Ilidza is known to have a pleasant and attractive geography. The city itself is built on fairly level ground, although it is surrounded by mountains. The biggest and most famous is mount Igman, whose 1,502 m (4,928 ft) peak towers above the city. On the mountain grows the Lillium Bosniacum, a branch of the Lily family of flowers that is a historical symbol of Bosnia. The area is rich in flint especially in the Butmir neighborhood.
The Željeznica river, a tributary of the Bosna, passes through the center of the city. The Bosna itself passes through Ilidzas outskirts. Its spring, Vrelo Bosne, is found a few kilometers to the west of city center and is a popular national park. A number of smaller streams also pass through the city's area.
A number of horticulture projects have been undertaken in the history of Ilidza. The city is today very rich in trees. The total area of the city's parks is about 50% of that of Sarajevo, which has six times its population. In 1894, an article in a London newspaper called Ilidza "One of the most beautiful places in the world"
