Belgrade holidays

How to reach Belgrade

Flight time: Flights to Belgrade from London take around 2 hours 45 minutes.

Transfer time: From Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, 18 km from the city centre, the airport shuttle bus (line A1) runs every 20-30 minutes and takes roughly 30 minutes to reach Slavija Square.

Price: The airport shuttle bus costs about €3.50 (RSD 400) one-way. A taxi from the airport to the city centre typically costs around €20 (RSD 2,500).

Best time to visit Belgrade

This will depend on what you want to do during your holidays to Belgrade; some activities are seasonal, and the weather may also affect your decision.

April to June:

• Spring is a delightful time in the city, with average temperatures ranging from 14°C to 25°C.

• Rainfall is moderate, averaging around 40-70mm, with about 6-8 hours of sunshine.

July to August:

• Summers get extremely hot and humid with temperatures climbing to around 32°C or higher, so pack appropriate protection.

• Expect plenty of sunshine (up to 11 hours a day) and whilst rain is minimal, thunderstorms are not uncommon.

• It’s a great time to join the locals sipping coffee in the city’s many outdoor cafés.

September to November:

• Cooler, more comfortable temperatures, ranging from 20°C in September to 10°C in November.

• Rainfall is more frequent, averaging 40-80mm, with 5-7 hours of sunshine.

December to March:

• Winters get very cold, with temperatures ranging from -5°C to 5°C, so pack plenty of layers.

• Rain and snow are to be expected, especially in January.

• Expect 3-5 hours of sunshine daily and 40-60mm monthly rainfall.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Serbian is the official language, but you’ll find that English is widely spoken. Serbia uses the Cyrillic alphabet as well as the Latin one and many street signs and bus and train timetables are in Cyrillic only, so it’s worth being able to decode at least the first few letters of a word.

• Local habits and customs: As a strongly Orthodox culture, you should cover your arms and legs in churches and monasteries. Tipping in restaurants is not essential, but in more upscale places you should leave 10 percent.

• Currency: Serbia uses the Serbian Dinar (RSD). ATMs are plentiful, and credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops. Carrying some cash is useful for purchases in markets.

• Getting around: There’s an extensive network of buses, trolleybuses and trams throughout the city; the cheapest way to travel is to buy a BusPlus pass (RSD 40), which you load with credit (RSD 72 per journey); these can be bought from a kiosk or newsstand. Alternatively, pay once you get on (RSD 150), though you will need the exact change – either way, make sure you validate the ticket in the machine on board.

• Electricity and plug types: The standard voltage is 230V, with the European-style two-pin plug. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Belgrade is on Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

Best things to do in Belgrade

Belgrade is a vigorous, high-energy city, its grand 19th-century buildings and Art Nouveau facades bearing eloquent witness to the days of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule. The city’s pulsing nightlife, meanwhile, is one of the unexpected high points on any European itinerary.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Avala Tower: Located on the slopes of Avala Mountain, this tower offers a stunning 360-degree view of Belgrade and its surrounding countryside.

The best districts

• Zemun: If you’re after peace and quiet, head across the Sava River to the west bank suburb of Zemun, a jumble of low-slung houses and narrow winding streets centred around the hilly waterside district of Gardoš.

• Skadarlija: 19th-century bohemian quarter where poets and writers used to hang out and argue over coffee, rakija and cigarettes in cafés along its bumpy cobbled lanes.

• Savamala: Formerly a rundown area of derelict warehouses and decaying Art Nouveau mansions, over the past few years, bars and clubs have been moving into the empty buildings and giving them a hyper-trendy new buzz.

Museums

• Museum of Yugoslav History: Comprising three components, the centrepiece is the House of Flowers, designed in 1975 as Tito’s winter garden and now housing the former president’s tomb.

• Nikola Tesla Museum: Celebrating the pioneering work of the eponymous 19th-century inventor and engineer. Tesla (1856–1943) is credited with contributing to the invention of the AC current.

• Konak of Princess Ljubica: Built on the orders of Prince Miloš Obrenović in 1831 to accommodate his family, this modest palace underlines the Balkans’ position as a cultural crossroads: a Napoléon III-themed room sits alongside a Turkish-style room with a Koran stand.

Parks and gardens

• Topcider Park: Developed in 1831, this is where Prince Miloš Obrenović lived his last years and where he died. When the residence was finished, the area was planted with plane trees, the biggest of which is 44m high.

Historical monuments

• Church of Saint Sava: The magnificent gilded dome of the Church of St Sava stands some 70m high, thereby staking a fair claim to be one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world.

• Kalemegdan Fortress: A paean to Serbian heroism, the fortress has survived successive invasions; most of what remains is the result of a short-lived Austrian occupation in the early 18th century.

