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
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.
