Belgrade

Belgrade (Serbian: Београд, Beograd) — meaning 'White City' — is the capital of the Republic of Serbia. With a population of over 1.7 million people, Belgrade has been re-emerging as a tourist destination in the past years. Often called the party capital of Southeastern Europe, Belgrade is famous for offering numerous entertainment venues, many historical sites, great local food, and warm people. Various styles of architecture are found in the city, and its recent resurgence as the leading hub in Southeastern Europe makes it a must-see destination.

For other places with the same name, see Belgrade (disambiguation).

National Assembly of Serbia

Zemun district

Kalemegdan fortress and the statue of Victor

Understand

History

Belgrade is the country's largest city. It lies on the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The city has a long history, dating back to the 4th century BC, when the area was settled by Celtic tribes. Later, it became the Roman city of Singidunum, and relics of that era can still be seen in the city, particularly at the Belgrade Fortress. During the Middle Ages the town became a Serbian stronghold until the Ottoman invasion. The city changed hands between the Ottoman and the Austrian empires several times until 1878, when Serbia gained its independence and Belgrade became the capital of the new country.

After the First World War, Belgrade became the seat of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (in 1929, the country changed its name to Kingdom of Yugoslavia) until its collapse in 1943. Due to its strategic location, the city has endured more than 115 wars and has been destroyed more than 40 times. This often violent history and outside influence has colored much of Belgrade's evolution, which is evident in its culture and architecture. Often caught between the hammer and anvil of clashing empires, the city has taken on a unique character, reminiscent of both Austrian and Turkish influences, with a unique set of Communist elements thrown in as Yugoslavia was expelled from the Eastern Bloc in 1948 but followed its own brand of communism until Marshal Tito died in 1980. The city has its own spirit, and in it can be found some not only unique features, but also a healthy joie de vivre in its café culture, nightlife and often a Mediterranean touch in its daily life.

Climate

Belgrade
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       47     5 −1       40     7 0       49     12 4       56     18 8       58     24 13       101     26 16       0     29 18       58     29 18       55     24 14       50     18 9       55     11 4       57     6 0 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm Source: Wikipedia. Visit AccuWeather for a five day forecast.
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       1.8     40 30       1.6     45 32       1.9     54 39       2.2     64 47       2.3     74 55       4     79 60       0     83 64       2.3     84 64       2.2     75 56       2     65 48       2.2     52 40       2.3     42 32 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Belgrade has a temperate continental climate, with hot, humid summers and cold winters with occasional periods of snowfall. Belgrade experiences all four seasons to their maximums, and those visiting are advised to dress appropriately, and keep an eye on the weather forecast, as the city often experiences sudden gusts of the strong Košava wind, storms, and rainfall, particularly during the summer months.

People

Whilst there isn't much ethnic or cultural diversity in Belgrade compared to other European cities, there are minority communities (largely Roma and Chinese), as well as people from other former Yugoslav republics, such as Bosnia, Croatia and Macedonia. There is also a small expat community. Cultural events from around the world, however, are starting to become increasingly common, particularly in the spring and summer months, sponsored by local arts and culture organizations, and by foreign embassies and cultural centers. These attract a good deal of local attention, and help in raising the city's profile as a cultural hotspot.

Belgradians, like most Serbs, are friendly and hospitable people, who will always go out of their way to make guests feel welcome. Whatever the ethnicity, any tourist who comes to Belgrade and treats the locals kindly will see that kindness returned doubled. Most young people speak English well, and usually another foreign language such as German, Russian, or French. As with any destination, it could prove useful to learn some of the local phrases.

Get in

Nikola Tesla Airport

By plane

The main entry route into Belgrade and Serbia is 🌍 Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG  ^IATA) (18 km west of city center). It's the hub for Air Serbia and has flights to most European capitals, but especially to Balkan cities such as Ljubljana, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Tirana, Tivat and Zagreb. Near-east destinations include Abu Dhabi, Baku, Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul and Tel Aviv. There's a direct flight to New York JFK. Serbia's not a big country so there are no domestic flights. For practical purposes there's only a single terminal. Arriving, you pass through the airside lounge before passport control and baggage reclaim. Currency exchange kiosks here give rates within 5% of official rate, good value anywhere. Departing, passport control comes straight after check-in then you enter the airside lounge. There's retail and eating but little general seating. Each departure gate has its own security screen and cramped waiting area without toilets, a thoroughly awkward design. (updated Apr 2019)

Transport to & from the city:

• Bus 72 runs every 30 mins to Zeleni Venac, close to the inter-city bus station and Republic Square. The fare is RSD150, pay the driver (and get some small notes at the currency exchange). It's a 40-50 min ride into town, zigzagging through the shopping malls of the western burbs. Buses run daily 05:00-23:30. The bus runs from outside Departures, so from Arrivals you need to go upstairs. At Zeleni Venac the stop for the 72 is the furthest uphill, or most easterly, on the main platform with all the fast food outlets.
• Minibus A1 runs between the airport and Slavija Square, stopping at Fontana (Novi Beograd) and the main railway station. The buses are comfortable and air-conditioned. The fare is RSD300, pay the driver and state your destination before departure. The trip takes 30 minutes. This bus also runs at night, with a short break from around 02:00-04:00.
• If you prefer to take a taxi, read the precautions described below. The fare from the airport is fixed - most taxi companies have a price list in multiple languages. The price is around RSD1800 to the center and New Belgrade and RSD2000 to the suburbs, and includes luggage. You can order a taxi by phone or simply go upstairs to Departures and catch one of the taxis dropping off passengers.

By train

Not in 2019, you'll regret trying. The track between Budapest and Belgrade is being dug up, so an 8 hour direct journey has become a 26 hour slog with two changes, with similar disruption to other services along that route. The description below is for the usual pattern of trains, and may intermittently apply while the track work drags on. See also Serbian Railways for times and prices.

The former main station on Karađorđeva Bvd closed in 2018. Most mainline trains now run from 🌍 Belgrade Center Railway Station (Beograd Centar-Prokop) (2 km south of city centre beyond E-75). This station is largely unfinished, and has poor onward transport connections. Specify "Beograd Centar" when searching online timetables, as "Beograd" refers to the former station and finds no trains. (updated May 2019) Routes include:

• Budapest Keleti: 8-9 hours, two daytime trains and one overnight. Departures are around 08:00, 12:00 and 22:00 in both directions.
• Change in Budapest for most destinations further west, and into Eastern Europe. But there is one direct train a day for Vienna (12 hr) via Budapest. There's also one for Zürich (23 hr), via Zagreb (7 hr), Ljubljana (9 hr), Villach (12 hr) and Innsbruck (18 hr).
• An overnight train runs to Thessaloniki (23 hr) via Nis (5 hr) and Skopje (10 hr). Change in Thessaloniki for Athens, Piraeus and ferries to the Greek Islands.
• Trains to Novi Sad run every couple of hours, taking 2 hours.

The westbound trains, eg to Novi Sad and Budapest, also call at 🌍 Novi Beograd on the west bank of the River Sava.

The city's other "temporary" mainline station is 🌍 Topčider in the southern burbs. This has trains to:

• Podgorica (10 hr) and Bar (12 hr) in Montenegro, one daytime and one overnight.
• Sofia: one train daily (10 hr) via Niš, departs 10:00 in both directions. Travel via Sofia for Bucharest or Istanbul.

This arrangement will last until these trains can be accommodated at Center station. Topčider has poor onward local transport, but its trains also stop at Rakovica, which is on the suburban line to city centre.

By bus

This is the best overland option from western Europe while the railway is being dug up. There are buses at least daily to Budapest (6-7 hours), Sarajevo (7 hours), Sofia (11 hours) and Thessaloniki (10 hours via Nis and Skopje). Buses connect Belgrade to all the main cities of Serbia: some speed along the motorway, others wend and wind through small towns en route, so check arrival as well as departure time before buying tickets. Quality of coaches is variable. They usually stop every 2 or 3 hours for a rest break - keep a close watch on your belongings at these stops, and be intensely suspicious of taxi touts and supposed luggage porters on arrival.

Belgrade's central bus station is next to the derelict former railway station on Karađorđeva street. Timetables aren't clearly posted, or only in Serbian, so ask inside the terminal building. Various cafes and kiosks here. There's a charge of RSD180 to enter the platform area, normally included in your fare and you receive a plastic token or paper stub with a QR code to get through the gate. If you bought your ticket online, then it wasn't included and you have to buy a platform card in the terminal. You may also have to pay the bus driver an extra RSD100 per bag placed in the cargo compartment.

By car

Coming north from Subotica and Novi Sad, the E-75 highway is recommended, as well as driving to Belgrade from the south. There is also a major road called Ibarska magistrala (Ibar highway, M-22), which provides approach from south-west (direction of Montenegro, for example). From the west, use the E-70 highway (from Zagreb, Ljubljana, etc.) Major roads can be used coming east and north-east from Vršac and Zrenjanin.

Highways have toll stations, which are moderately priced. Serbia's only highways are parts of E-70 and E-75 roads and the highway passes right through Belgrade, causing traffic jams on the Gazela bridge and at the Mostar junction. These jams have been reduced somewhat in recent years by redirecting heavy goods vehicles to the Belgrade Bypass and by the new Ada Bridge. See the infobox for more information on transiting Belgrade.

Belgrade Bypass When travelling by car from Western and Central Europe to Greece, Bulgaria or Turkey, the route almost inevitably goes through or near Belgrade. If you have decided not to visit the city itself, but to continue straight to, say, Thessaloniki, you might be tempted to use the southern Belgrade Bypass by following the green Niš signs before entering Belgrade. However, as of summer 2014 the bypass is still a patchwork of new and old, good and poor quality road sections, and full of heavy goods vehicles. Therefore it is often faster to go through the Serbian capital.

