Belgrade

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 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.

By plane

The main entry route into Belgrade and Serbia is

Belgrade Nikola Tesla AirportIt'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.

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 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 Niš 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: the next departure might not be the quickest option. Quality of coaches is variable. They stop every 3 or 4 hours for a rest break - keep a close watch on your belongings at these stops, and on arrival be intensely suspicious of taxi touts and supposed luggage porters.
(BAS, Београдска аутобуска станица) is just north of 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 the 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 might not be included and you'd have to buy a platform card in the terminal. You might also have to pay the bus driver an extra RSD100 per bag placed in the cargo compartment.
Local buses don't use BAS, but the bus stands adjacent south. There are no gates or charges to enter this area.

• GEA Tours

  phone: +381 11 2686, +381 635 2686, +381 622 2643, +381 840, +381 268 5043
  address: Kneza Milosa 65, Belgrade
  They make regular runs by minibus or large car between Belgrade and Budapest, Timișoara, Niš, Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki, Zlatibor, Tara, Drvengrad, Szeged via Novi Sad and Subotica, Palić and Prokuplje.

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. Westbound trains now run from

Belgrade Center Railway StationThis 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.

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).
• Trains to Novi Sad run every couple of hours, taking 2 hours.

These westbound trains also call at on the west bank of the River Sava.
South- and eastbound trains depart from a "temporary" terminus at in the leafy southern parkland (as of 2019). These run to:

• Podgorica (10 hr) and Bar (12 hr) in Montenegro, one daytime and one overnight.
• Overnight to Thessaloniki (23 hr) via Niš (5 hr) and Skopje (10 hr). Change in Thessaloniki for Athens, Piraeus and ferries to the Greek Islands. The Greek section between Gevgelija and Thessaloniki is replaced by buses until mid-Sept 2019.
• Sofia: one train daily (10 hr) via Niš; travel via Sofia for Bucharest or Istanbul.

This arrangement will last until these trains can be accommodated at Center station. Topčider has no facilities and poor onward local transport, but its trains also stop at Rakovica, which is on the suburban line to city centre.

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.

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.

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.
Here is official info about taxis in Belgrade. Fares are regulated by the government and are RSD170 to start a ride, RSD65-130 per km (depending on time of day) and RSD12.5 per minute waiting time.
Taxi scams are common in Belgrade.
It is always best to order taxis smartphone app (Car:go or Yandex), since it will record licence plates, and the whole ride. Apps will also give you approximate price that you need to pay (actual price might be up to 5% different).
Next option is to order taxi by phone, since your order will be saved in the operator database. However information saved in operator database are not nearly clear or detailed as the one saved by smartphone apps, so that offer less protection for the customer.
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 (+381 11 3227-000) and if you are going from or to the airport, report it also to airport inspection (+381 11 2097-373, taxi@beg.aero). 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, +381 64 174 6411. 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 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

Best option is to avoid bringing a car into the centre, next best is to use a parking garage. Street parking is difficult. There are four zones, clearly marked:

• Red Zone is the central spine from Student Square down to Takovska / Milosa Bvds. You may only stay one hour, RSD56. There are few spaces at the best of times, and with the closure of Republic Square and adjacent streets, it's impractical.
• Yellow Zone has spaces painted orange to avoid confusion with the standard yellow road markings. It cloaks the Red Zone, between George Washington Bvd east and the bus station west, and south just past Slavija Square. Maximum stay is two hours, RSD48 / hr.
• Green Zone is the rest of city centre, maximum stay 3 hours, RSD41 / hr.
• Blue Zone beyond has no limit but still charges RSD31 / hr or RSD150 / day. Spaces near main transport routes fill early as commuters park up for the day then take the bus to the office.

