Belgrade is quite possibly one of the most interesting capitals in Europe. The former capital of Yugoslavia is not filled with beautiful architecture or set near a calming ocean. Belgrade is a capital city through and through, but has much more than first meets the eye with a thriving arts community, cafes abound, history, and one intense nightlife scene. Add this all together in one of Europe’s most affordable cities, and you have a great vacation! As cheap flights become more abundant a weekend out in Belgrade, will be less expensive than just one day in common tourist staples like Paris or Rome. Whether you have one day or one month (like we did) to spend in Belgrade, I guarantee you won’t leave the Serbian capital disappointed.
Get to Know Belgrade
What to do in Belgrade if you have 24 hours…
If you find yourself with only 24 hours in Belgrade it’s a real shame, but we understand. It’s certainly better to have loved and lost, than never loved at all. You will certainly be able to fill your day with plenty of exciting activities.
The first thing you should do after arriving in Belgrade is join a walking tour with Belgrade Walking Tours. The Free Downtown Belgrade tour is offered at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. every day. The tour will give you a crash course on the city of Belgrade, and Serbia itself for that matter. Almost all capital cities in Europe offer a free walking tour and we love taking them! It helps us to get acquainted with the city, learn some history without Google, and we are usually able to make some friends. Although, these tours are free it’s always appropriate to tip your guide if you are satisfied. We took the downtown walking tour on our first day in the city and loved it so much we took two additional tours later on!
Making friends on Belgrade’s Underground Tour
After all that walking around Belgrade you’ll want to regroup and have a drink. Head to one of the cafes on Skadarlija street for an authentic experience. Skadarlija street is well-known as the main bohemian quarter and popular for cafes, restaurants, and nightlife. The cobbled street is very popular with young people and should not be missed when visiting Belgrade.
You are now very close to Kalemegdan park and the Belgrade Fortress. You may have walked through this area on your walking tour, but it’s time to go back and explore more! Kalemegdan features countless statues, great lookouts, old men playing chess, and many street vendors where you can find Serbian souvenirs. On a nice sunny day a walk through this park and across the Belgrade fortress is perfect. At the entrance of the fortress you can even have lunch at Kalemegdanska terasa overlooking New Belgrade.
Kalemegdaan Park in Belgrade
Head down from the park to the Savamala district next and admire the detailed street art on all the buildings. Savamala is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade with plenty of history and is right along the Sava river. You can’t miss the street art along many of the buildings walls there, and it is truly a treat to the eye. Are you a partier? Many of Belgrade’s best nightclubs are also located in Savamala along the Sava river. Great for a Friday or Saturday night out.
It’s time for dinner. Have you tried the local Serbian cuisine? It’s a fabulous mixture of meat, meat, and more meat. No, just kidding it’s not all meat, but ćevapi and pljeskavica are very popular. For a little more greens in your diet order a shopska salad – a fabulous mixture of tomatoes, cucumbers, and white brine cheese.
I know it’s been a long day, but if you can fit it in your schedule I highly recommend catching a show at the Belgrade National Theatre. The Theatre is located in the Republic Square and features a performance every night. Tickets to the theatre are extremely affordable at 300 dinars per seat ($3). So if ballet, opera, or drama is your passion, a night at the Belgrade National Theatre is a real treat. You can book your tickets online here.
What to do in Belgrade if you have 48 hours…
Wake up early and head to Vracar, one of the hippest neighborhoods in Belgrade. There are countless cafes to grab your morning coffee at in the area, here are a few of our favorites. After your first cappuccino, take your next one to-go and visit the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church, St. Sava, at his final resting place. The Church of St. Sava is newly constructed and has quickly become an iconic piece of the Belgrade skyline. The church is the largest in the Balkans and ranks among the largest in the world, and the unfinished interior is humbling in scale. Besides being absolutely massive, it’s a beautiful piece of architecture that deserves admiration.
After having your morning coffee head for the Kalenic green market for some shopping. Kalenic market is Belgrade’s largest market, and is filled with tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, pickles, honey, meat, eggs, dairy, and even seafood. Enjoy perusing the local wares, and don’t be afraid when a local offers you to sample their product. No trip is complete to Serbia without having the local clotted cream, Kajmac. Pair this cheese with some hot fresh bread as a present to your tongue. If the smell of fresh baked bread or vegetables doesn’t draw you in, the crowd surely will. You won’t find the Serbs at the supermarkets, but instead, they will be here at Kalenic Pijaca every morning. Even if you won’t be cooking later, a walk through this market is certainly recommended to get a feel for the city.