By boat

Cruises along the Danube sometimes call at Belgrade, but there are no point-to-point ferries.

By bicycle

Belgrade is on European bicycle route Eurovelo 6 which connects the Atlantic Ocean and Black Sea. The route across Serbia is from Budapest via Osijek and Novi Sad to Belgrade, continuing east to Vidin.

Get around

A Belgrade tram

A Belgrade trolleybus

By public transport

GSP Beograde (ГСП in Serbian Cyrillic) operates an extensive public transport network of buses, trolleybuses, and trams in the city and its suburbs. Maps are available online as well as a route planner which is more up to date. There is a BusPlus android app (Srb/Eng), useful for navigating all the lines and the stops on a map. There is a paid option to check how many stops away the next vehicle is.

Buses

Buses are the backbone of Belgrade's public transport, and you can get almost anywhere on them. Buses get very full at peak times, and some are full all day, notoriously the 26, 83 and 50. Their quality varies: those around the city centre or serving posh neighbourhoods are usually newer air-conditioned vehicles, eg the Polish Solaris Urbino 18. Further out you may encounter some elderly specimens, eg the 30 year old Ikarbus with wooden benches for seats.

There are two main bus terminals for local buses: the intercity main bus station (next to the disused railway station) for the west and southwest suburbs, and Zeleni Venac for the north (Zemun and Batajnica) and some western parts of the city (Banovo Brdo, Žarkovo, Čukarica). It's a steep ten minute walk from the main bus station to Zeleni Venac, with no bus between.

There was a third hub at Trg Republike, but those buses were relocated even before the square was closed off and dug up, and they're not expected to return once that work is complete.

Trams

There are 11 tram lines in Belgrade. All lines converge in the Slavija-Vukov Spomenik area (except 11 and 13 which go to Novi Beograd from Kalemegdan and Banovo Brdo, respectively).

The most notable line is line nr. 2, which goes around the city centre in a circular route (krug dvojke). Another notable line is the nr. 3, which goes through scenic park area of Topčider.

Several tram lines are served only by new CAF Urbos trams (7 and 12, also 13), while most of the other ones are serviced by old Tatra KT4 and Basel donated trams (some of them more than 50 years old, but in a better state than Tatras, as those trams were left to decay for years during the 1990s and 2000s).

Trolleybuses

Belgrade's trolleybuses have 7 lines serving two main corridors. One corridor is from Studentski trg (near Trg Republike) over Crveni Krst to Konjarnik and Medaković 3. The other is from Zvezdara to Banjica, plied by lines 40 (Banjica-Zvezdara), 41 (Studentski trg - Banjica) and 28 (Studentski trg - Zvezdara). The trolleybuses are mostly newer Belarusian vehicles with a couple of older Soviet ZiUs.

Fares

There are three ticket options for non-residents, which can be bought or topped up at kiosks:

• Single ticket (Zone 1+2): RSD150, bought from the driver and valid for that ride. Drivers often can't be bothered selling you these and let you ride for free, but beware inspectors.
• Day tickets (Zone 1+2): One day (ie 24 hr) RSD250, so it's worth it even for a simple return; three days (72 hr) RSD700, or five days (120 hours) RSD1000. The time runs from the point of purchase.
• Non-personalized card (Zone 1+2): the card itself costs RSD250, to which you add the cost of rides, with each journey of up to 90 mins being RSD89. So the first purchase will be a minimum RSD340. A top up of at least RSD900 earns you RSD100 in free credit, thus you recoup the cost of the card (which is valid for 3 years) after 30 journeys.

Payment is by cash to driver or kiosk (contactless cards aren't yet in use), by the online Bus Plus system, or by Android app.

Personalized cards with photo ID are only available to residents. Single tickets are validated by the driver on issue, all others must be validated on boarding. If a busy bus suddenly empties, it's because they've spotted an inspector getting aboard. Your options, if without a ticket, are to jump ship with them, to bluster or brazen your way out, or face a RSD2000 spot fine.

Minibuses connect the suburbs and are generally faster and more comfortable than regular buses. A single ride costs RSD150, pay the driver. Day tickets and non-personalized cards are not valid on these lines.

Day transport starts at 04:00 and ends at midnight. Night transport is only by bus, with a limited number of lines running every 30-60 mins. The only ticket option for night lines is a single ticket bought on the bus for RSD150 (Zone 1) or RSD210 (Zone 2). Day tickets and non-personalized cards are not valid. Here is a map of night lines. The lines are all prefixed N so these rules apply even if the ride started just before midnight, conversely they don't apply to other buses where you were still aboard after midnight.

By train

The suburban railway system is called BG:Voz (BG:Train). One line runs from Batajnica in the west through Zemun and Novi Beograd to Beograd Centar (this section is disrupted by engineering work throughout 2019) then swings north through Karađorđev Park and Vukov Spomenik to Ovča across the river. The other line runs south from Beograd Center via Rakovica to Resnik. Trains run every 30 minutes, 15 mins in rush hour. Fares are the same as for buses: RSD150 single ride, RSD89 per journey on a card.

Belgrade's metro project is a national joke. It's been talked about since the 1930s, with several great plans put forward, planning teams formed, and funding collaborations announced. But as to doing any construction? Latest story is that they might cut ground in 2020.

By taxi

Taxis are cheap by European standards, though far more expensive than anywhere else in Serbia. Taxify is a popular phone app to hail taxis; expect to pay in cash. Car:Go is an Uber-like app that is cheaper than Taxify and you can pay by card in the app.

Taxi scams are common in Belgrade. It is always best to order taxis by phone, since your order will be saved in the operator database. Here is official info about taxis in Belgrade. Fares are regulated by the government and are RSD140 to start a ride, RSD55-110 per km (depending on time of day) and RSD12.5 per minute waiting time (as of April 2019).

Only take a taxi with a roof sign with the city coat of arms and a number, indicating it's a city-regulated radio taxi. Anything else is a private unregulated cab that may charge four times as much. Also, legal taxis must have license plates ending with TX (eg BG-1234-TX).

Insist that the trip be metered; the only exception is if you take a taxi from the airport and buy a voucher with a fixed price. Tips to drivers are welcome but not required and your luggage is included in the metered price.

If you believe that the driver is trying to rip you off, call the operator of that taxi association to check if the price is regular for the specified distance. Afraid of city inspection, they might call back the driver and bring him to reason. Also, ask for a signed bill indicating date, time, start and end destination, price and drivers signature. Write down the number on the blue sign on the vehicle roof, as well as the license plate. Report the incident to city inspection ([phone]) and if you are going from or to the airport, report it also to airport inspection ([phone], [e-mail]). If the driver is aggressive towards you, call the police.

By car

As in most of Europe you must keep to the right side of the road. Driving in Belgrade can be stressful. Avoid rush hours (08:30–9:30, 16:00-18:00). Plan your journey if you are going in to the city core, and expect to have a hard time finding a free parking place on the streets during Friday and Saturday evenings in the center. Garages might be a better choice.

Keep your low beam headlights turned on, during both day and night. Speed limit on the streets of the city is 50 km/h, near schools even less, on the highway is higher. Police is known to wait at places where you might feel comfortable to drive over the limit, but almost never on the highway. Take special care while crossing Branko's bridge, and driving on following streets: Bulevar Mihaila Pupina, Jurija Gagarina, Vladimira Popovića, and other major ones. Keep your seat belts fastened. Other passengers must also do the same, even when sitting on the back seat (if there are seat belts installed).

Allowed level of blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.03%, which is roughly equal to one drink. If you do go by car to drink, consider going back using taxi or Safe driver service, [phone]. They will come to pick you up on the small, folding motorcycle, pack it in your trunk, and drive you back home in your car. Their charge is modest, and slightly higher than one-way ride with the taxi (RSD1150 for <10 km, RSD1550 for >10 km etc).

Yellow lanes are reserved for public transport, i.e. buses and taxis, and private vehicles may not use them. They're marked with a yellow line and on traffic signs. Some only apply during rush hours.

Parking

There are spaces for parking in the city center. There is a large parking garage with 500 spaces under the old palace in the city center, across from the parliament building.

Also, take into consideration that in the center almost all of the parking spaces in the central streets have zones marked with green, yellow or red paint on the street (yellow zone spaces are actually marked orange, to avoid confusion with other marks). You can only stay for 3, 2 or 1 hours, respectively, in those spots. You can pay using the machine usually found near the parking spots, buy the parking ticket at a kiosk or by cell phone (just text your car's license plate number (for example: BG123AA) to numbers 9111 (red zone), 9112 (yellow) or 9113 (green)). Every message you send is valid for one hour and, some 5 minutes before the hour has passed, you get a text message telling you that you can send another SMS if you want to extend your parking for the next hour. Of course, this only applies in yellow and green zones, in which you can park for more than 1 hour. After the time is up, you'll have to re-park or risk paying a fine (around €15). All of this only applies on weekdays, from 07:00 to 21:00 and from 07:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays. After that (Sa 14:00 – M 07:00) parking is free.

There are also several public parking garages and parking lots where you can park for an unlimited amount of time during day. Fees are charged on an hourly basis (price varies, usually around €0.7-0.9/hour). In some non-zoned areas, you also pay for parking depending on the duration of your stay, and this is paid in cash to the parking attendant.

Detailed information can be found on the Parking Service website.

Parking violations are dealt with rather swiftly in the city center and with less commitment in the peripheral zones. Failure to pay for parking in a marked spot is handled by parking enforcement officers and can only result in a fine which would be difficult to collect if you're operating a foreign licensed vehicle. On the other hand, illegally parked vehicles are handled by the traffic police. Once spotted, the police are required to wait for 15 minutes for the driver to return. If you do return in time, you will be issued a sanction and a fine (around €50). When the 15 minutes are up, your car will get towed to one of 4 designated lots in the city. You may locate it using an online service. Once at the lot, you will be required to present a valid form of ID and the vehicle matriculation papers, pay the mandatory fine and towing expenses (around €90 in total).