Parking charges apply M-F 07:00-21:00 and Sat 07:00-14:00 (in Blue Zone from 08:00). You can pay using a ticket machine, from a parking attendant, at a kiosk or by mobile phone. With a kiosk ticket, write down the parking time and display it inside your windscreen. By phone, text your car's plate number (eg BG123AA) to 9111 (red zone), 9112 (yellow) or 9113 (green). Every message you send buys you an hour. Five mins before the hour expires, you get a text warning, and the chance to renew if you're eligible to extend your parking for the next hour.
There are several large public garages for extended parking, eg there's one with 500 spaces under the old palace, across from the parliament building. They charge about RSD100 per hour.
Parking violations in the centre are swiftly pounced upon. Failure to pay in a marked spot results in a fine. With illegally parked vehicles, the traffic police are obliged to wait 15 minutes for the return of the driver, who'll have to pay a fine of €50. When 15 minutes are up, the car gets towed to one of four designated lots in the city, which you can locate using the online service. At the lot, you will be required to present a valid form of ID and the vehicle registration documents, and pay the fine and towing expenses, €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.

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 Stari Grad (Old Town) district. You might need the bus for sights further out. Note that many of Belgrade's museums are closed on Monday.

• Belgrade FortressOnce 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.

• Military MuseumMuseum has around 30,000 objects in 12 collections and very impressive photo collection with over 100,000 photographs.

• There are two churches within the Fortress.

  Church Ružica"Ružica" means little rose, though it's clad in ivy. It dates to the 15th century, was destroyed in the 18th century, rebuilt and again destroyed in World War I by the Central Powers. The present version was created in 1925, embellished by bronze soldiers guards in front of it and the unusual chandeliers made out of bullet shells, swords and bayonets. Adjacent is Sveta Petka (Црква Св. Петке) church and chapel.

• Belgrade Zoo

  address: Mali Kalemegdan 8
  Popular, but it's a lot of animals in a small space.

• Knez Mihailova StreetThe 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.

• Republic SquareBelgrade'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.

• Skadarlija streetPopularly 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.

• Terazije and Kralja Milana streetsConnecting 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.

• The Old Royal PalaceLocated 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.

• The White PalaceThe 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.

• The New PalaceThe 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.

• The National Assembly of SerbiaAcross the Old Royal Palace, at Nikola Pašić Square.

• GardošA 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.

Religious places

• Temple of Saint Sava

  address: Krušedolska 2a
  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).

• Belgrade CathedralAlso 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.

• St. Mark's ChurchBuilt 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.

• Church of St. Alexander Nevsky

  address: Cara Dušana 63
  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.

• Nikolajevska crkvaBuilt in 1745 at the foot of Gardoš (Гардош) hill, near the Danube, in the municipality of Zemun.

• Church of the shroud of Holy Virgin

  address: 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).

• Presentation of the Virgin Monastery

  address: Ljube Jovanovića 8
  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.

• Roman Catholic churchesThere 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.

• Bajrakli Mosque

  address: 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.

• Belgrade Synagogue Sukkat Shalom

  address: Maršala Birjuzova 19, Stari Grad

Museums and galleries

• National Museum

  address: Trg republike 1а
  Founded in 1844, has more than 400,000 items on 3 floors. Lower floor is Paleolithic art and artefacts. 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.

• Gallery of Frescoes of the National Museum

  phone: +381 11 30 60 52
  address: Cara Uroša 20
  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.

• Historical Museum of Serbia

  phone: +381 11 3398 018, +381 11 3398 335
  address: Square Nikole Pasica 11
  This museum has a rich collection of materials related to the Serbian nation from ancient times to the present.

• Zepter Museum

  address: Kneza Mihaila 42
  Modern Serbian art.

• Ethnographic Museum

  phone: +381 11 3281 888
  address: Studentski trg 13
  Permanent exhibition of Serbian costumes, tools, culture and everyday life in past centuries. Temporary exhibitions covering related topics.

• Museum of the Serbian Orthodox ChurchAcross the street is the Orthodox Academy of Art and Conservation (frescoes, mosaics, and icon painting)

• Nikola Tesla Museum

  phone: +381 11 24 33 886
  address: Krunska 51
  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".

