Serbia is in a unique spot in what seems to be where Central and Eastern Europe meet. It very likely is not in the top 10 target destinations for someone from North America but, of course, that means nothing to me: I had in on my list of places to see (it is a very long list!). Being surrounded by many countries I have visited added to the curiosity since none of those countries were alike. I wanted to see if Serbia was akin to any of the others I had seen. I learned it was an interesting place rich with history and cool places to see.
Initially, this trip to Europe was anchored on Prague, Vienna and Budapest – destinations my cousin had been targeting – but I thought it was the perfect trip into which to incorporate a visit to Serbia. I flew in from the U.S. via Charles de Gaulle in Paris and, when I left, I flew from Belgrade to Prague to meet up with my cousin and the others on the trip.
Impressions of Serbia’s Capital: Belgrade
Of course, the trip began in Belgrade, its capital city. I did not know what to expect. Was it more like its Central European neighbors’ capital cities or more like its Eastern European neighbors’ capital cities? Well, I could not quite peg to either and that was actually kind of cool. Its unique placement at the confluence of two large rivers (the Danube being one and the Sava being the other), its strategic location over centuries of fighting back and forth between Ottomans and Europeans, and its more gradual transition out of a Communist (though milder than other Eastern European countries) past lent it a very different feel than any of the other cities in the region.
Cool Places to See in Belgrade
Belgrade is a city with plenty of places to check out. They are not all concentrated in one core part so a good plan or a guided tour (see next section) is best. I explored many of these through the guided tour but also by exploring on my own before and after the tour. I enjoyed the mix of sites that I got to explore, some for the history, some for the views, and some to just stroll through and relax! Here is my list of cool places to see in Belgrade.
1 – Tašmajdan Park and St. Mark’s Orthodox Church
- Tašmajdan is a quiet city park near by the Metropol Palace Hotel and Parliament, with great paths for walking or jogging. It also hosts special events; there were fireworks there one of the nights I was in town.
- At one end of it (towards Parliament) is the beautiful church of St. Mark‘s which is nicely illuminated at night. It was only built in the mid-20th century but that does not take away from its beauty. The prior church built on that side was destroyed during World War I.
Looking at St. Mark’s from the park
Interior of St. Mark
Main avenue by the park (Bulevar kralja Aleksandra)
Memorial at the park for children who died in 1999 NATO bombings of the city
2 – Tito Mausoleum
- Josip Broz Tito was the leader of Communist Yugoslavia for most of its existence. But he was also a World War II hero to the country.
- He also led the Non-Aligned Movement that sought to create a sphere separate from U.S. and Soviet leadership though, in the end, it is hard to believe its full neutrality when Soviet puppets like Cuba were part of it…
- In any case, parts of the site are undergoing renovations but the mausoleum itself containing his tomb (and his wife’s who lived an extra 33 years mostly under something akin to house arrest) is open. It is also known as the House of Flowers.
- It so happened that it was the anniversary of Tito’s death when I visited so every visitor was handed lapel pins with his image.
- The site is not in the heart of the city but I’d say it is worth the effort if you like history or are curious about the Cold War that now seems something so distant to many…
Tito’s tomb
3 – Belgrade Fortress
- Belgrade sits by the intersection of the Sava and Danube rivers. That intersection is best appreciated from a park at Belgrade Fortress.
- Belgrade Fortress has a long history and its construction / expansion happened under different “regimes” over the centuries. It is an interesting place to explore but make sure someone explains that history so you can better appreciate the site.
- Suffice it to say that the site’s origins go back to when the settlement was that of a Celtic tribe around 300 B.C. and later became a Roman one. It developed over time into the larger fortress evidenced today at the site.
- But not without many instances of being destroyed and rebuilt. One such installment happened in the 18th century when Austria returned the area to the Ottoman Empire but had to destroy the fortifications as part of the terms agreed to…
- Kalemegdan Park abuts the fortress and it is a place to enjoy a break from all the exploring and watch life go by.
One of the main gates to the fortress
The walls of the fortress show different construction periods
View of the intersection of the Danube River (top right) with the Sava River
4 – Avala Tower
- Outside the city, the Avala Tower (over 200m tall) offers great views of the region around Belgrade and the city itself. It is worth trekking out there and paying to go up for the views.
- The original tower was lost to NATO bombings in 1999 so the tower now on the site is only around 10 years old.
The tower is not really inclined!
My only photo of the view has me as an accessory…
5 – Monument to the Unknown Hero
- The monument is located really close to the Avala Tower making the extra distance to go see one be even more worth it.