By bicycle

Old Belgrade is pretty hilly and the cycling infrastructure is scarce, so bicycle transport isn't in wide use. However, New Belgrade and Zemun are relatively flat and offer enough space for bikes to be used. Bicycle tracks link Zemun, Dorćol, Ada Ciganlija, New Belgrade and Bežanijska kosa. There is a bike lift on Brankov Bridge operating 365 days and the ride is free of charge. There is also more than 50 bicycle racks around the city.

Riding a bike on the same roads with cars and buses is considered too dangerous, although on smaller streets it can be reasonably safe. Avoid riding on major (multilane) roads. You are not allowed to bring bikes into public transport vehicles.

Bicycle rentals are available mostly at recreational areas like Ada Ciganlija or Zemun quay. Average price is around €1.5/hour and €4/day.

By boat

Small boats connecting Ada Ciganlija to Novi Beograd's Block 70a are the only mode of public transport on rivers. Also, there are several tourist boats which offer day and night cruises along the Sava and Danube.

See

Yugoslav Drama Theatre

Crypt of Temple of Saint Sava

Overview of the three Belgrade bridges: Gazela Bridge, Old Railroad Bridge, and New Railroad Bridge

Building of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Skadarlija street, Belgrade, Serbia.jpg

Konak knjeginje Ljubice

Knez Mihailova Street

Knez Mihajlova, one of the most popular pedestrian-only streets in Belgrade

Tito's mausoleum

Belgrade city core is not too big. Everything between Kalemegdan, Knez Mihailova street and Skadarska street is best viewed on foot, and most major sights can be found in the Stari Grad ('Old Town') district. Other than that, it is recommended to use other means of transportation. Note that many of Belgrade's museums are closed on Monday.

• 🌍 Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan/Калемегдан). Once an important military fortification and the location of the first settlement of Singidunum, it now serves as the central park of Belgrade. Accessible from the end of the Knez Mihailova street, it offers a great refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city, especially in the afternoon. Kalemegdan park is divided into the Upper and Lower town, and contains fortress walls built in several stages throughout history, with several cafés, tennis and basketball courts, museums and an observatory. Be sure to take a stroll around the statue of Pobednik (The Victor), one of the symbols of Belgrade, and enjoy the stunning views over the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. (updated Jul 2016)
• 🌍 Knez Mihailova Street (Кнез Михаилова улица). The main pedestrian street of Belgrade features beautiful architecture from the late 19th century. Take a stroll down this historic street and enjoy all of the shopping, galleries, street vendors, and cafés it has to offer. The street also serves as the link between the Republic Square and Kalemegdan park. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Republic Square (Trg Republike/Трг Републике). Belgrade's main square features the statue of prince Mihailo Obrenović, which is the main meeting point of Belgradians, popularly referred to as "by the horse". (He's badly ravaged by verdigris, looking like a lost Rider of the Apocalypse wondering where War and Famine have gotten to.) Surrounding the square are famous historical buildings such as the National Museum and the National Theatre. The square is barricaded off for re-laying of the surface, with disruption to city centre transport. However the surrounding business and attractions remain open. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Skadarlija street (Скадарлија). Popularly nicknamed the "Bohemian quarter", this pedestrian street is filled with restaurants and cafes, most in the spirit of old Belgrade. Live bands playing traditional Serbian music can be heard in the evenings. Skadarlija street is lined with many landmarks, including Dva Jelena Kafana, which was established in 1832. The street is paved in cobblestones, so ladies are advised to avoid wearing high heels, unless highly experienced. Blank-walled buildings on the south side have been painted with impressive 'trompe-l'oeil' paintings to add to the atmosphere. (updated May 2015)
• Terazije and Kralja Milana streets (Теразије и улица Краља Милана). Connecting Knez Mihailova street and the Republic Square with the Slavija Square and the Temple of Saint Sava, which dominates the view as you walk towards it. Take a walk down the street and see the famous Terazije Fountain, Hotel Moskva (formerly called the "Palace of Russia"),the Old Royal Palace (now the City Hall), the New Palace (now the building of the Presidency), and the Yugoslavian Drama Theater. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 The Old Royal Palace (Stari Dvor/Стари Двор). Located opposite the National Assembly, it was the royal residence of the Obrenović and Karađorđević dynasties from 1884 until 1922. It is now the seat of the Belgrade City Assembly, and the plateau in front of it is often used to welcome Serbian athletes and musicians after successful competitions abroad. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 The White Palace (Beli Dvor/Бели Двор). The official residence of the crown prince of Serbia, it is a mansion located in the upscale Dedinje area, as part of the Royal compound. Tours can be booked at the Tourist Information offices. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 The New Palace (Novi Dvor/Нови Двор). The New Palace is next to the Old Royal Palace, on Andrićev venac square. Built between 1911 and 1922 as the residence of King Petar I Karađorđević, today it is the official seat of the President of the Republic of Serbia. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 The National Assembly of Serbia (Narodna Skupština/Народна Скупштина). Across the Old Royal Palace, at Nikola Pašić Square. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Gardoš (Гардош). A neighborhood in the municipality of Zemun. Gardoš is a hill located near the river bank of Danube, and offers a historical and authentic atmosphere, with narrow streets, old houses and churches. At the top of the hill stands the tower of "Sibinjanin Janko" (or Millennium Tower) - 36 m tall, built in 1896, housing an art gallery and boasting beautiful views over the Danube and Belgrade. The area also offers numerous authentic restaurants offering a wide range of dishes, usually traditional Serbian cuisine. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Belgrade Zoo, Mali Kalemegdan 8. Summer: daily 08:00–20:30, winter: daily 08:00–17:00.  

Religious places

Temple of Saint Sava

• 🌍 Temple of Saint Sava (Hram Svetog Save/Храм Светог Саве), Krušedolska 2a. Daily 07:00-20:00. The largest church in Serbia and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, under construction since 1935 and still not finished. It's locally known as a temple ("Hram") to distinguish it from the smaller St Sava Church ("Tsrkva") adjacent. The current work is to decorate inside the main dome, so nave and south aisle are closed. You enter via the gloomy north aisle, then go downstairs to the main attraction, the crypt (no lift). This is an extensive, bright and polished area with walls covered with modern iconography, so it feels more like a metro interchange for Orthodox saints than a religious building. Services are held regularly here and in the Church, which you can also visit (till 19:00). Free. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Belgrade Cathedral (Saborna crkva/Саборна црква). Also called St. Archangel Michael's Cathedral, it is near the Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan park). Built between 1837 and 1840, with a richly-decorated interior. Across the church is the building of Patriarchy, the seat of Serbian Orthodox Church. Two of the most significant linguists of Serbian history, Vuk Karadžić and Dositej Obradović, are buried in front of the church. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 St. Mark's Church (Crkva Sv. Marka/Црква Св. Марка). Built between 1931 and 1940, it is in the Tašmajdan park, next to the main Post office and the National Assembly building. The church is also the final resting place of the famous Tsar Dušan the Mighty. There is a small Russian Orthodox church right next to St. Mark's. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Church Ružica (Црква Ружица). Church Ružica and Church Sveta Petka (Црква Св. Петке) are in Kalemegdan fortress, near observatory (easy to miss, ask for directions). Ružica is first mentioned at 15th century, and destroyed in early 18th century. After that it was rebuilt in the present location, and it is the oldest church in Belgrade. It is again destroyed in World War I by the Central Powers, and then renewed in 1925. At that time the church got bronze soldiers guards in front of it and the unusual chandeliers made out of bullet shells, swords and bayonets. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Church of St. Alexander Nevsky (Црква Св. Александра Невског), Cara Dušana 63 (Dorćol (near Skadarlija)). Its history dates back to the time the Serbian-Turkish war (1876), when under the command of General Mikhail Chernyayev (Михаил Черњајев), Russian volunteers arrived in Serbian aid. Firstly they erected a tent near the church dedicated to St. Aleksandar Nevsky. The old church was built in 1877, but later had a turbulent history. The church has significant relics, frescoes, and in the interior of the plaque, Serbian warriors, the Russian Tsar Nicholas the Second, and King Alexander I Karadjordjevic. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Nikolajevska crkva (Николајевска Црква). Built in 1745 at the foot of Gardoš (Гардош) hill, near the Danube, in the municipality of Zemun. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Church of the shroud of Holy Virgin (Црква Покрова Пресвете Богородице), Kajmakčalanska 55, Vračar. It was built in 1933, in simple Serbian-Byzantine style, richly adorned with frescoes, mosaics, has a rich collection of relics. It is between Boulevard of King Alexander, and Žička street, near the "Red Cross Square" (Црвени Крст). (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Monastery Rakovica (Манастир Раковица). Dedicated to St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Monastery went through a turbulent history. Rakovica Monastery is 11 km from the city center, on a circular route, on which the Rakovička river turns to the Avala. Monastery has important relics, and there are tombs of famous personalities (Vasa Čarapić, Patriarch Dimitrije), and until recently Serbian Patriarch Pavle. (updated May 2015)
• Presentation of the Virgin Monastery (Манастир Ваведења Пресвете Богородице), Ljube Jovanovića 8 (Senjak (Dedinje hill)). It is near the center, the Topčidersko hill, surrounded by woods. The church was built in 1935. This beautiful church ("Monastery of the Presentation") was built in the Serbian-Byzantine style, richly painted frescoes, and a rich treasure. (updated May 2015)
• Roman Catholic churches. There are eight 'Roman Catholic churches in Belgrade: the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Hadži Milentijeva 75 (Neimar), the Church of Christ the King in Krunska 23 (Vračar), two in Zemun, and one each in Stari Grad, Čukarica, Zvezdara and Karaburma. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Bajrakli Mosque (Бајракли џамија), Gospodar Jevremova 11 Dorćol. Serbia's only active mosque in a non-Muslim-majority city is in central Belgrade. It was built in the 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire ruled most of the Balkans. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Belgrade Synagogue Sukkat Shalom, Maršala Birjuzova 19, Stari Grad. (updated May 2015)