• The Residence of Princess Ljubica

  address: Kneza Sime Markovića 8
  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).

• Ivo Andric Museum

  address: Andrićev Venac 8
  Memorial Museum of Ivo Andric, is dedicated to our writer, Nobel laureate.Closed Mondays.

• Tito's Mausoleum and the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia

  address: Botićeva 6
  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.

Further out

• (Велико ратно острво, Veliko ratno ostrvo) is the big triangular river island at the confluence of the Danube and Sava. So near but yet so far: no boats routinely connect it, and it's best admired from the Fortress terrace. It's a wildlife reserve, and attempts at settlement are repeatedly swept away by floods: the most recent was in 2006 so shacks and vegetable patches are starting to re-appear pending the next deluge. The island is often the subject of fanciful projects and development schemes which come to nothing. Wild boar from the island occasionally manage to swim across to the mainland and make their way into town.

• Monastery RakovicaDedicated 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.

• Aeronautical MuseumThe main collection is in an architecturally notable geodesic glass building, with additional aircraft displayed on the surrounding grounds. The museum owns over 200 aircraft flown by the Serbian and Yugoslav Air Forces, aero clubs and private & commercial aviation, 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.

• Vinča-Belo Brdo

  phone: +381 11 80 65 334
  address: Belo brdo 17, Vinca
  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.

• (Обедска бара), 40 km west of Belgrade, is a large wetland and nature reserve along the north bank of the Sava River.

• Ada Ciganlija is a river island on Sava River with an artificial lake in the center of the city. The lake has an 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, +381 11 2766-667, RSD200–300.
• Pingvin Beostar Gym (Penguin), Jurija Gagarina 78, +381 11 2178-183, 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, +381 11 2203-400, Cineplexx Cinemas
• Roda Intermezzo Cineplex, Požeška 83a, +381 11 2545-260
• Tuckwood cineplex, Kneza Miloša 7a, +381 11 3236-517, 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, +381 11 3234-849
• Akademija 28, Nemanjina 28, +381 11 3616-020

• Yugoslav Film Archive

  address: 11000, Uzun Mirkova 1
  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.

Festivals and events

• Belgrade Fair (Beogradski sajam) on Bulevar vojvode Mišića 14 southwest of the centre hosts trade fairs throughout the year, check website for those open to the public.
• Street of Open Heart is a carnival held on 1 January, noon to 23:00, on Makedonska and Svetogorska streets.
• Guitar Art Festival was on 12-17 March 2019, dates for 2020 not yet announced.
• Belgrade Tango Encuentro, 29 April-6 May 2019, dates for 2020 not yet announced.
• Ring Ring Festival of new and improvised music, next event 15-20 May 2019.
• Belgrade Early Music Festival, next event 18 May-9 June 2019.
• Belgrade Beer Festival, next event 14-19 Aug 2019 in Ušće park.
• BITEF Belgrade International Theater Festival, last event was 13-22 Sept 2018, dates for 2019 not yet announced.
• BEMUS, Belgrade Music Festival, last event was 10-20 Oct 2018, dates for 2019 not yet announced.
• Belgrade Jazz Festival, next event 22-27 Oct 2019.
• Green Fest International green culture festival, last event was 13-16 Nov 2018, dates for 2019 not yet announced.
• No Sleep Festival of electronic, house & retro music is expected to be mid-Nov 2019.

Sports

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

• 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).

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.

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: +381 11 2645-783
  Inside Student Cultural Center (SKC), Kralja Milana 48, M–Sa 09:00-20:00, Su 12:00-21:00

• Vulkan

  phone: +381 11 2639-060
  address: corner of Sremska and Knez Mihajlova

• Plato

  phone: +381 11 2625-834
  address: Knez Mihailova 48

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

  address: Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 4
  The largest modern shopping center in Serbia and the region

• Delta City

  address: Jurija Gagarina 16
  The second largest shopping mall in the city, also in New Belgrade, in Jurija Gagarina street.