Any visit to Belgrade is not complete without going to the Tesla museum. Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor born in modern day Croatia. Some of his life work, achievements, and even his remains are located at the Tesla museum in Belgrade. A visit to the museum takes about an hour and cost 500 dinars ($5).
You wouldn’t expect to find the remains of a man as mysterious as Tesla in an urn would you?
There are a number of buildings that are still standing from the NATO bombings of Belgrade in 1999. One of the most visible sites is the Former Yugoslav Ministry of Defence located on both sides of Kneza Milosa street. On both sides of this street stands two very large complexes with extreme damage from 1999. This is Belgrade’s most famous ruin and protected site. We knew very little of the NATO bombings upon arrival in Belgrade. When we first arrived we walked past this building at night and thought “Holy crap, look at that building!” However, after a communist tour with Belgrade Walking Tours, we were able to grasp some of the cities dark past.
From the Ministry of Defence, hop on bus 41 and go to the Museum of Yugoslav History for a more detailed look into…well, Yugoslav history. This is also the site of beloved Joseph Tito’s grave.
What to do in Belgrade if you have 72 hours…
It’s time to cross the bridge to New Belgrade and spend the day in beautiful Zemun. Zemun has a quintessential location right along the Danube river and is arguably one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Belgrade. Plan to come here on a sunny day and enjoy lunch in one of the many cafes along the river. The streets here are all cobblestoned and quaint, just walking them will put you in a timeless mood. The gem of Zemun is Gardoš, where the Gardoš Tower is located. There is no need to explain where this tower is, as you can’t miss it if you look up in Zemun. Climbing up the tower will cost all of $2, and it is surely worth the view overlooking the city.
General Thoughts on Belgrade
We spent a month in Belgrade at this wonderful AirBnB in Vracar (Click here for €18 off). Everyone – and I mean everyone wondered why the hell we spent an entire month here. Truly, I felt like this was the perfect city to get to know better and delve into Yugoslavia’s confusing past. Besides the history there was plenty to do, see, drink, and eat.
Oh, and did I mention the cost? For North American and Western European standards, Serbia is an incredibly affordable country. For the entire month, we managed to spend just under $600 each with accommodation, activities, and gorging ourselves on a 58 piece sushi platter once a week.
Inside the National Bank of Serbia
Where to Eat?
We certainly didn’t hold back in Belgrade. The capital has a restaurant on every corner and there is something to fit every kind of budget here. Here are some of our favorites.
Burrito Madre: Burrito lovers rejoice for Burrito Madre, where you can get a Chipotle quality burrito for $3.
Le Bon Appetit: Extremely affordable takeaway option. Located on Kralja Milutina and serves up great salads.
Restaoran Lovac: Excellent Serbian Barbeque here in a fine dining atmosphere. Here you can find a massive meat serving for 2 people for less than 1100 dinars.
Manufaktura: For traditional Serbian cuisine, try Manufaktura. Located near the Serbian National Bank.
Go Sushi: Have I mentioned that we love sushi? Go sushi was the perfect place to settle our sushi cravings. Highly recommend.
Where to Stay?
If an AirBnB rental isn’t in the cards, there are countless hotels and hostels to lay your head down.
For a fancier stay in Serbia’s capital city try the Courtyard Marriot, located right next door to the national theatre.
We also met many people who were staying at Hostel Bongo for a more affordable option.
General Info
Currency: Serbian Dinar (100 Dinars = $.92)
The main airport in Belgrade is the Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG).
Transport: Cabs are cheap here, and the bus and tram system is good. *Hint* No one pays for public transport in Belgrade, not even in the locals. However, most of the old town can be explored by foot.
Belgrade was the former capital of Yugoslavia and is the largest city of all the Slavic countries.
Rakija is a fruit brandy and is very popular in all of Serbia, and the Balkans for that matter.
Meeting Point for the Belgrade Free Tour is at the Republic Square, look for a guide with a big yellow sign behind the man on a horse.
Smoking inside is still legal in Serbia – and yes, it sucks for nonsmokers.
Get out of Belgrade and take a 4-hour train ride to Niš, or a 1-hour train ride to Novi Sad.
The Yugo
Have you visited the former capital of Yugoslavia? What did you do while in Belgrade?
The post What To Do In Belgrade: Experience The Best of the Serbia’s Capital appeared first on The World Pursuit.