Museums and galleries

Aeronautical Museum

• 🌍 National Museum (Народни Музеј), Trg republike 1а. Tu W F and Su 10:00 – 18:00, Th and Sa 12:00 – 20:00. Founded in 1844, has more than 400,000 items including Italian Art Collection (230 works) including Titian, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Canaletto, Tiepollo, Carpacio... French Art Collection (250 paintings) includes Renoir (55 works including 22 paintings), Monet, Degas, Signac, Lautrec, Matisse, Goughen, Utrillo, Pissaro, Corot... Dutch and Flemish Art Collection (120 works) include Vincent van Gogh, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Goyen, and Breughel. Japanese Art Collection has 82 works which include Kunisada, Toyokuni, and Hirosige. Cubist Art Collection includes Picasso, Cézanne, Delaunay, Arhipenko, Mondrian... Yugoslav (Serbian) Art Collection includes Paja Jovanovic, Uros Predic, and Lubarda. Other Art Collections (German, Austrian, Russian) include Durer, Gustav Klimt, Kandinsky, Sisley, Marc Chagall, Modigliani, and Kassat. Free on Su. (updated Aug 2018)
  • 🌍 Gallery of Frescoes of the National Museum (Галерија Фресака), Cara Uroša 20, ☎ [phone]. The gallery was founded in 1953 as a special institution for the collection, study and exhibit of the Serbian medieval art. It is now part of the National Museum and contains a rich collection of murals and medieval sculptures. Closed for renovation. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Historical Museum of Serbia (Историјски Музеј Србије), Square Nikole Pasica 11 (next to National Assembly of Serbia), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Tu-Su 12:00-20:00. This museum has a rich collection of materials related to the Serbian nation from ancient times to the present. RSD200. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Ethnographic Museum (Етнографски музеј), Studentski trg 13, ☎ [phone]. Tu–Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 09:00-14:00. Permanent exhibition of Serbian costumes, tools, culture and everyday life in past centuries. Temporary exhibitions covering related topics. RSD200. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church (Музеј Српске Православне Цркве) (across from the Belgrade Cathedral (Саборна црква), The Residence of Princess Ljubica, near Knez Mihailova Street, entrance from the street Kralja Petra I br. 5th). M-F 08:00-16:00, Sa 09:00-12:00, Su 11:00-13:00. Across the street is the Orthodox Academy of Art and Conservation (frescoes, mosaics, and icon painting)  
• 🌍 Nikola Tesla Museum, Krunska 51, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tu–Su 10:00-20:00. Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла) made huge contributions to electric engineering, pioneering alternative current (making long-distance high-energy transfers possible), radio (making base work for today's mobile communications) and AC motors (widely used today, e.g. blenders, vacuum cleaners and elevators), among other numerous inventions. Half of this small museum is dedicated to Tesla's personal effects, while the other half contains models of his inventions. There are English-speaking guides who are students from the Engineering Department of the University of Belgrade who can help you understand the sometimes-complicated science. English-speaking tours start at the full hour and include demonstrations. During peak hours you might need to wait a bit. If you are waiting you can use the Wifi with the password "TeslaBG17". RSD500 (full), RSD300 (student). (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 The Residence of Princess Ljubica (Конак кнегиње Љубице), Kneza Sime Markovića 8. Tu-Th Sa 10:00-17:00, F 10:00-18:00, Su 10:00-14:00. The residence is now managed by the Museum of Belgrade and is used to display the museum material and painting exhibitions. The permanent exhibition at the Residence consists of original furniture, made in Oriental-Balkan style and other styles of the time (Classicism, Biedermeier, Baroque Revival). RSD200. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Ivo Andric Museum, Andrićev Venac 8. Tu-Th Sa 10:00-17:00, F 10:00-18:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Memorial Museum of Ivo Andric, is dedicated to our writer, Nobel laureate.Closed Mondays. RSD200. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Tito's Mausoleum and the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia (Serbian Cyrillic: Музеј Историје Југославије), Botićeva 6 (take trolleybus #40 or #41 from Studentski Trg or from Kneza Miloša Street in the direction of Dedinje and ask for Kuća cveća (House of flowers)). Tu-Su: 10:00-18:00 from 16 Oct-23 Apr; 10:00-20:00 from 24 Apr-15 Oct. Artifacts from the former Yugoslavia and around the world given to Tito in his years as president. The Old Museum at the back of the complex, near the House of Flowers, is closed for renovation, as of July 2015. RSD200, Students: RSD100. (updated Jul 2015)
• 🌍 The Military Museum (Војни Музеј) (inside the Belgrade Fortress). Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Museum has around 30,000 objects in 12 collections and very impressive photo collection with over 100,000 photographs, etc. RSD150.  
• 🌍 Aeronautical Museum (Музеј Ваздухопловства) (adjacent to Nikola Tesla Airport; take bus number 72 which departs from Zeleni Venac terminus/station, to the second last stop). Daily 09:00 - 17:00. The main collection is housed in an architecturally noteworthy geodesic-based glass building, with additional aircraft displayed on the surrounding grounds. The museum owns over 200 aircraft that have been operated by the Serbian and Yugoslav Air Forces, Aeronautical clubs and Avio-companies, from gliders to helicopters to jet fighters.There are a number of rare aircraft and other aviation equipment. The museum also displays relics of US and NATO aircraft "donated" during the 1990s Balkans conflicts, including wreckage from a US F-117 Nighthawk. RSD600. (updated Aug 2018)

Do

Ada Ciganlija island

• Ada Ciganlija is a river island on Sava River with an artificial lake in the center of the city. The lake has an 8 km (5 mi) long gravel beach, which is visited by thousands of bathers during the summer. This is a great place for sports and picnics (barbecue is allowed in the allotted space). It also contains a lot of cafes and restaurants, river rafts (bars-restaurants), some of which are opened whole year round. In summer, it is swamped with people wanting to cool down in the water. Beaches in Ada Ciganlija, with restaurants, cafes on the beach, as well as umbrellas,beds and water sports, reminiscent of many sea beaches, and are the right place for swimming, recreation and enjoyment. You may rent bikes or inline skates at several points near the entry to the island. Lanes for pedestrians and bikers are separated. You have over-the-water bungee jumping facility, as well as water skiing. There are terrains for football, basketball, beach volley, golf and tennis. If you are coming from the direction of New Belgrade or Zemun, consider using small boats from Block 70a edge, New Belgrade, which can take you over the river for around €1. During summer season they go every 15 minutes or less, and offer bike transportation as well. There are also many regular bus services from the city center and other districts to Ada Ciganlija. Additional facilities:
  • Adventure Park is open during summer season (usually from beginning of May until the end of September) +381-64/8210-218, +381-63/1679-787. Price for one go through the park is RSD 800.
  • Segway Rides on small flat track, near cafe Plaža, +381-69/734-929.
  • Outdoor Ice Skating (during winter), or ski and snowboard simulator (all year round)
• Public Observatory (placed at Kalemegdan fortress) features four panoramic telescopes installed for daily observations of the city's panorama.
• National Theatre features opera, ballet and plays. The main hall is simply amazing - decorated with gold and artworks.
• Zemun quay is the most visited Waterfront in Belgrade. Here you can ride a bike, inline skates or walk next to Danube River. For a break, just hop on one of the raft bars or restaurants.
• Strahinjića Bana Street (Serbian Cyrillic:Страхињића Бана улица) is known as the Silicon Valley (Силиконска Долина), located in downtown Belgrade, at the end of Skadarska Street (popularly Skadarlija) laterally, and extends to the Kalemegdan fortress and the zoo. Here are popular bars, restaurants, cafes, and gardens (with slightly higher prices).
• Go bowling, available at:
  • Colosseum Bowling, Dobanovačka 56, Zemun, +381-65/3888-888
  • Usce Shopping Mall Bowling
  • Delta City Shopping Mall
• Ice skating is available during winter months at:
  • Tašmajdan Sports Center, Čarlija Čaplina 39, [phone], RSD200–300.
  • Pingvin Beostar Gym (Penguin), Jurija Gagarina 78, [phone], RSD 200–250.
  • Mali Pingvin Sport Belgrade (Little Penguin), Deligradska 27
  • Open-air ice skating at square Trg Nikole Pašića, winter months, free of charge
• The Great War Island (Veliko ratno ostrvo) is a river island at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, for picnics and bird spotting.
• Mount Avala is a 511m mountain near Belgrade with the 204m Avala Tower at the top. Viewing platform is accessible via a lift with great views of Belgrade and parts of Vojvodina and Šumadija. Entrance fee is RSD50 per person. At the top of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, and the motel and a few restaurants. During the descent, turn right, there is a mountain lodge "Čarapića Brest" (Чарапића Брест), with rooms and good restaurant.
• Visit a splav (literally: raft) – a barge restaurant located along the Sava and Danube rivers. There are two kinds of "splav". Some are restaurants, but most are nightclubs. You can literally club-hop all night long. There is no cover charge to get into any of them. Some ultra popular ones may require that you have an invitation or be on the guest list, but if you tell them that you are a foreigner and that you didn't know they'll usually let you in. Women are not required to be on a "guest list". The music played on the barges is highly varied and can include live bands, Serbian folk music, pop, and dance.

