Belgrade was the venue of a conference that I attended in May. While walking between work related events, I managed to get a good overview of the city centre and most touristic attractions. It all looked green and lovely, with many cafes spread along the cobbled streets.   At the end of the conference , I extended my stay for a couple of days to explore in more detail this part of the European South.

A few logistics about arriving

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is located 18 kilometres from the city center.
If you decide to use the taxi services from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, contact the City service TAXI INFO, located immediately the baggage reclaim area. After you pay, take the taxi receipt at the information desk which contains the name of your destination and
appropriate price for the taxi service. The approximate fare from the airport to the center (Hotel Moskva in my case) is up to 2,000 RSD (Serbian Dinars) which is less than 20 Euro. This avoids the hassle of bargaining on the taxi price with your driver.

 

Accommodation

There are many lovely, boutique options in the close vicinity of the center. The conference organisers suggested the Moskva for its location and beautiful interiors. It is located in a renovated national heritage building. this lends it a certain upscale aristocratic air. It has a lovely terrace where you can enjoy breakfast in Spring and Summer.Even if not the cheapest option in Belgrade, I did find the location absolutely perfect!

 

The Hotel Moskva is located on the Plateau Terazije, at the zero point of the city center.
It is located at the beginning of the pedestrian zone, in vicinity of Republic Square. The pedestrian zone and commercial center – Knez Mihailo Street are no more than a minute away from the hotel.

Sightseeing – a walking itinerary

Start your walk from the Republic Square in the direction of the most beautiful park in Belgrade – Kalemegdan. The walk takes you through the most famous pedestrian street in Belgrade, Knez Mihailo Street, offering a vibrant atmosphere, particularly at week-ends. At the end of the street and just across Kalemegdan park, you can find a modern shopping center Rajićeva and the Belgrade City Library.

Once in Kalemagdan, you can allocate at least two hours for a walk through this extensive park, visit the Belgrade Fortress and the Victor Monument.  From the plateau you can enjoy stunning views to the confluence of the Sava river into the Danube. The Belgrade Fortress is a kind of open-air living testimony to Belgrade history. It was built during a long period of time, from the late 1st century AD to the end of the 18th century. The Romans and Byzantines were the first to build a fort at this site, followed by medieval Serbian rulers establishing Belgrade as their capital city.

After you visit the fortress, walk down to the Cathedral Church of St. Michael the Archangel and you can continue further to the Sava river banks and enjoy in some of the restaurants or contemporary designed venues located one next to another. The venue is named the Concrete Hall, since it was originally built and used as a dockyard warehouse, currently offering vivid bistros  or live music at night.

On your way back to the center, you can pass through the winding alley Kosančićev
Venac. With its typical kaldrma cobblestone, the original 19th century look and ambiance are kept, with numerous art galleries, wine bars and bistros. This historical neighborhood also offers a visit to the Princess Ljubica’s Residence, a gift of Prince Miloš Obrenović to his wife.

For a traditional dinner, I would recommend a visit to the atmospheric Skadarlija, the main bohemian quarter of Belgrade, only 10 minutes walking distance from the Republic Square. Restaurants such as Dva jelena, Tri šešira, Zlatni bokal, Mali vrabac, Šešir
moj offering traditional menus and a live tambour orchestra performance will provide you with a touch of Belgrade spirit. I tried the Dva jelena: the food is plenty (they have huge portions so go hungry) and the local beer on tap is the perfect local drink after a day of sightseeing.

For a quieter alternative, the Summer garden and food in Madera ((http://maderarestoran.com/en) were very nice as well.  There were plenty of families as well as groups on their terrace. Although as I was not accompanied by my son on this occasion, I noticed that they were providing high chairs to small children, which is always a plus.

Further afield – Zemun and the river

For a morning walk or jog, I would recommend a visit to Ada Ciganlija – the so-called Belgrade Sea, or more precisely Sava Lake, offering 7 km long walking trail and a great number of bistros and restaurants, sport and recreation facilities, bike rentals etc.

To discover a different face of historic Belgrade, head to the neighbourhood of Zemun in the Northern part of the city. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. Here you can visit  the Gardoš Tower and Zemun quay, located alongside the right bank of the Danube River. This is a kilometers long promenade, with various entertainment facilities along it, including barges-cafés, amusement park and especially formerly largest hotel in Belgrade (Jugoslavia).

If you have time on your hands, there are additional sights in this area like the  Nikola Tesla Museum, Museum of Yugoslavia and Historical Museum of Serbia (located at Nikole Pašića Square) that will provide opportunities for better understanding of the tumultuous history of the region.

What I would definitely  recommend is spending the evening in Zemun. There are great eateries with live music performances in the weekend that get booked weeks in advance. I went for the Reka (http://reka.co.rs/en/home/) and food and music were absolutely perfect for a great night out. On that day, it was too cold to be outside but they have a lovely terrace on the river banks as well should you want to pass during the day. Alternatively, spend your evening on floating lounges known as “splavovi” anchored along the Danube and Sava rivers and you will have a memorable experience of the Belgrade nightlife scene.

Hope to go back to Belgrade one day and discover more of the surroundings as well!

Leave me a message if you have a favourite place in Belgrade that should be on everybody’s must see list.

Happy travels! C