• Stadion

  address: Voždovac, Zaplanjska 32
  The third largest shopping mall in the city.

• Beogradski SajamHuge selection of cheap clothes.

• Block 70 Chinese MarketYou can buy dirt-cheap clothing imported from China. Quality is lower. Closed on Tuesdays!

• Mercator Center

  address: Bulevar umetnosti 4

• Immo Outlet Center

  address: Gandijeva 21, blok 64

• Zira Shopping Center

  address: Ruzveltova 33

• BN Bos Outlet

• Otvoreni tržni centar (Buvljak)

  address: 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.

Hypermarkets

• Super Maxi

  address: Bore Markovića

• Idea Extra Hypermarket

  address: Novi Beograd, Omladinskih brigada 100

• Super Vero Hypermarkets

  address: Milutina Milankovića 86a - Novi Beograd; Vojislava Ilića bb - Konjarnik; Nikodima Milaša 2 - Centet Zira; Vojvode Stepe 251 - Voždovac

• Tempo Hypermarket

  address: Bežanijska kosa near highway; Viline vode; Ada

• Mercator Hypermarket

  address: Bulevar umetnosti 4 - Novi Beograd

• Amanplus Market Store

  phone: +381 11 6555155
  address: Tošin bunar 172 - Novi Beograd

• Metro Cash & Carry

  address: 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.

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.

Serbian cuisine

Traditional restaurants and taverns are called Kafana (Кафана). They often have string orchestras. There are many in Old Town, eg along cobbled Skadarska. Fish restaurants are dotted along the banks of the Danube and Sava a little further out.

• Restoran Manjež

  phone: +381 11 3621111
  address: Svetozara Markovića 49
  Famous kafana with live music. Large selection of traditional Serbian food, great spirits (rakija), wines and cakes.

• Orašac

  address: Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 122
  A garden restaurant with traditional Serbian cuisine. Grill and food prepared by recipes from the old Serbian cuisine.

• Salaš 034

  address: Sinđelićeva 34, Gardoš
  "Salaš" means ranch. Specialties of meat or fish, good wine and views of the river and the whole city.

• Šešir moj

  address: Skadarska 21
  The hats are the natty boaters of the quartet, who riff away with barcarolles and other crowd-pleasers. Good hearty Serbian fare.

• Sinđelić

  phone: +381 11 2412297
  address: Vojislava Ilića 86
  Traditional Serbian cuisine.

• Stepin vajat

  address: Vojvode Stepe L 2
  Traditional grills in a Serbian-style wooden house.

• Znak pitanja

  address: Kralja Petra 6
  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.

• Loki

  address: Gospodar Jovanova 35
  24-hour Pljeskavica (Serbian burger) joint between Studentski park and Strahinjica Bana. Variety of toppings like spicy cheese or pickled peppers.

• Mika Alas

  phone: +381 11 2544-448
  address: Stari Obrenovački put 14
  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.

• Šaran

  phone: +381 11 2618-235
  address: Kej Oslobođenja 53
  Riverside fish restaurant, live old Belgrade music.

International cuisine

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

Asian

• Peking

  address: Vuka Karadžića 2

• Makao

  address: Starine Novaka 7a and at Prve Pruge 8

• Moon Sushi & Fusion Food

  address: Makedonska 31

• W Sushi

  address: Vuka Karadžića 12; Andre Nikolića 2a

• Marukoshi

  address: Kapetan Mišina 37

Mexican

• Zapata

  address: Vojvode Bogdana 13

• Burrito Madre

  address: Terazije 27; Karađorđeva 65; Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 54

Italian

• Botako

  phone: +381 (62) 249 703, +381 (11) 3446 770
  address: Nevesinjska 6; Šantićeva 8

• Casa Nova

  phone: +381 (11) 3036 868
  address: Gospodar Jovanova 42a
  Italian-French fusion restaurant.