Cinemas

Movies in Serbia are subtitled, not dubbed. Best movie theaters are:

• Cineplexx Usce Shopping Center at Usce shopping mall, Bulevar Mihajla Pupina, 3D projections available
• Cineplexx Delta City, at Delta City shopping mall, Jurija Gagarina 16, [phone], Cineplexx Cinemas
• Roda Intermezzo Cineplex, Požeška 83a, [phone]
• Tuckwood cineplex, Kneza Miloša 7a, [phone], in the city center, a bit old, and sometimes too loud.

If you prefer theaters in the city core, check also:

• Dom sindikata, Trg Nikole Pašića 5, [phone]
• Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, [phone]
• Yugoslav Film Archive, 11000, Uzun Mirkova 1 (Take any trolleybus going to Studentski Trg, e.g. 19, 21 and 22.). The Yugoslav Film Archive run contemporary art house movies and classics. The majority of films are what could be termed as "classics" with rather clear emphasis on European cinema, though Yugoslav films are being shown occasionally too. (updated Sep 2017)

Festivals and events

• BITEF, Belgrade International Theater Festival, mid-September
• BEMUS, Belgrade Music Festival, mid-October
• Belgrade Jazz Festival, around October
• Belgrade Tango Festival, around November
• Rakija fest, mid-December, festival of traditional Serbian distilled alcoholic beverage
• Nova godina, 31 December
• Street of Open Heart, mini carnival held on 1 January, starting at noon, on streets of Makedonska and Svetogorska
• Guitar Art Festival, mid-February
• International Wine Fair, around February, Belgrade Fair
• Belgrade4Youth , last weekend in February
• Belgrade Tango Encuentro, around April
• Ring Ring, Festival of new and improvised music – around May
• FERAM, Belgrade Early Music Festival, mid-June
• Belgrade Light Music Festival, around June/July
• Summertime Jazz Festival, around July
• BELEF, Belgrade Summer Festival, around July–August
• Belgrade Beer Festival, around August
• GREEN FEST International green culture festival, around October–November

Sports

• Watch football ie soccer. Belgrade has six teams playing in Serbian SuperLiga, the country's top tier of football:

FK Crvena Vezda are better known as Red Star Belgrade. They play at Rajko Mitic Stadium, capacity 55,000, 2 km south of city centre. Serbia's international games are also played here.

Partizan Belgrade play at Partizan Stadium, capacity 33,000. It's 1.5 km south of the centre, close to Red Star's stadium.

plus FK Rad, FK Čukarički, FK Voždovac and FK Zemun, all lower placed in SuperLiga. Three other Belgrade teams play in lower tiers.

• Basketball: Štark Arena and Pionir Hall are the main venues for basketball and other indoor sports.
• Tennis is played at the Novak Tennis Center (Serbia Open), as well as in Kombank Arena (Davis Cup matches).

Learn

Serbian courses for foreigners are organized in several places including:

• Concord
• Institute for Foreign Languages
• Serbian Language and Culture Workshop

The University of Belgrade admits foreign students, as do various private institutions of higher education.

Buy

New Belgrade, main financial district

For information on the Serbian currency, see Serbia#Buy. Menjačnica Mićko (Vuka Karadzica street #4), changes all currencies, including rare ones.

Most stores operate late hours during work days, while on Saturdays they normally close around 15:00 and most of them are not open on Sundays. However, shopping malls are open late every day, including weekends.

Clothes and accessories

Import taxes make clothes and shoes in Serbia very expensive. Many items from common European chains can be found for 20% less in Budapest. Still, Belgrade has many flagship stores, mostly located on Knez Mihailova Street and the Terazije square, or the pedestrian zone, representing assorted high-fashion brands.

Almost all of the major European brands are present, including H&M, Guess, New Yorker, Zara, Bershka, Hugo Boss, Springfield, Stradivarius, Mango, Diesel, Liu Jo, C&A, and Pull & Bear. More expensive clothes & accessories (such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Lanvin, Marni, D&G, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, YSL, Mulberry and many others) can be usually found either at the Kralja Petra street (Dorćol) in Distante Fashion center, as well as in XYZ stores that are located in Ušće Shopping Center and Delta City.

Local department store chains include Artisti and Land.

Local Belgrade designers are present in the Choomich (Belgrade Design District) shopping center.

The biggest bookstores in Belgrade selling beside Serbian also foreign (mostly English) books are in the city center. Vulkan is at the beginning and Plato is at the end of Knez Mihailova street. The shopping malls also have large bookstores. There are also some shops that sell newspapers and magazines in English, German, French, Italian, Russian and other foreign languages.

• Delfi, ☎ [phone]. Inside Student Cultural Center (SKC), Kralja Milana 48, M–Sa 09:00-20:00, Su 12:00-21:00 
• Vulkan, corner of Sremska and Knez Mihajlova, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 00:00–22:00, Su 12:00–22:00. 
• Plato, Knez Mihailova 48, ☎ [phone]. 

International newspapers and magazines

Newsstands and bookstores in the city sell foreign newspapers and magazines. These include Delfi, Plato Press (near Studentski trg), Tell Me (next to the Plato store) and Inmedio (three locations - Delta City, Usce Center, Zira Center). Newspapers and magazines can be found in various international languages like English, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, German and others.

Shopping malls

Belgrade has 3 shopping malls in the city - Delta City, Stadion and Ušće Shopping Center - and more than 30 smaller shopping centers such as Merkator, Immo Centar, Millenium, Piramida, City Hall, Zira and others.

• Ušće Shopping Center, Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 4 (located in New Belgrade, just across Branko's Bridge. It can even be reached on foot from the old city. tram 7, 9, 13 or any New Belgrade-bound bus). The largest modern shopping center in Serbia and the region 
• Delta City, Jurija Gagarina 16 (tram number 7, 9 or 13, bus number 95 or minibus, near "Toplana" (heating plant)). The second largest shopping mall in the city, also in New Belgrade, in Jurija Gagarina street. 
• Stadion, Voždovac, Zaplanjska 32. The third largest shopping mall in the city. 
• Beogradski Sajam. Huge selection of cheap clothes. 
• Block 70 Chinese Market. You can buy dirt-cheap clothing imported from China. Quality is lower. Closed on Tuesdays! 
• Mercator Center, Bulevar umetnosti 4 (bus number 71, 72 or 75, close to Novi Beograd police station and municipal building). 
• Immo Outlet Center, Gandijeva 21, blok 64. 
• Zira Shopping Center, Ruzveltova 33 (near New Cemetery). 
• BN Bos Outlet (Galenika). 
• Otvoreni tržni centar (Buvljak), Antifašističke borbe bb. Hundreds of independent shop owners have stores (all brand new goods) under the open sky. You can buy anything and everything there, from any type of clothes like Italian jeans (some are real, some are real good copies from Novi Pazar) to gadgets, toiletries, cell phone accessories to the most obscure screw or nail. Prices go a lot lower than in bigger malls. (updated Jul 2016)

Hypermarkets

• Super Maxi, Bore Markovića (Delta City). 
• Idea Extra Hypermarket, Novi Beograd, Omladinskih brigada 100. 
• Super Vero Hypermarkets, Milutina Milankovića 86a - Novi Beograd; Vojislava Ilića bb - Konjarnik; Nikodima Milaša 2 - Centet Zira; Vojvode Stepe 251 - Voždovac. 
• Tempo Hypermarket, Bežanijska kosa near highway; Viline vode; Ada. 
• Mercator Hypermarket, Bulevar umetnosti 4 - Novi Beograd. 
• Amanplus Market Store, Tošin bunar 172 - Novi Beograd, ☎ [phone]. 
• Metro Cash & Carry, Krnjača; Zemun; Vidikovac. Metro is actually a wholesaler, not a retailer, so you need a special card to shop there. These cards are available only to business owners, self-employed artists and the like. Fortunately you can borrow a card from a Serbian friend who has it. 

Eat

Cafe at the Skadarlija street

For information on Serbian cuisine, see Serbia#Eat

Belgrade has hundreds of restaurants specializing in local cuisine and a number of international restaurants. On the whole, prices are cheap compared to Western Europe with main dishes ranging from €5–20 per person.

Without a doubt, the most popular choice of fast food in Belgrade is barbecue (roštilj), and there are dozens of bbq joints around the city where you can have a Serbian burger for around €2, usually with free toppings included. Some of the most popular places are Stepin Vajat (Степин Вајат) and Duff at Autokomanda, Mara and Cica in the downtown area and Iva in Žarkovo.

Belgradians are famous for enjoying Burek for breakfast, which is a type of pastry, usually filled with feta cheese or meat. As a meat and dairy-free alternative, potato (Cyrillic: 'кромпир') burek can often be found. Most bakeries around the city sell them for a cheap price, around 110 RSD. To enjoy a proper Burek, make sure to drink some yoghurt on the side. Similarly, there are many places specialising in Burek and various Serbian and Bosnian pies, called buregdžinice. For good-tasting Sarajevo pies try Tadić (Cyrillic: Тадић) at Kralja Petra 75 or Buregdžinica Sarajevo at Svetogorska 38.

Farmer's market

Depending on the season, an amazing assortment of fruit and vegetables can be found in farmer's markets, including watermelons, olives, wild mushrooms, and fresh figs. Take the time to explore the stalls, and compare the quality and prices of the produce. Most produce at the farmer's markets in Belgrade is organic and fresh from the farmers' gardens brought over daily from the villages surrounding the city.

• Pijaca Zeleni Venac (The farmer's market at Zeleni Venac) (close to the Hotel Moscow) - This is not the largest, but it is the cheapest in the city. Contained in a newly-built complex, it makes for an enjoyable Saturday morning experience, with the lively hustle and bustle of people milling about and stall-owners trying to attract customers.

