ingredients, how to choose seasonal produce, even how to boil an egg and she’ll help you out. Swap recipes from your countries, discuss how to grow various vegetables and learn some new cooking tips along the way.
8. You bring the world with you
Unable to travel much themselves, by becoming Be My Guest hosts, the family are able to meet people from all around the world. Through your stories you’re sharing your culture and enabling them to learn about your country. The family have an impressive collection of snowdomes, and many represent the countries they have hosted guests from. It just goes to show the power of conversation and connection.
Discover what else can happen in the Balkans: We got married at a surprise wedding on our Trafalgar tour
9. Delicious deserts
Layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and held together by syrup or honey. Yes, that’s Baklava, yum! A staple of Sarajevo, Bosnia, when freshly homemade this tasty desert becomes divine.
10. Discover new traditions
Who knew a cup of coffee could predict your future? Well, after dinner Senada can treat you to a reading of the grounds left in your cup. Officially known as tasseography, this traditional art requires knowledge, experience and a large serving of intuition. By decoding the patterns, symbols and images, find out what your future holds. Perhaps your next Trafalgar tour?
You may also like to read: “Don’t wait until you’re retired to travel.” – Leith and David’s Balkan’s Diary
11. The warm feeling you leave with
You feel like you’ve dined with family and made new friends. Even though you speak different languages, there was no language barrier and you shared so many laughs. The warm feeling in your belly and heart that you leave with will stay with you for a long time.
What do you think you would enjoy most about this Be My Guest Experience ? Tell us about it in the comments