• Spaghetteria Trag

  phone: +381 (11) 3227 495
  address: Đorđa Jovanovića 2

• Caruso

  phone: +381 (11) 3248 037
  address: Terazije 23/8
  Italian restaurant on 8th floor, with views over Terazije, the river Sava, and New Belgrade.

• Lorenzo & Kakalamba

  phone: +381 (11) 3295 351, +381 (64) 8087 806
  address: Cvijićeva 110
  Italian and southeastern Serbian cuisine, but mostly you come for the way-out decor, which is beyond kitsch.

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

  phone: +381 11 32 42 173
  address: Kralja Aleksandra 48
  Sandwiches, wraps, juices, and baked goods, relaxing ambience.

• Tel Aviv Hummus House

  address: Carice Milice 3
  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.

The city tap water is safe to drink. It may look white when first poured from the tap; that's just air bubbles which disappear in a few minutes.
Good domestic beers are Jelen, Lav, MB and Pils. Foreign beers made under license in Serbia include Heineken, Amstel, Tuborg, Stella Artois, and Beck's.
Wines from Serbia and other Balkan countries are good if you pay a little more for quality, the cheap stuff may be disappointing.
The national drink is rakija Serbian brandy. The commonest is plum brandy - šljivovica or slivovitsa; other common varieties are grape, walnut, quince and pear. It can be bought in stores but Serbs insist that home-made rakjia is superior, and they take great pride in their craft. Look out for it at the local farmers markets.
Last but not least, always toast your companions in the proper manner. Look them in the eye whilst clinking glasses, say Živeli! (cheers!) to all present as if you mean it, and take a sip. Repeat as necessary, and enjoy the night out in Belgrade.

Cafés

Coffee is usually served Turkish-style unless you specify otherwise.
The main café scene is along Strahinjića Bana, the thoroughfare four blocks back from Student Square, eg Nachos and Duomo both at 66a.
The second area is Obilićev Venac, running parallel to Knez Mihailova. The best cafés here are Zu Zu's at 21, and Gecko Irish Pub at 17. Further downhill towards the river is the rejuvenated Savamala neighbourhood, with lots of cafés and clubs.
A third area is west of the Sava, on the Danube quay around Hotel Yugoslavia in Zemun. Many of these places are rafts - splavovi.

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

• Three Carrots Irish pub

  address: Kneza Miloša
  Cheerful place with food & music.

• Black Turtle

  phone: +381 11 3286-656
  address: Kosančićev venac 30
  Chain pub run by Black Turtle brewery, several other outlets in city. Off-beat beers, eg mixed with lemon and blueberry syrup, as well as memorable river view at summer sunset if you can grab an outdoor table.

Hostels

• Ferijalni i hostelski savez Srbije - Youth Hostel Association of Serbia

  phone: +381 64 112 1040
  address: Dom Omladine, Makedonska 22/2
  FHSS - Youth hostel association Serbia is biggest hostel network in Serbia, representative for Hostelling International.

• 360 Hostel

  phone: +381 11 3284 523
  address: Knez Mihailova 21
  Roof garden and barbeques.

• ArkaBarka Floating Hostel

  phone: +381 64 9253507
  address: Ušće, Novi Beograd
  A floating house on the Danube.

• Downtown Central Hostel

  phone: +381 11 407 38 61
  address: Kolarčeva 7
  Newly furnished hostel with 70 beds.

• Green Studio

  phone: +381 11 263 36 26
  address: Karadjordjeva 61
  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.

• Hedonist Hostel

  phone: +381 11 3284 798, +381 64 26 20 999
  address: Simina 7
  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.

• Hostel Goodnight Grooves

  phone: +381 11 2185824
  address: Zeleni Venac 2
  Clean spacious rooms near city centre.

• Hostelche

  phone: +381 11 2637793, +381 63 8379461 (cell phone)
  address: Kralja Petra 8
  Clean, cozy place. They have free sheets, towels, laundry, games, books, 24–hour reception, internet, Wi-Fi, welcome drink, coffee, and tea.