International cuisine

There are a handful of international restaurants, which can range from moderately priced to very expensive. Many dine out at:

Oriental

• Peking, Vuka Karadžića 2. Daily 09:00-23:00. (updated May 2019)
• Makao, Starine Novaka 7a and at Prve Pruge 8. Daily 11:30-23:30. (updated May 2019)
• Moon Sushi & Fusion Food, Makedonska 31. M-F 08:00-01:00, Sa 09:00-01:00, Su 09:00-23:00. (updated May 2019)
• W Sushi, Vuka Karadžića 12; Andre Nikolića 2a. Daily 11:00-01:00. (updated May 2019)
• Marukoshi, Kapetan Mišina 37. Tu-Su 09:00-00:00. (updated May 2019)

Mexican

• Zapata, Vojvode Bogdana 13. Daily 09:00-00:00. (updated May 2019)
• Burrito Madre, Terazije 27; Karađorđeva 65; Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 54, e-mail: [e-mail]. Core hours daily 09:00-00:00. (updated May 2019)

Italian

• Botako, Nevesinjska 6; Šantićeva 8, ☎ [phone], [phone]. Daily 10:00-23:30. €4-12 per pizza (large can be shared). (updated May 2019)
• Casa Nova, Gospodar Jovanova 42a, ☎ [phone]. Daily 12:00-00:00. Italian-French fusion restaurant. (updated May 2019)
• Spaghetteria Trag, Đorđa Jovanovića 2, ☎ [phone]. Daily 12:00-01:00. €5-10 per main dish. (updated May 2019)
• Caruso, Terazije 23/8, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 09:00-01:00. Italian restaurant on 8th floor, with views over Terazije, the river Sava, and New Belgrade. €5-10 per main dish. (updated May 2019)
• Lorenzo & Kakalamba, Cvijićeva 110, ☎ [phone], [phone]. Daily 12:00-00:00. Italian and southeastern Serbian cuisine, but mostly you come for the way-out decor, which is beyond kitsch. €5-20 per main dish. (updated May 2019)

Serbian cuisine

Traditional restaurants and taverns are often labelled Kafana (Кафана).

• 🌍 Manjež kafana (Мањеж), Svetozara Markovića 49, ☎ [phone]. Famous restaurant with distinctive service. Large selection of traditional Serbian food, great spirits (rakija), premium wines and cakes. It is located near the Yugoslav Drama Theatre and the park, the main street between the Srpskih Vladara (Kralja Milana) and Nemanjina, near Slavija Square. (updated May 2015)
• Orašac (Орашац), Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 122. A garden restaurant with traditional Serbian cuisine. Grill and food prepared by recipes from the old Serbian cuisine. Located near the monument to Vuk Karadžić ("Kod Vuka"), in Belgrade's main boulevard. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Salaš (Салаш), Sinđelićeva 34 (Gardoš (near Danube) - municipality of Zemun.). M-Sa 13:00—00:00, Su 12:00—22:00. Enjoy the authentic atmosphere of the "Salaš" (ranch). Specialties of meat or fish, good wine and views of the river and the whole city. (updated May 2015)
• Šešir moj (My Hat), Skadarska 21. Daily 09:00-01:00. The hats are the natty boaters of the quartet, who riff away with barcarolles and other crowd-pleasers. Good hearty Serbian fare. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Sinđelić (Синђелић), Vojislava Ilića 86, ☎ [phone]. 12—24. National restaurant with traditional Serbian cuisine. It is located near the stadium Sinđelić. From the city center, you can quickly get to the restaurant by city bus no. 31 and trolley bus no. 19 and 29 (from Slavija Square). (updated May 2015)
• Skadarlija. is a pleasant street filled with Serbian and Italian restaurants, not to be missed by gourmands. It is famous for its old restaurants, some of which have been around for over 100 years. Most of the restaurants have string orchestras which play a selection of traditional and modern Serbian songs, like in Lagum 33, Simina 33. (updated May 2015)
• Stepin vajat (Степин Вајат), Vojvode Stepe 2l. Fast food, grill in the traditional way, tasty and varied. It is located next to "Autokomanda" square, and Red Star (Црвена Звезда) football stadium, (near Slavija Square). The shop is in the Serbian-style, wooden house. (updated May 2015)
• 🌍 Znak pitanja (Question Mark), Kralja Petra 6. W-F & Su 08:00-00:00, Sa Tu 10:00-00:00. Traditional Serbian cuisine. Good place to try ćevapčići sa kajmakom (grilled minced meat with cream), or if you have a strong stomach and will to experiment, you might choose (in translation): young bull's sex glands, bowels or glands. (updated Apr 2019)
• Loki, Gospodar Jovanova 35. 24-hour Pljeskavica (Serbian burger) joint between Studentski park and Strahinjica Bana. Variety of toppings like spicy cheese or pickled peppers (updated Oct 2017)

Fish

If you prefer a delicious fish meal try fish gourmet restaurants by the Sava and Danube:

• 🌍 Mika Alas, Stari Obrenovački put 14 (East bank of Sava 8 km from city), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 10:00-00:00. Try their delicious fish soup "riblja čorba" and their house specialty, "smuđ romanov", Pike Perch fillet in white wine cream sauce. Excellent food for an acceptable price. (updated Apr 2019)
• Šaran, Kej Oslobođenja 53 (Zemun quay), ☎ [phone]. Restaurant by the river, terrace available during summer months, excellent atmosphere, guest cooks from different countries, live old Belgrade music. (updated May 2015)

Vegetarian

Regular restaurants and homes may suppose that a vegetarian eats fish. If you don't, tell them bez mesa, bez ribe - without meat, without fish.

• Jazzayoga, Kralja Aleksandra 48 (center), ☎ [phone]. M-F 08:00-18:30. Sandwiches, wraps, juices, and baked goods, relaxing ambience. (updated May 2019)
• Tel Aviv Hummus House, Carice Milice 3 (off Zeleni Venac). Daily 06:00-23:30. Quick, tasty, cheap Middle Eastern food, the falafel sandwich costs less than €3. And what could be more authentic Tel Aviv: they have good Russian & English and lousy Hebrew, and stay open sabbath. (updated May 2019)

Drink

Despite the warnings of the US.CDC , tap water in Belgrade is perfectly safe. There is a wide range of bottled waters on offer in grocery stores, supermarkets, and kiosks. The water in the city center tends to have a white appearance when first poured from the tap. This is from air bubbles and disappears within a few minutes.

Serbs love beer, and it is possible to buy a variety of decent domestic beers such as Jelen, Lav, MB, Pils very cheaply and common imported beer is widely available. Foreign beers made under license in Serbia include Heineken, Amstel, Tuborg, Stella Artois, and Beck's. Belgrade holds a Beer Festival annually in August.

Culture Tip: How to toast, Serbian style Like everywhere, Serbs love to toast when in good company, whether it's in a pub or in the home with friends. When toasting in Serbia, it is expected that you look your friends at the table directly in the eyes whilst clinking glasses as a sign of respect. Say 'Živeli!' (cheers!) to everyone and take a sip. Repeat as necessary, and enjoy a night out in Belgrade!

Local wines can be good, although more expensive tends to mean more drinkable, and many of the less expensive bottles are less than satisfactory. Wines from neighbouring Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia are also good and can be found in Belgrade.

The national alcoholic drink is rakija, a Serbian brandy (especially plum brandy - šljivovica, also slivovitsa in English) that is very strong and makes for a good souvenir. While it can be bought in stores Serbs generally maintain home brewed rakjia is superior and they take great pride in their craft. Common varieties include plumb, grape, walnut, quince and pear. Try buying some in the local farmers markets.

For the sober crowd a wide range of juices are available and Cockta A popular Slovenian cola is worth trying.

All cafés serve typical continental coffees, such as espresso and cappuccino but coffee is usually served "Turkish"; and it's what you will get if you don't specify which kind of coffee you want. Whipped instant coffee is also very popular, commonly referred to simply as 'Nes' (as in, Nescafé), which can be served both hot and cold.

The street best known for its trendy cafes is definitely Strahinjića Bana, where cafés are full even on weekdays. The best atmosphere is on Friday evenings when the trendy youth of Belgrade descend to enjoy the music and each other. Out of numerous cafés, the best ones are:

• Insomnia. 
• KontraBar. no alternative place, there are only yuppies and it is quite expensive for Beograd 
• Buongiornio. also a pastry shop 
• Nachos. 
• Veprov Dah. A Scottish pub. 
• Duomo. Italian and Mediterranean restaurant and cafe. 
• Ipanema. 
• Cosy. A French café with excellent ambiance in Makedonska 30, etc. 

The second cafe zone is Obilićev Venac (a street parallel to Knez Mihailova). The best cafes there are:

• Iron. 
• Jelena. 
• Zu Zu's. 
• Irish pub. 
• Simbol. 

Third cafe zone (also a going out zone) is quay next to hotel Yugoslavia in Zemun. On the quay are numerous river rafts (splavovi), many of which are cafes, restaurants and clubs.

Other places worth visiting:

• Inex Film. A squat on the north side of the center, on the shore of the Danube, with weekly film screenings, art exhibitions, and DJ parties. 
• Mali Prag (across from the Hotel Prag) is thought by some to offer the best "Serbian Coffee".

There are many cafés in less popular and crowded areas of Belgrade, which can have a truly unique atmosphere, and are worth exploring. The newly rejuvenated Savamala district (below Brankov bridge) offers many trendy and "hipstery" cafés and clubs, which can be interesting for the younger crowd.

