Good to know
Good to Know
- The main malls (Sarajevo City Center, BBI Centar, Alta, Importanne) all sit within a compact central corridor near the river and are easily walkable or a short tram ride from Baščaršija, so nomads don't need to venture to the outskirts for mainstream retail.
- Baščaršija is the best place for handmade souvenirs like copper coffee sets, but many stalls now sell mass-produced or imitation goods (including fake-branded items) alongside genuine local crafts, so it's worth looking closely if authenticity matters to you.
- Some mall parking systems (e.g. at Alta) only accept small-denomination coins, so keep some change handy if driving.
- Sarajevo also has several large hypermarket-style malls (Mercator, Bingo, BTC) further from the center that are popular with locals for everyday shopping, but these sit outside easy walking distance of the core nomad-relevant area.
- There's no official Apple Store in Sarajevo — for buying new Apple hardware locally, AT Store (Apple Authorized Reseller) and Mekline are the main options, and ASBIS is the official channel for warranty repairs.
- If you need an Apple repair, call ahead — ASBIS's service center is out toward Otoka, a taxi ride from the Baščaršija/city-center area rather than a walkable stop.
- Amazon.com doesn't ship everything to Bosnia — expect the 'cannot be shipped' message on many electronics and higher-value items; a package-forwarding service is the common workaround, but it adds cost and time.
- Cash-on-delivery is still very common for both domestic (OLX.ba, local web shops) and some international orders, so you don't always need to pre-pay by card.
- Ordering internationally can trigger BiH customs duty and VAT once a parcel's value crosses official thresholds, so factor that into the real cost of shipping gadgets in from abroad.
Apple Presence
- Summary
- Sarajevo has no official Apple Store, but it does have Apple Authorized Resellers (AAR) and an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) that sell and repair genuine Apple hardware.
- Official Apple Store In City
- No
Locations
ASBIS D.o.o. — Apple Authorized Service Provider
- Type
- Authorized service provider
- Address
- Džemala Bijedića 162, Sarajevo
- Hours Note
- Open weekdays 09:00–17:00 per their own listing.
- Distance From Center Note
- In the Otoka/Novi Grad area, roughly a 15-minute taxi or drive from the Baščaršija/city-center core — not walkable, but it's the country's main official Apple repair point so it's included despite the distance.
Services
- In-warranty and out-of-warranty repairs for Mac and iOS devices
- Uses Apple-approved diagnostics and genuine Apple parts
- Repairs carry Apple-recognized certification/support
AT Store (Mono Apple Authorized Reseller)
- Type
- Authorized reseller
- Address
- Multiple mall locations, including Sarajevo City Center (SCC) and Alta shopping center, both within or near the central Marijin Dvor / city-center corridor; also branches at Unitic, Delta, and BCC further out
- Distance From Center Note
- SCC and Alta branches are close to the center; Delta and BCC branches are further from the core.
Services
- Sells iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iMac, Apple Watch, AirPods and accessories
- Installment/financing plans through partner banks
- Can assist with software issues, Apple ID/App Store payment problems, and device trade-in/recycling
Mekline (AAR Mekline)
- Type
- Authorized reseller and service
- Address
- Obala Maka Dizdara 3, Sarajevo (near the Academy of Fine Arts, riverside)
- Distance From Center Note
- Central, riverside location within easy walking distance of Baščaršija.
Services
- Official Apple Authorized Reseller and Service Provider
- Sells new and open-box/refurbished Apple devices
- In-house repair for Apple devices
Online Shopping Reliability
- Courier Reliability
- International couriers (DHL, UPS, FedEx) handle cross-border legs with local courier partners completing final-mile delivery; regional logistics investment (new BiH-based sorting infrastructure) has been expanding capacity for e-commerce parcel volumes, suggesting improving reliability, though delays and customs hold-ups remain the most commonly cited friction point for international orders.
Customs And Duties
- Detail
- Per BiH's customs authority, postal shipments from abroad valued over 300 BAM (or over 90 BAM if sent person-to-person) trigger a customs declaration process; private person-to-person parcels face a flat 10% customs duty plus 17% VAT, while commercial shipments face the standard BiH customs tariff (5%, 10%, or 15% depending on goods) plus VAT.