- It was built before World War II to commemorate an unknown World War I soldier tomb found there.
- The structure atop a steep flight of stairs is quite impressive. It is decorated with massive statues of women in local attire representing the various areas of the former Yugoslavia. The plaza around it is quite pleasant and a nice spot to rest.
Nice path leads to the monument atop the staircase
Two of the eight statues atop the monument
Great, placid vistas of the countryside
6 – Strolling through the streets of Belgrade
- Belgrade is not enjoying the money brought in by big tourism as other cities like Prague may be. While the limited investment is visible, it lends great charm to the city as it does not feel amusement-park like. It feels like a regular city, with character and history both of which afford the attentive eye good opportunities for cool photos!
- The Dorćol district right by the Danube is a cool one to walk around. Though damaged during Allied bombing in World War II, you can appreciate how Belgrade must have felt like back in the day. It is interesting to see a rare mosque from around the 17th century almost around the corner from the Jewish Historical Museum.
- The area known as Skadarlija is supposed to be fun and bohemian district of Belgrade. I did not spend time there but heard many good things about it.
Charming old tram
Beautiful building!
Street art is not only a Belgrade thing but I liked this one
Another great piece of architecture near Belgrade Fortress
7 – The small town of Zemun
- Now a “suburb” of greater Belgrade (New Belgrade), it used to be its own town dating back to Roman times (as does part of Old Belgrade).
- Its Gardoš Tower (also referred to as the Millennium Tower) is a short climb but being located atop a hill, it offers nice views towards Old Belgrade. Seemingly its grounds are also popular among couples getting married for photos of the big day! The tower was built at the end of the 19th century and it is well worth heading there.
- Coming down to the main square, we stopped a corner bakery where I was introduced to a delicious Serbian cheese-filled pastry called burek. Spectacular!
The Gardoš Tower
The view from up high with yours truly
Burek!
8 – Church of St. Sava
- Unfortunately, this important and large Serbian Orthodox Church, was not open during my visit. Construction started in the 1930s and it is still being finished though most of it seems to nbe done.
- An interesting factoid is that its main dome was built on the grounded and lifted into position in 1989.
- Though the main part of the church is not open, the crypt was. It was quite beautiful.
Exterior
Nicely illuminated crypt!
9 – The Nikola Tesla Museum and the nearby Kultura Bar
As an electrical engineer (though I may not remember most of what I learned in those university years past!), visiting the birth city of Nikola Tesla presented the opportunity to explore the local museum dedicated to him. Now, Mr. Tesla moved early on to the United States but still it is his birth city so a visit to the Nikola Tesla Museum was top on my list. The museum is a little different than most museums in that you can only enter it on the hour and the group is capped as the experience is partially guided. It starts with a 15-minute movie followed by exploring the concepts Tesla worked with – hands-on. One has to look in advance to see for a given time slot what language is the guided tour offered in so one doesn’t show up -as I did- at a time in a language one doesn’t understand…
Unfortunately, my first attempt was at the correct language for English but I didn’t get to make it in as the group was maxed out. Luckily for me, I had read in advance of cool local bars and one of the top ones was one block away so I went over to have a drink and, I thought, kill 45 minutes so I could get into the next group (which was in English). Well, that was a great plan except the bar, Kultura Bar, was so quaint and the bar staff so friendly that I just stayed on 2-3 hours and missed the opportunity to visit the museum. Now that is going with the flow! Their tequila-based Old Fashioned was pretty darn good!
Interior of the Kultura Bar
How best to explore Belgrade: small group guided tour
Since my time in Serbia was very limited, I signed up for a small group Belgrade tour to maximize the number of sights I could visit without worrying about how to get to places or getting distracted (see the prior section on the failed Nikola Tesla museum visit!). The smaller group is more manageable for the tour guide as the vehicle can be smaller and he can get to talk with everyone standing just right around him. It also moves faster as there is less chance of people holding the group up.
This was a great idea as the sites to visit were not necessarily within easy walking distance from each other. We did have a part of the tour that allowed us to walk around through the heart of the city which was nice as we got to mix being driven places with enough time out and about. The tour allowed me to get a good sense of the city and where things were for future reference.
You can probably find a number of operators out there without me talking about who I used. I found the guide for this tour very ready to help us learn about Belgrade and Serbia and proud of his town. Vert cool
My next day in Serbia was spent going outside of Belgrade to explore Serbia’s second city, the jewel town of Novi Sad. More on that in an upcoming post! In the meantime, pin this image to your travel board!