Bars and nightlife

Belgrade is famous for its bars and clubs and vies with Budapest's techno scene, clubs are open until dawn in many parts of the city and even during weekdays parties can be found

• The Three Carrots Irish pub. Bills itself as the first Irish pub in Belgrade, quite easy to miss, just turn left at the bombed out buildings coming up from the train station and walk on the left hand side of the road. (updated May 2015)
• The Black Turtle II Pub, Kosančićev venac 30 (near Kalemegdan), ☎ [phone]. Well known for beer mixed with lemon and blueberry syrup, as well as memorable river view at summer sunset, if you are among the lucky ones who manage to get one of the few outdoor tables. If you care about the beer or the atmosphere more than the view, check other Black Turtle Pubs. 
• Maniac bar, Sremska 2 (Podzemni prolaz ispod Albanije). Cheap dive bar in the center playing rock, underground with little indication it exists, crowd can be rowdy.
• Tijuana - Latin Cocktail Bar in Belgrade, ☎ [phone] (Victor), [phone] (Dennis). If you are searching for a nice looking cafe to impress your latest hot date, look away now, but if you want an original experience as far as Belgrade’s nightlife goes, then you should check out Tijuana.

Sleep

Hostels

• Ferijalni i hostelski savez Srbije - Youth Hostel Association of Serbia (Hostelling International Serbia), Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22/2 (down town), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. FHSS - Youth hostel association Serbia is biggest hostel network in Serbia, representative for Hostelling International. 
• 360 Hostel (Belgrade Hostel), Knez Mihailova 21 (down town), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Roof garden and barbeques. From €15 for dorm bed, €30 for single. 
• ArkaBarka Floating Hostel, Ušće, Novi Beograd (on Danube off Bulevar Nikole Tesle), ☎ [phone]. A floating house on the Danube. Dorm from €15 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Crossroad, Gospodar Jevremova 41 (Two blocks from Student Sq), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Small guesthouse with one double room and the other with 3 single beds, no dorm. €30 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Downtown Central Hostel, Kolarčeva 7 (foot of Knez Mihailova near Republic Square), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Newly furnished hostel with 70 beds. Dorm €10 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Green Studio, Karadjordjeva 61 (300 m north of main bus station), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Owned and run by fellow backpackers and locals, gets rave reviews. Price includes laundry, computer access, high speed WiFi, coffee and tea, welcoming rakija. Has dorms, large private rooms, and a large open common room always alive. All facilities work and are accessible 24 hours, as well as no check out times - sleep late. Dorm from €11 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Hedonist Hostel, Simina 7 (Near Student Sq), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Clean, friendly hostel in city center, with a nice garden. Large common area with a common room (cozy traditional Serbian interior) directly connected with the kitchen and the garden. Bedrooms are newly furnished, cozy and always clean and fresh. Room price includes free Wi-Fi, computer access, security lockers for each bed, fresh linen & towels, maps and info, coffee & tea and cable TV & movies. From €12 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Hostel Goodnight Grooves, Zeleni Venac 2 (Enter thru sports shop, take elevator to 4th & 5th floor), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Clean spacious rooms near city centre. Dorm €12, private room €20 ppn with breakfast. (updated May 2019)
• Hostelche, Kralja Petra 8 (near Archangel Michael church), ☎ [phone], [phone] (cell phone), e-mail: [e-mail]. Clean, cozy place. They have free sheets, towels, laundry, games, books, 24–hour reception, internet, Wi-Fi, welcome drink, coffee, and tea. Dorm from €10, private room from €25 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Hostel @ Jelica Milanovic School, Krunska 8, e-mail: [e-mail]. A high school campus in the middle of town which functions as a hostel in summer, between June 20th and August 30th. RSD1000-1100. 
• Manga Hostel, Resavska 7 (City center near St Mark's cathedral), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 3-floor house, 1x10, 2x4, 1x1 rooms, 24-hr reception, private yard, air conditioning, free: wifi, lockers, towels, coffee & tea, maps, cable TV. Dorm from €10 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 San Art Floating Hostel, Usce bb, Novi Beograd (On Danube), ☎ [phone]. Is it a chalet, is it a houseboat? Clean, well-run, friendly hostel near river confluence. B&B from €15 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Sun Hostel, Novopazarska 25 (Vracar, near St Sava), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Well-run hostel, clean and spacious, with dorms, apt & private rooms. Comfy, a/c, safe-lockers backpack size, free internet, friendly staff. Dorm €12 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Time Hostel, Cara Lazara 9 (near Kalemegdan), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Beds for 18 in 3 dorms and one private room. Great location but gets poor reviews for cleanliness. From €15 ppn. (updated May 2019)
• Yolostel, Apt 6, 3rd floor, Uzun Mirkova 6 (next to Kalmegdan), toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Central hostel, cleanliness hit-and-miss. Dorm €12, private room €15, ppn. (updated May 2019)

Budget hotels

• Belgrade City Hotel (Белград Сити Хотел), Savski trg 7 (Opposite the railway station Belgrade.). In a Neo-Renaissance building. 
• Hotel Bristol, Karađorđeva 50. Old style hotel near the bus station. The breakfast is included. Twin room: €45/night. 
• Hotel Royal (Ројал Хотел), 56 Kralja Petra (Near Belgrade Fortress and Knez Mihailova Street). One of the oldest hotels in Belgrade, dating to 1885 
• Hotel Srbija (Хотел Србија), Ustanička 127c (Near the sports hall and the park Šumice.). Quickly connected with the highway and the Slavija square. (updated Nov 2018)
• Hotel Villa Forever (Хотел Форевер), Marsala Birjuzova 44 (in the heart of Belgrade). 
• Kasina Hotel (Касина Хотел), Terazije 25 (near the Republic Square and Knez Mihailova Street). 
• Nacional Hotel (Национал Хотел), Autoput br. 5 (next to the highway (Belgrade-Zagreb), the Noewom Belgrade (about {{convert|5|-|6|km|0|abbr=on}} from city center)). 
• 🌍 Park Hotel (Парк Хотел), Njegoseva 2 (near Slavija Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Slavija Hotel (Славија Хотел), 2 Svetog Save (Slavija square), ☎ [phone]. 
• Villa Allegra, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Vojvode Dragomira 18b, Vračar. 
• Zeleznicar Konaciste (Железничар коначиште), Savska 6. (near the railway station), ☎ [phone]. Means 'Railway guest house'. 

Mid-range

• Hotel Excelsior. Kneza Miloša 5. In the center, near the National Assembly of Serbia. 
• Mr. President Design Hotel. This is a nice, new and modern hotel. Across the street from the city's train station. 61 modern rooms with internet and modern conviences. About €100 for double. 
• Best Western Hotel Sumadija. Free WiFi for the guests in whole hotel. 
• Nevski Hotel. Venizelosova 24a near Skadarlija (bohemian street), Strahinjića Bana street (called the Silicon Valley). 
• Tulip Inn Putnik Hotel. Palmira Toljatija 9. In the central part of New Belgrade, near the Danube. 
• Hotel Astoria (Side street just opposite the railway station.). Apartments available. Bistro restaurant. €61 a double including private facilities and breakfast. 
• Hotel Rex (close to the train station). Very nice business-type hotel with 24 hour reception and friendly English speaking staff. Price around €60. 
• Studio APOLLO 011, Suboticka 23 (Zvezdara), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. It is tidy, comfortable and pleasurable place. 
• LifeDesign Hotel, ☎ [phone]. Modernly designed, elegant architecture, location emanates the spirit of the Balkan capital. A four-star hotel located in commercial and cultural center of the city. 
• Belgrade Art Hotel, Knez Mihailova Street, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. With 55 uniquely designed rooms and suites, bar, lounge bar, restaurant and 2 meeting rooms, Beograd Art Hotel will meet needs of business people. €110. 

Splurge

• Holiday Inn, fax: [phone]. Spanskih Boraca 74, in the dynamic New Belgrade business district, 10 minutes' drive from the centre of the Serbian capital. 
• Hotel Evropa, Terazije 2, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. In a historic building close to the National Assembly building. Air-condition, free Wi-Fi, free access to the spa centre: a sauna, a Turkish bath and a jacuzzi. 
• Townhouse 27, Marsala Birjuzova 56, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Clean & efficient 4-star, close to city centre. B&B double from €120. (updated May 2019)
• Crystal Hotel, Internacionalnih brigada 9 (just south of St Sava), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Decent hotel, has 44 rooms with high speed internet and pay TV. B&B double from €70. (updated May 2019)
• Balkan Hotel, Prizrenska 2, ☎ [phone]. Four-star hotel overlooking Terazije square. It's closed for renovation in early 2019. (updated May 2019)
• Moskva, Balkanska 1 (just above Zeleni Venac), ☎ [phone]. Upmarket hotel in a landmark building. Rooms are stylish but small, and tall visitors should avoid the fifth floor where the pitch of the roof closes in. Helpful multilingual staff. Excellent breakfast, with the piano tinkling over the eggs and patisserie - now this is what we call cafe society! (Especially with limited mobility, since you can enter via the cafe at street level and avoid the steps to the main hotel entrance.) Room safe & fridge, Wifi & satellite TV. (updated Apr 2019)
• Aleksandar Palas, Kralja Petra 13–15, ☎ [phone]. A boutique hotel near the Knez Mihailova pedestrian street and the Kalemegdan fortress. 
• Hyatt Regency, Milentija Popovica 5, Novi Beograd (between Ušće Shopping Center and Crowne Plaza), ☎ [phone]. Big four star on west bank, mostly good reviews but rooms are showing their age. B&B double from €85. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Crowne Plaza (formerly Continental and InterContinental), Vladimira Popovica 10, Novi Beograd, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Big glassy business hotel on west bank, with fitness centre and conference facilities, connected by passageway to the Sava congress & retail center. Self-parking €19 per 24 hours. B&B double from €120. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 IN Hotel Belgrade, Bulevar Arsenija Carnojevica 56, Novi Beograd, ☎ [phone]. Boxy 4-star on west bank, gets good reviews for comfort & facilities. 200 m from Kombank Arena, handy for riverside life and highway out to airport. B&B double from €70. 

