When Sarajevo hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1984, it was highly regarded for its natural beauty and skiing facilities. Then the Balkan war hit the city, and the Olympic Village became a graveyard of creaky chair lifts, weedy trails, and hotel ruins. Although much of the athletic facilities still sit abandoned (like the graffiti-covered bobsled track), there are signs, too, of regrowth and regained luster. New hotels and condos continue to pop up, and in 2010, a $12.7 million ski lift opened at one of the primary Olympic venues. If you’re willing to step around some rough edges, today you can find an Alps-worthy ski experience at a way, way lower price.
