After a quiet, slow few months spent at home without many plans, I booked a spontaneous trip through four Balkan countries: Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia. Following a gorgeous long weekend at Lake Balaton, it was time to cross the border into my 63rd country of Serbia.
Belgrade is the capital of Serbia, home to about 1.3 million people and situated in the north of the country. About half an hour away by train is the second largest city of Novi Sad. It has been under Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Serbian and Austrian empires throughout history. I didn’t know much about Belgrade upon arrival but quickly found myself thoroughly enjoying the city and wishing I had another day to explore more.
How to get to Belgrade
Flights arrive to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport from around Europe and internationally. From the airport there are buses straight into the city center.
I arrived from Budapest by Flixbus, a seamless and comfortable five-hour journey across the border and out of the EU involving an easy border crossing and a brand-new stamp in my passport. The Beograd bus station is just a fifteen-minute walk from the old town of Belgrade, so it was very easy to walk to my hostel from there.
A rainbow driving down from Hungary
Serbia passport stamp!
How to get around Belgrade
Belgrade is a super walkable city. Everything on the "must-see" tourist lists is in walking distance and you’ll find yourself navigating the streets with ease. The fortress is situated at the northwestern end of town and then the city expands southeast. About half an hour’s walk from the fortress is the Saint Sava Church; pretty much most things you’ll want to see are probably based in between the two.
Where to Stay in Belgrade
I’m currently doing the backpacking route so am staying in hostels for this trip. I booked three nights at the Balkan Soul Hostel and really loved it. The rooms and bathrooms were clean, the beds were comfortable and there was a big communal kitchen in the basement and always socializing and activities going on, so I found it a pleasant and lively hostel to hang out in. The location is also perfect, just a five-minute walk to the fortress!
What to Eat in Belgrade
On the top of every must-try list in Belgrade is the Ferdinand knedle. They have loads of yummy flavours of knedle, fluffy dumplings with delicious fillings and covered in more toppings, similar to my much-loved Austrian knödel. I took a Nutella one to-go for 200 Dinar (about €1.70) and ate it sitting in the park outside.
On Google Maps I found an adorable little family-run Russian dumpling shop, Ura!. The traditional dumplings all had meat, so I went for a peach and raspberry pierogi-type Russian dumpling and it was filling and delicious.
My eastern Serbia tour guide also recommended (but I didn’t have time to try myself) Crna Ovca for ice cream and the Moskva Snit cake at the Hotel Moskva.
Ferdinand knedle
Ura! Russian dumplings
Best Things to See in Belgrade
One of my favourite ways to see a new city is to start with a free (by donation) walking tour to get to the lay of the land and learn the history. That way, you can see all the highlights, and then decide what you want to go back and see more of. Usually, these tour guides are locals and are fonts of knowledge, and can also give great recommendations for museums, food and other further activities depending on what you’re interested in.
I didn’t love the walking tour guide this time around, she rambled and went off topic. You can just Google ‘Belgrade free walking tour’ and pick one that covers the areas you’re interested and at a timeslot that suits you.
Republic Square
You must start your visit in Republic Square; it's the centre of Belgrade and where you'll find the national theatre and a monument to Prince Mihailo, erected in 1882. Most tours of Belgrade start here and there are plenty of restaurants lining the square, too.
Skadarlija
Skadarlija is a sweet little boho-esque street filled with restaurants and often live music. It’s a great spot for a bite or a drink.
Knez Mihailova
Walk down the main shopping street full of notable architecture and lots of shops and restaurants.
Belgrade Fortress
Of course, the most iconic spot in all of Belgrade is the Fortress. First built in 279 BC, this big fortress has multiple layers including the old citadel and Kalemegdan Park. The fortress overlooks where the Sava and Danube rivers connect. For most of Belgrade's history, the Belgrade Fortress housed the entire city population and so the history of the fortress is the history of Belgrade itself.
I can especially recommend coming here for sunset as you watch the sun go down over the city; golden hour is delightful here. Entrance to the fortress is completely free.
The Fortress is the best spot for sunset
Birds at sundown
Final light over Belgrade
French Embassy
This is a beautiful building just outside the fortress and the perfect spot to snap a photo of the old idyllic trams, running in Belgrade since 1892.
More time?
If I had another day in Belgrade, it came highly recommended to visit the Saint Sava Church, one of the biggest seats of Serbian Orthodoxy, as well as taking a little day trip out to Gardos Tower in the pretty Zemun neighbourhood along the waterfront.
Belgrade from the waterfront
Day trips from Belgrade
On my first full day in Serbia, I joined a tour through Get Your Guide appropriately named the Eastern Gems of Serbia. We made four stops throughout east Serbia, designed to give us a taste of all the variety of this part of the country.
Manastir Manasija
Lisine Viliki Buk
Krupajsko Vrelo
If I had more time, I would also want to visit Tara National Park in the west and Novi Sad and its UNESCO Petrovaradin Fortress in the north, just a half-hour train ride away from Belgrade.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
