The village managed to get through the Bosnian War of the ‘90s relatively unscathed, so it functions almost like a time capsule—albeit one without essential amenities like a market, school, doctor, or shop. Each winter, heavy snowfall forces Lukomir’s inhabitants to abandon their mountain homes, a pattern of seasonal migration that began more than 600 years ago when semi-nomadic tribes of shepherds and their families would move to the village with their large flocks of sheep in search of water and warmth.
But over the last decade, the villagers have discovered tourism—or tourism has, at least, found them. And so when they return every summer to carry out medieval traditions and Muslim religious celebrations, they now also welcome hikers from around the world with beer and a special, flaky pastry called burek pie.
Burek, the national dish of Bosnia, is a snail-shaped filo pastry filled with everything from spinach and cheese to beef mince or potatoes. Burek pie, however, is slightly different. It’s traditionally filled with spinach or cheese and is cooked under a sač, which is something like a metal or ceramic lid.