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As soon as I arrived in Belgrade, the white city, on a Thursday evening, I decided to have a quick walk around my hostel to take the pulse of the city and the atmosphere over there. I wanted to relax before checking the few things to do in Belgrade. I can tell, I wasn’t disappointed. It was 11:30pm, and on Republic Square, where locals meet up, a group of musicians were playing latin music and reggaeton. About sixty people were dancing around them, in a general good atmosphere. It was almost midnight, and there was this big gathering on a weekday! By the way, I didn’t even know they were into latin music in Serbia… It reminded me of Budapest where I was just before, which was always bustling.
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Description of Belgrade
But this time, I’m in Belgrade, in Serbia. In Slav, it’s Beograd, which means “the white city” or “white castle”. It was called the white city because the cities fortress looked white from the river. I’m not gonna lie or maintain the suspense. I cannot really say Belgrade is a beautiful city. Yes, the city has its own charm and a lot of qualities. People are adorable, and like many countries in this area, life is cheap! Plus there are a few things to do in Belgrade. But Belgrade makes me think about a city still healing from its wounds (and it’s not its fault).
You have to remember Belgrade (in Serbia!) is part of ex-Yugoslavia (with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia), and it was a war zone not that long ago. You can clearly see it in some parts of the city, with lots of abandoned buildings. Sometimes, you can even see old bullet holes. If you have plans to visit Serbia and the neighboring countries, check out this Balkan countries travel guide!
There’s also a lot of kids begging for money on the streets, some of them are barely three years old… A teenager asked me for money, he’s from Kosovo, blablabla… Kosovo, a territory in the south of Serbia. Serbia claims Kosovo is still its territory, whereas 114 countries in the world recognize Kosovo as an independent country. Anyway, I said no to the kid, and as he left me, he said “Fuck you!“. In Paris, I would have grabbed him by the collar “Fuck who!?“, but I’m not home… I just said “Fuck you too!“
Fortunately, Belgrade is not just that. As I said, people there are lovely. They don’t speak good English like people in Budapest, but they make the effort, and they’re happy to see a tourist (moreover a black tourist!) making the trip to their city. By the way, I heard a few times in the streets people saying “Oooh! Crne!” (“Oooh! A black guy!”), friendly waving to me with a big smile!
And even though Serbian people are really nice, clichés about black people stay the same, no matter where you are : athlete/good dancer/womanizer, etc… I was asked “What are you doing here? You’re a sportsman on holidays?” Random guys kept collaring me on the streets on a regular basis, proposing me to go to strip clubs, erotic massages… A german guy came to me “Do you know where to find the best girls to fuck? I’m sooo horny!“
Serbian girls… I was told Serbian girls were among the most beautiful women in Eastern Europe. I gotta say… It’s true 🙂 Walking around in the streets, even in the afternoon, a lot of them are dressed as if they were about to go to a club. And some of them have a thing for black guys… I talked about it to the owner of the hostel where I was. He started laughing, and I could see his two front teeth were missing.
This thing for black guys… Exotism I guess, there are literally no black dudes there. You just have to go to a club to realize that. Like a lot of countries in this area, they know how to party. Over there, they drink rakia. A hard liquor, flavord with aniseed. You drink it in a shot glass, and right after drinking the shot, you drink a glass of water.