• Hostel @ Jelica Milanovic School

  address: Krunska 8
  A high school campus in the middle of town which functions as a hostel in summer, between June 20th and August 30th.

• Manga Hostel

  phone: +381 11 324 38 77, +381 64 261 05 09
  address: Resavska 7
  3-floor house, 1x10, 2x4, 1x1 rooms, 24-hr reception, private yard, air conditioning, free: wifi, lockers, towels, coffee & tea, maps, cable TV.

• San Art Floating Hostel

  phone: +381 63238278
  address: Usce bb, Novi Beograd
  Is it a chalet, is it a houseboat? Clean, well-run, friendly hostel near river confluence.

• Sun Hostel

  phone: +381 64 12 01 065
  address: Novopazarska 25
  Well-run hostel, clean and spacious, with dorms, apt & private rooms. Comfy, a/c, safe-lockers backpack size, free internet, friendly staff.

• Time Hostel

  phone: +381 11 32 85 160
  address: Cara Lazara 9
  Beds for 18 in 3 dorms and one private room. Great location but gets poor reviews for cleanliness.

• Yolostel

  address: Apt 6, 3rd floor, Uzun Mirkova 6
  Central hostel, cleanliness hit-and-miss.

Budget hotels

• Crossroad

  phone: +381 63 252-529
  address: Gospodar Jevremova 41
  Small guesthouse with one double room and the other with 3 single beds, no dorm.

• Belgrade City Hotel

  address: Savski trg 7
  Convenient hotel in Neo-Renaissance building.

• Hotel Srbija

  address: Ustanička 127c
  Small hotel convenient for motorists, mixed reviews.

• Villa Forever

  address: Marsala Birjuzova 44
  Central 3-star.

• Kasina Hotel

  address: Terazije 25
  Basic hotel in city centre. Narrow building, you'll spot it easier from opposite sidewalk outside Moskva.

• Park Hotel

  phone: +381 11 414 6 800
  address: Njegoseva 2
  Passable budget hotel, rooms showing their age.

• Slavija Hotel

  phone: +381 11 3084800
  address: 2 Svetog Save
  Renovated rooms are decent, older rooms are tatty.

• Villa Allegra

  phone: +381 65 2415600
  address: Vojvode Dragomira 18b, Vračar
  Value for money hotel south of midtown.

Mid-range

• Hotel Excelsior

  address: Karadjordjeva 75
  Decent mid-town hotel, now part of Mercure / Accor chain.

• Hotel Royal INN

  address: 56 Kralja Petra
  One of the oldest hotels in Belgrade, dating to 1885, gets positive reviews.

• Mr. President Design Hotel

  address: Karadjordjeva 75
  Comfy modern hotel, 61 rooms with internet and standard facilities.

• Hotel Sumadija

  address: Šumadijski Trg 8
  Decent hotel near road onto Ada Ciganlija island.

• Nevski Hotel

  address: Venizelosova 24a
  Comfy central hotel.

• Tulip Inn

  address: Palmira Toljatija 9, Novi Beograd
  Decent 3 star hotel.

• Queen's Astoria Design Hotel

  address: Milovana Milovanovića
  Central hotel with bistro restaurant.

• Hotel Rex

  address: Sarajevska 37
  Comfy, central business-type hotel with 24 hour reception.

• Apartment Apollo 011

  phone: +381 63 1161982, +381 61 1558752
  address: Suboticka 23
  Tidy, comfortable apartment.

• Life Design Hotel

  phone: +381 11 35 34 300
  address: Balkanska 18
  Small 4-star hotel with parking, clean and efficient, good room rate for such a central location.

Splurge

• Belgrade Art Hotel

  phone: +381 11 3312000
  address: Knez Mihailova 27
  Boutique hotel in very central location. With 55 rooms and suites, bar, lounge bar, restaurant and 2 meeting rooms.

