The traditional cuisine of the region includes obvious Turkish influences, with plenty of grilled meat dishes.

National specialities:
• Jagnjetina (flame-grilled lamb or mutton).
• Bosanski lonac (meat stew cooked on an open fire).
• Cevapcici (small sausages made from a lamb and beef mix).
• Burek (meat or cheese pie made with filo pastry).
• Baklava (sweet nuts and honey in pastry).

National drinks:
• Spirits made from fruit are popular, especially sljivovica (homemade plum brandy) and loza (made from grapes).
• Turkish-style coffee is common.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Rounding up is customary for taxi fares. In restaurants, a 10% tip is standard.

Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina's capital, has some of the best nightlife in southeast Europe. In addition to numerous cosmopolitan bars and nightclubs there is also a wealth of cinemas and theatres, along with music venues that stage everything from jazz to opera. The city apparently has more cafes per capita than any other European city and a relaxed cafe culture is prevalent. There are also several annual festivals, particularly in the summertime, that showcase jazz, theatre and film.

Traditional purchases include woodcarvings, brass coffee-pots, ceramics, handmade carpets, woollen goods, wines, folk-art, tapestries, embroidery and leather boxes. Souvenirs, particular to Bosnia & Herzegovina and stark reminders of the past Yugoslav War, are the engraved artillery shell casings that are available at the Bascarsija bazaar in Sarajevo.

Shopping hours: 0800-2000.