• Church of St Marko: A grandiose, five-domed neo-Byzantine structure modelled on the revered monastery of Gračanica in Kosovo, it holds the tomb of the Serbian Emperor, Tsar Dušan, protected by muscled stone guards.

Day trips in the area

• Novi Sad: Just an hour away, youthful Novi Sad is Serbia’s second-largest city. Admire the view from Petrovaradin, the hilltop fortress that hosts the raucous EXIT Festival every summer.

• Niš: This fine university city’s collection of intriguing - if macabre - sights is a gritty reminder of the darker sides of Serbia’s history, but the focus in the cafés and bars crammed with students is all on having a good time.

Activities for families in Belgrade

Whilst Belgrade isn’t especially geared up for families, there are a few options that may appeal to those with kids.

• Interactive museums: The Museum of Illusions is a terrifically fun and educational place for kids, as it teaches about vision, perception and the human brain, while the Nikola Tesla Museum will appeal to anyone remotely interested in science.

• Parks and playgrounds: Kalemegdan Park aside, there are some terrific run-around spots for kids, including Topcider Park and Tašmajdan Park, the latter with a revamped playground and a cool family-friendly café.

Free things to do in Belgrade

As cheap as Belgrade is anyway, there are still all kinds of ways to save money on your Belgrade holidays.

• Markets: Wander around Belgrade’s markets, where a labyrinth of stalls showcase everything from organic vegetables to street food and bric-à-brac. The biggest is Kalenić Farmers Market, but the Zeleni Venac neighbourhood’s striking architecture makes its market worth a look too.

• Beaches: Surprising as it may be, the city has a beach! Ada Ciganlija, an island on the River Sava that’s been turned into a peninsula, is Serbia’s only Blue Flag beach – quite a feat for a landlocked country.

• Explore the city on foot: There’s rarely a quiet moment along Knez Mihailova, Belgrade’s broad, pedestrianised boulevard that cuts through the old town. Amid the buskers, street sellers and strollers, you can check out the shops or stop for a lingering coffee in one of the many cafés in front of the street’s handsome 19th-century buildings.

Nature and outdoor activities in Belgrade

Despite its heavily urbanised centre, there are one or two spots in or near Belgrade where you can escape to the outdoors.

• Swimming: A stretch of wooded park along the bank of the Sava just south of the centre, Ada Ciganlija’s sandy beaches have earned it the local nickname “Belgrade’s seaside”, and city-dwellers enjoy a dip in the water as well as some kayaking and waterskiing.

• Skiing: The nearest mountain to Belgrade is Kapaonik, which is also Serbia’s premier ski resort. It boasts more than 55km of alpine ski runs and 12km of cross-country trails, accommodating all abilities, from beginners to advanced.

Local dishes in Belgrade

In common with other Balkan countries, Serbian cuisine is overwhelmingly dominated by meat, and many dishes manifest Turkish or Austro-Hungarian influences.

Some typical dishes

• Ćevapi: Small rissoles of grilled minced meat usually served with onions, flatbread (lepinja), and a side of ajvar (a red pepper relish).

• Sarma: Popular throughout the Balkans but especially so here in Belgrade, this is cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, cooked slowly in a tomato-based sauce.

• Prebranac: A bean stew flavoured with onions, garlic and paprika, it’s a warming winter option.

Meat dishes

• Pljeskavica: Essentially a burger, this thick, spiced patty is served with a range of toppings such as cheese, onions and ajvar.

• Karađorđeva šnicla: The crowning triumph of the national cuisine is the gut-busting karađorđe šnicla, a rolled veal steak stuffed with cheese and coated in breadcrumbs – named after the national hero, Karađorđe Petrović.

Street food

• Burek: Stands all over the city sell these greasy pastries filled with meat, spinach, cheese and sometimes pumpkin or potato.

Sweets and desserts

Belgrade’s sweet treats are a mix of traditional Serbian desserts and influences from Ottoman times, for example krofne, soft, fluffy doughnuts filled with jam, cream or chocolate; and baklava, layers of thin pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in a sweet syrup.

Local drinks

• Rakija: Serbia’s national drink, this fiery fruit brandy is served everywhere, from bars to family gatherings. The most common type is made from plums (šljivovica), but you’ll also find versions made with apricots, grapes or quince. Sip slowly!

• Serbian beer: Serbian beer (pivo) brands like Lav, Jelen and Nikšićko are very palatable – the first two are lager-like beers, the last one is available in both light and dark varieties.

• Serbian wine: The wine scene in Serbia is on the rise, and you’ll find some excellent local reds and whites, particularly those from the Fruška Gora region.