• Holiday Inn

  address: Spanskih Boraca 74, Novi Beograd
  Good reliable business hotel on west bank.

• Hotel Evropa

  phone: +381 11 36 26 017
  address: Terazije 2
  In a historic building. Air-condition, free Wi-Fi, free access to the spa centre: a sauna, Turkish bath and a jacuzzi.

• Townhouse 27

  phone: +381 11 20 22 900
  address: Marsala Birjuzova 56
  Clean & efficient 4-star, close to city centre.

• Crystal Hotel

  phone: +381 11 7151000
  address: Internacionalnih brigada 9
  Decent hotel, has 44 rooms with high speed internet and pay TV.

• Balkan Hotel

  phone: +381 11 36-36-000
  address: Prizrenska 2
  Four-star hotel overlooking Terazije square. It's closed for renovation in early 2019.

• Moskva

  phone: +381 11 2686-255
  address: Balkanska 1
  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.

• Aleksandar Palas

  phone: +381 11 3305-300
  address: Kralja Petra 13–15
  A boutique hotel near the Knez Mihailova pedestrian street and the Kalemegdan fortress.

• Hyatt Regency

  phone: +381 11 301 1234
  address: Milentija Popovica 5, Novi Beograd
  Big four star on west bank, mostly good reviews but rooms are showing their age.

• Crowne Plaza

  phone: +381 11 222 3500
  address: Vladimira Popovica 10, Novi Beograd
  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.

• IN Hotel Belgrade

  phone: +381 11 310 5300
  address: Bulevar Arsenija Carnojevica 56, Novi Beograd
  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.

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, +381 11 3344-923
• Sveti Sava, Nemanjina 2, +381 11 2643-170
• Zemun, Glavna 34, +381 11 2618-582
• Dom Zdravlja Novi Beograd, Palmira Toljatija 7

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.

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 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.

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

  phone: +381 11 306-3000
  address: Kneza Miloša 75

• Finland

  phone: +381 11-306 5400
  address: Birčaninova 29

• Germany

  phone: +381 11 3064-300
  address: Neznanog junaka 1a

• Greece

  phone: +381 11 3226523
  address: Francuska 33

• Japan

  phone: +381 11 3012800-4
  address: Genex Apartments, Vladimira Popovića 6

• Macedonia

  phone: +381 11 328 4924
  address: Gospodar Jevremova 34

• Mexico

  phone: +381 11 367 4170
  address: Ljutice Bogdana 5, Dedinje, Savski venac

• Poland

  phone: +381 11 2065 301
  address: Kneza Miloša 38

• Russia

  phone: +381 11 361 1090, +381 11 361 1323
  address: Deligradska 32

• Switzerland

  phone: +381 11 3065 820
  address: Bulevar Oslobođenja 4

• Turkey

  phone: +381 11 3332 400
  address: Krunska 73

• United Kingdom

  phone: +381 11 2645 055
  address: Resavska 46

• United States

  phone: +381 11 706 4000
  address: Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karađorđevića 92

• Novi Sad is a fine old city 100 km north of Belgrade, the standout being its Petrovaradin Fortress brooding over the Danube.
• The town near Novi Sad on the south bank of the Danube is historic Sremski Karlovci, with many museums, churches and galleries.
• The mountain west of it is Fruška Gora, with monasteries, vineyards and wildlife.
• South of Belgrade, near the town of Topola in Šumadija region, is Oplenac hill, with the Mausoleum of the Serbian Royal family.
• A little north of there near Aranđelovac is Orašac, cockpit of the First Serbian Uprising against the Turks.
• Vršac, 60 km northeast of Belgrade, is a notable wine-growing area.
• There are spas at Aranđelovac, Mladenovac and Mionica-Valjevo.
• Viminacium is the extensive remains of the Roman provincial capital of Moesia. It's 80 km southeast of Belgrade near Pozarevac in Podunavlje region.