Belgrade was a surprise for us – in a good way! As soon as we arrived, we found ourselves immersed in a friendly and very accessible city. Parks were everywhere, local citizens went about their day walking dogs, playing with their families, or enjoying a quick bite to eat. The city would continue to grow on us until the day we left nearly 6 weeks later. With plenty of time to wander and learn the town, we’ve put together our Belgrade City Guide.

Belgrade City Guide – Serbia

An Historic City on the Danube

At the confluence of the Sava and Danube, rises Belgrade – the capital and largest city of Serbia. The city has been settled, on and off, since the 6th millennium BCE, and has come under the rule of numerous empires such as the Byzantine, Frankish, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Ottoman Empires.

Belgrade has seen 115 wars and been razed 44 times. Even taking an attack by Attila the Hun in 442. Debatably, Attila lies beneath the Kalemagdan fort. Today, the city is a peaceful and charming city, that offers a lot to do, at a very cheap price. The Soviet history also brings to the city an imposing, yet oddly charming character.

• Kalemagdan Fort – a centerpiece of the city, rising above the rest of the city where the Sava and Danube meet. It’s a wonderful park, that is free to visit, and can easily keep you and a family occupied for a day or two.
• Logor Sajmište – this is way off the beaten path, but worth a somber visit. It is the remains of a Nazi concentration camp. Around 20,000 people were executed at the site (~7000 Jews). Today, the site consists of the ruined tower and apartments.
• Temple of St. Sava – under construction since 1895, the church is built in honor of the 1594 uprising against the Ottomans by St. Sava.
• St. Mark’s Church – dating back to the 1830s, the church rises 186 feet in an awe-inspiring atrium.
• Ruzica Church – located in the Kalemagdan Fort, Ruzica is a small chapel that was decorated with used weaponry by soldiers during WWI, creating a unique experience.

A Cultured City

Belgrade abounds with parks and is incredibly easy to navigate on foot, or by tram. And astonishingly, the locals have done a phenomenal job of training their dogs. They’re everywhere, they’re off-leash, and they cause no problems. As well, you can find multiple museums to give you a deeper insight into the city and its people.

• Jevremovac Botanical Gardens – the gardens are a great hidden-gem in Belgrade. With a wide variety of plants, a Japanese garden, and a wet and dry greenhouse, it is well worth a visit.
• Belgrade National Theater – culture for the masses. Local shows are playing most nights, and are subsidized so that everyone can attend. We watched a great performance of the ballet Don Quixote for a date night. It is the perfect way to have a high-class evening without breaking the bank.
• Nikola Tesla Museum – Serbia loves Nikola Tesla. The famed inventor is featured heavily in the country – on money, airports names, etc. The museum is small, but interactive and packs a fun punch.
• Ethnographic Museum – one of the oldest museums in the Balkans, you can learn much about the ethnographic makeup of the country and region.
• Knez Mihailova Street – named for the former Duke of Serbia, this street is the Main Street of Belgrade. Hosting numerous historical buildings and homes, today it features as a lively walk lined with shops, cafes, and entertainment.
• St. Mark’s Square – The central meeting place in Belgrade, the square serves as a perfect setting off point to see many of the cities top sites.
• Tasmajdan Park – directly out front of St. Mark’s church, this enormous park is the gathering spot on sunny days.

A City of Food

Serbian food is delicious, plentiful, and cheap. A feature throughout the city is a national treasure – paprika. During our time, we would consistently walk down streets as paprikas were being fresh-roasted over a fire. You’ll find it in many forms. Our recommendation is to just wander the streets and indulge as you go along.

It’s easy to grab a Plejkavica or Serbian hamburger, for what amounts to barely a dollar or two and could feed a family, along almost any street.

• Check out the desserts and sweets we had.
• Check out what we ate during our time in Belgrade too. 

Getting Around

Belgrade is a pretty walkable city by most accounts. We had little issue getting anywhere we needed to. The longest we would have to walk was an hour to get somewhere at a rather leisurely stroll. For those who don’t want to walk, you can elect to use the tram and bus system, but be warned – they are notoriously off schedule and crowded.

If the option is available to you, using bikes is a phenomenal way to get around. Roads are in good shape, and sidewalks are wide enough for easy riding for those who aren’t comfortable in the street.

If like us, you plan to travel to another city, we recommend using Autoturist to get another city. While we used it to travel to Budapest, it conveniently operates in multiple cities in the region.

Belgrade City Guide – Pin It!