By the way, if you go out in the night, of course you can go to a “regular” bar or club, but I suggest you to try a kafana, just for a change. It’s a mix between a bar, a club and a café, but they play 100% traditional Serbian music. All generations go to kafanas, you’ll see a 20 years old girl with a 55 years old woman. And everybody, with no exceptions, sing along. They know ALL the lyrics, of ALL the songs by heart. And if you’re black, you better believe me, you’ll be the attraction of the night. People will keep asking for a picture with you, and several girls will hit on you. Still good for the ego 🙂 Someone told me “The few black guys coming here in Belgrade go to hip hop clubs when they go out. It’s nice to see one in a kafana, listening to music from our country!” Think about it buddies! 😉
As I said, life is cheap there. I ate in a restaurant, starter, main dish, dessert and a beer for 1200 Serbian dinars (10 euros!). Taking the bus is cheap, hostels are cheap, I even took a taxi, it costs almost nothing… I don’t smoke, but one cigarette pack is like 300 serbian dinars (2.50 euros). Therefore a lot of people smoke and in Serbia, you can still smoke in bars and in clubs. Not good, your clothes reek of tobacco…
What to do in Belgrade
The church of Saint Sava
So… I keep writing but I didn’t even talk about the city. Belgrade is not a big megalopolis, and the city can be visited quite fast. One of the iconic places of Belgrade is the church of Saint Sava. This church is one of the biggest in the world. Actually it’s so big that it’s still under construction inside.
The Belgrade fortress
Another iconic place of the city is the Belgrade fortress, also called Wander Kalemegdan. This fortress is a monument of culture of exceptional importance in Serbia, and is part of cultural heritage of Belgrade. This fortress was built to protect the city from the Ottomans. They invaded it anyway, and used it to defend themselves, from the heights of the city. There’s a park around the fortress, it’s enjoyable to walk there in the evening summertime. It’s possible to go on an underground tour of the fortress. Click here for more info.
The museum of Yugoslav history
A little further in the city, there is the museum of Yugoslav history. I wanted to get in but they just open when they have exhibitions… It’s ok, there’s still the House of Flowers next to it. This is where rests Tito, Yugoslavia’s communist leader. It’s possible to see his grave, and his wife’s grave next to him. It’s also a mini museum, with lots of pictures of Tito’s life, presents he received, etc… It’s possible to go on a communist tour. Click here for more info.
Other things to do in Belgrade
You have to visit Nikola Tesla museum, very interesting. And you have to see the Zemun district in Belgrade. In the city there’s also the promenade over the Sava, enjoyable during the summer with lots of bars. And Studentski, a pedestranised street with lots of shops, or Strahinjica Baca and its terraces. It’s possible to visit the military museum (not my thing…) or the ethnographic museum (didn’t do it). You can also go on a beer tour. Click here for more info.
Belgrade is a city where you can spend a few days. But I advise you not to say a whole week, it’s tool long! Three days are enough. 4-5 days like me, if you’re not in a hurry and you like to take your time. If you plan to spend some time in the country, here’s a list of places to visit in Serbia.
How to get to Belgrade
The easiest way to get to Belgrade is by plane. Click here to check the latest flight prices. If you’re not too far (for instance if you’re in Budapest), you can get to Belgrade by train or by bus.
How to get around in Belgrade
The city’s not big, you can get around by foot to see everything. There’s no subway in Belgrade, but there are trams going everywhere in the city.
Where to stay in Belgrade
If you’re traveling on a budget, the City Break Hostel is a good one. Click here to book your stay. For a mid-range hotel, the K43 Rooms is a nice hotel, well- located and not too expensive. Click here to book your stay. If you want to stay in a luxury hotel, the Saint Ten Hotel is for you. Click here to book your stay. Otherwise, click here to check the hotels available in Belgrade.
Finally, if you prefer to stay in an apartment, click here to check the apartments available in Belgrade.
Belgrade travel tips
- Traveling soon? Check out my travel resources page! This list of travel accessories can also be useful!
- Do not leave home without travel insurance! Here’s why buy travel insurance!
- Want a tailor made trip to Serbia? Get a free quote here!
- Always use a VPN when traveling. I use ExpressVPN and I love it. Here’s why use a VPN when traveling.
Hi, like your blog! NIce and clean looking. Your follow and subscribe button doesn’t work for me. Not sure why. Have subscribed anyway!
Thank you!!! Oh I’m gonna check this for the follow and subscribe button… But yeah I saw you subscribed to my newsletter! Thank you 🙂
Great post! It really gives me a real feel for the place which is always what l’m looking for. Serbia is on my list of to visit places so l know what to expect..Haha! Cracked up at the kid beggar :-).
Haha thank you very much!!!