Stay safe

Overall, Belgrade is a pretty safe city, but like anywhere, you should always keep money, mobile phones, travel documents and other valuable personal items in secure places. Pickpocketers are known to operate in public transportation, and other crowded places so never wear a backpack or purse on your back and make sure that you have your wallet in one of your front pockets. If you own a car, it is preferable to have a security system. Traffic laws are usually observed although nervous drivers can change lanes suddenly or make dangerous turns when avoiding traffic during rush hour. So be cautious if you are a pedestrian or riding a bike. The taxi drivers are notorious for swerving in and out of lanes. Pay close attention to the traffic signals as a pedestrian.

Also try to avoid getting into conflicts. If you are staying out late in a bar or a club, there is always a small chance that someone will try to pick a fight especially if you are in a group and a single guy is showing hostility. That is a trap by local thugs looking for a brawl. Just ignore them and walk away no matter what they say or do. The chances that this will happen are very low, but stay alert. Do not try to make fun of the locals in your native language. Almost everyone has at least a basic understanding of English and is familiar with foul words and curses. Generally, common sense is the best way to stay safe in any city in Europe, and in Belgrade.

In Serbia, including Belgrade, violence against the LGBTQ population can occur, and as such LGBTQ travelers should exercise discretion. As a rule, public displays of affection between two people of the same sex are likely to be met with disapproval and sometimes verbal abuse and/or physical violence. There are several gay bars and clubs in the city and they tend to get quite full. Be cautious when arriving at or leaving such clubs. Often there is security personnel guarding the immediate entrance. There are also LGBTQ parties organized periodically by various organizations and at different locations, such as Loud and Queer events, so it is useful to follow LGBTQ guides to Belgrade and keep up with the current hotspots.

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, call 192 (police), 193 (fire) or 194 (ambulance). Always carry the phone number and an address of your embassy with you. In case of injury or illness, the place to go is the Urgentni centar (Emergency center), Pasterova 2 of the Clinical Center of Serbia. Be aware that not all medical facilities have personnel that speak English or other foreign languages. Consult the embassy of your country if possible.

Pharmacies on duty 24/7:

• Prvi maj, Kralja Milana 9, [phone]
• Sveti Sava, Nemanjina 2, [phone]
• Zemun, Glavna 34, [phone]
• Dom Zdravlja Novi Beograd, Palmira Toljatija 7

Connect

The international telephone code for Serbia is 381. Most cities in Serbia and mobile operators have 2-digit area code. There is only one area code for Belgrade and that is 11. Typical land-line phone number in Belgrade +381-11/xxx-xxxx. Typical mobile phone number is +381-6x/xxx-xxxx. From Serbian land line phone, use 00 prefix for international calls (e.g. 0031-20/xxx-xxxx for Amsterdam, Netherlands), and prefix 0 for calls inside Serbia but outside your area (e.g. 021/xxx-xxxx for Novi Sad, Serbia or 06x/xxx-xxxx for Serbian mobile). If you dial inside the same area, there is no need to use the prefix (just dial xxx-xxxx). From a mobile phone, you always have to dial the area code (011/xxx-xxxx for Belgrade land line phone, 0xx/xxx-xxx(x) for other Serbian land line phones or 06x/xxx-xxxx for Serbian mobile).

Basically all of Serbia is covered with mobile networks of all three operators. It is easy to buy and charge cheap pre-paid numbers at the kiosks around the city. If you use 064, 065 or 066 (MTS), pre-paid number, use *100# to check the credit, for 063, 062 and 069 (Telenor), use *121#, for 061 and 060 (Vip), use *123#.

There is a number of red-colored payphones across the city, operated by telephone cards available at the kiosks.

Free wireless access is available at Student park in Belgrade center and in many restaurants, bars and hotels. Mobile operators offers pre- and post-paid wireless Internet packages.

Stay healthy

Belgrade's climate is generally temperate, so tourist visits are possible at any time of year. However, July and August can be uncomfortably hot, with temperatures reaching 40 °C (104 °F) on several days. Minimize your exposure to the sun on such days to avoid heat exhaustion. On the other hand, January and February are sometimes very cold. When it snows in winter, the streets are covered in sleet the next day, so be careful when walking. The Košava, a notorious Belgrade wind, may give you a cold more quickly than you would expect - take care and dress appropriately.

For runners, a sunrise or sunset run through Kalemegdan is a must-do. Running along the Ada lake in the mornings or evenings is a great experience too. Try to avoid running during the day, as it usually is both hot and very crowded.

There are a lot of stray animals roaming streets, particularly dogs. Whilst it is very rare that they demonstrate outward signs of illness or aggression, err on the side of caution and avoid coming in physical contact. These are nevertheless rarely seen in the city center.

Pharmacies – called 'apoteka' – are found throughout the city center. Look for lit green crosses on building façades. Some, such as the ones in Francuska or Kralja Milana streets, are open 24/7. These will carry a range of prescription medicines, as well as over-the-counter products like pain killers and vitamin supplements.

Cope

There are a few dozens gyms around the city, every neighborhood has at least a few. Prices range (so as quality) €20–80 per month, or a bit less for 12/16 visits.

In case you need to fix your umbrella you may do that in the last remaining umbrella service in town in Visnjiceva 4.

It is difficult to avoid tobacco smoke in restaurants, bars and clubs. However, other enclosed public places, including the malls, are smoke-free. Some hotels allow smoking in parts of the building.

Embassies and other diplomatic missions

• Canada, Kneza Miloša 75, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 08:00-16:00. 
• Finland, Birčaninova 29, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 08:00-15:45. 
• Germany, Neznanog junaka 1a, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 08:00-16:00, F 08:00-14:00. 
• Greece, Francuska 33, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Japan, Genex Apartments, Vladimira Popovića 6, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• Macedonia, Gospodar Jevremova 34, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. (updated Nov 2018)
• Mexico, Ljutice Bogdana 5, Dedinje, Savski venac, ☎ [phone]. 
• Poland, Kneza Miloša 38, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Russia, Deligradska 32, ☎ [phone], [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Switzerland, Bulevar Oslobođenja 4, ☎ [phone]. 
• Turkey, Krunska 73 (formerly Krunska 1, now further down the street), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• United Kingdom, Resavska 46, ☎ [phone]. 
• United States, Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karađorđevića 92 (The U.S. Embassy has moved from its downtown location at Kneza Miloša 50 to a new building in the Dedinje area of Belgrade), ☎ [phone]. 

Go next

Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad

• If you like visiting monasteries, they are plentiful on Fruška Gora mountain.
• The beautiful city of Novi Sad is nearby.
• Sremski Karlovci (Сремски Карловци) north of Belgrade, near Novi Sad. Sremski Karlovci have a very rich history, numerous monuments, museums, churches, galleries, the famous wine cellars, and others. It also hosts The Patriarchy residence, Karlovci’s Grammar School – the oldest Serbian high school, The Chapel of Peace – built in 1817, The Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
• Go to see the famous hill Oplenac(Опленац), (town of Topola) south, near Belgrade. There is a Mausoleum of the Serbian Royal family Karadjordjevic (St. George's Church), museums. You can also enjoy the famous royal Oplenac the vineyard. Surrounding the town of Topola is a famous wine growing region with excellent wine, try it!
• A little bit closer to Belgrade, approximately 70 km (43 mi) away from Oplenac, you will find historic place of Orašac. In 1804, in this village was organized the First Serbian Uprising against the Turks. Orašac has museum dedicated to the First Serbian Uprising and a monument to the Karadjordje, leader of the Uprising.
• Obedska bara (Обедска бара) is a large swamp-forest area and natural reserve stretching along the Sava River in Southern Srem (Serbia), some 40 km west of Belgrade.The pond is an authentic complex of stagnant tributaries, marshes, pits, marsh vegetation, damp meadows and forests.
• Serbian wine routes. In the vicinity of Belgrade has several offers "wine roads"! Wine roads of Smederevo (southeast of Belgrade), Oplenac (south), or Fruska Goraand Sremski Karlovci (north of Belgrade).
• Vršac town features a prominent mountain famous for its vineyards and wine.
• If you are interested in Serbian spas there are plenty of them, closer to Belgrade, the Bukovička Spa(Ser: Буковичка Бања) -Aranđelovac, Selters Spa(Ser: Селтерс бања)- Mladenovac, and Banja Vrujci (Ser: Бања Врујци)- Mionica- Valjevo, is about 80 km south from Bg.
• Cruise the great rivers Danube and Sava interesting to nearby destinations.
• In summertime, spend a night in bungalow on Sava river in Boljevci.

Archaeological sites

• 🌍 Lepenski Vir, Boljetin, Donji Milanovac (180km east of Belgrade), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Daily 09:00-20:00. An important archaeological site (first house approx. 6250 BC). It consists of one large settlement with around ten satellite villages. Numerous piscine sculptures and peculiar architecture. Adults 400RSD, Kids 200RSD.  
• 🌍 Vinča-Belo Brdo, Belo brdo 17, Vinca (14 km downstream from Belgrade. Take bus #307.), ☎ [phone]. Tu W F 10:00-16:00; Th 12:00-18:00; Sa Su 10:00-18:00 April to October. One of the largest tell sites in the Balkans, covering 10 hectares of land with 9 metres of cultural deposits and a total height of 10.5 metres. Come to see how prehistoric people used to live. Every weekend visitors can join guided tours through the site.  
• 🌍 Viminacium (Near the village of Stari Kostolac (near Pozarevac) about 80 km south-east of Belgrade). Open for visiting Feb-Nov, during summer 09:00-19:00, during spring and autumn 10:00-17:00. Known archaeological site, it used to be a major Roman provincial capital and military camp of the Roman province of Moesia. It contains archaeological remains of temples, streets, squares, amphitheatres, palaces, hippodromes and Roman baths.