- Source Type
- Official BiH Indirect Taxation Authority (UINO)
- Threshold USD Equivalent
- BAM 300
Domestic Platforms
- Olx Ba
- The country's leading classifieds/marketplace site (formerly Pik.ba, launched 2009), now also offering courier delivery with cash-on-delivery payment for both new and used goods.
- Other Local Webshops
- Domestic web shops (e.g., Bazzar.ba, and the regional platform Ananas.ba which entered BiH) ship via partner courier companies, commonly with cash-on-delivery as a payment option alongside card payment.
- Typical Domestic Delivery Fee
- BAM 10
Domestic delivery fees on local web shops typically run about 5–15 BAM depending on the retailer, delivery speed, and order value; many local shops also offer free delivery above a spending threshold.
International Platforms
- Other International Retailers
- Some EU/UK fashion and luxury retailers (e.g., multi-brand fashion sites) do ship to BiH but typically charge flat international shipping fees in the €20–25 range via DHL/UPS rather than offering free shipping.
Amazon
- Detail
- Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have its own Amazon site, and only a subset of Amazon.com's catalog is flagged as shippable to BiH addresses; higher-value electronics frequently show a 'cannot be shipped to your selected location' message.
- Status
- Partial — no dedicated Bosnia storefront
- Workarounds
- Package-forwarding services (e.g., US-address forwarders) are commonly used to get full Amazon.com access, adding forwarding fees and longer transit times.
Shopping Malls
Sarajevo City Center (SCC)
- Type
- large modern mall
- Location
- Marijin Dvor / Centar municipality, on Đoke Mazalića / near the Holiday Inn and Parliament building
- Notes
- Described in listings as the largest mall in the city and a major shopping and entertainment hub.
- Description
- Opened in 2014, this is widely described as the biggest and most modern shopping mall in Sarajevo, with international fashion brands, a large food court, and a cinema/entertainment component.
BBI Centar (Bosmal / BBI Center)
- Type
- mall
- Location
- Obala Kulina bana, right at the edge of Baščaršija / along the river, extremely central
- Description
- A well-established central shopping centre with clothing, shoe stores, a supermarket, cafés and restaurants, sitting almost on the boundary between the Old Town and the modern city core.
Alta Shopping Center
- Type
- mall
- Location
- Obala Kulina bana, central Sarajevo, near the Miljacka riverside and the Austro-Hungarian district
- Notes
- Reviewers frequently describe it as cleaner and less crowded than Sarajevo City Center, and it is noted for family-friendly facilities.
- Description
- An indoor mall widely regarded by reviewers as the more upmarket of Sarajevo's malls, with major brand-name fashion, home goods, personal care services and a large supermarket.
Importanne Center
- Type
- mixed-use mall
- Location
- Commercial and cultural centre of the city (Centar municipality)
- Description
- Marketed as the first shopping centre in Sarajevo to combine business, residential, and retail space in one complex, with fashion, cosmetics, a bank branch, a supermarket, tech and furniture shops on its lower level.
Shopping Districts
Baščaršija
- Type
- historic old-town bazaar district
- Location
- North bank of the Miljacka River, Stari Grad municipality — the historic core of the city
- Description
- Sarajevo's Ottoman-era old bazaar, dating to the 15th century, is a maze of cobblestone streets lined with small artisan shops, souvenir stalls, jewellers and traditional coffee/craft vendors. Streets were historically organized by trade guild, a pattern still reflected in street names today.
Highlights
- Kazandžiluk Street — historically the coppersmiths' street, still known for handmade copper goods like the džezva (Bosnian coffee pot)
- Gazi Husrev-beg's Bezistan — a covered 16th-century Ottoman bazaar building now housing souvenir, jewelry, leather and clothing shops
- Gazi Husrev Bey Street — traditionally associated with gold/jewelry trade
Ferhadija Street
- Type
- pedestrian shopping street
- Location
- Runs from the edge of Baščaršija into the modern Austro-Hungarian-era city centre
- Description
- A pedestrian street lined with shops, boutiques, cafés and restaurants that visually and physically marks the transition between Ottoman-era Baščaršija and the Austro-Hungarian part of downtown Sarajevo.
Fernandina Street and Surrounds
- Type
- boutique/high-street shopping area
- Location
- Austro-Hungarian district, adjacent to central Sarajevo
- Description
- An area known for Western-style high-street fashion and boutique shopping, distinct from the traditional-craft focus of Baščaršija.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
More About Sarajevo
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.