Belgrade

Belgrade (Serbian: Београд, Beograd) is the capital of the Republic of Serbia and the country's largest city. 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 resurgence in the 21st century as the leading hub in Southeastern Europe makes it a must-see destination. 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.

Understand
Belgrade, meaning 'White City', has a population of 1.4 million people in the urban area (2022). It lies on the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers.

History
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.

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.

Visitor information

 * Go Belgrade,, information from the Tourist Organisation of Belgrade.

By plane


Getting there and away:
 * By bus:
 * Bus 72 runs every 30 mins to Zeleni Venac, close to the inter-city bus station and Republic Square. The fare is RSD 50 (see payment options below). 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.
 * Bus 600 runs every 30-40 mins to Central Train Station (Beograd Centar-Prokop) via Novi Beograd station. The fare is RSD 50.
 * Minibus A1 runs between the airport and Slavija Square, stopping at Fontana (Novi Beograd) and the main bus station. The buses are comfortable and air-conditioned. The fare is RSD400, pay the driver. The also accept euros, while the amount demanded is only €4 (which by December 2022 doesn't make much sense). The trip takes 30 minutes. This bus also runs at night, with a short break from around 02:00-04:00.


 * By taxi – If you prefer taxis, 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 RSD3000 to the center and New Belgrade and RSD4000 to the suburbs, and includes luggage. You can order a taxi by phone or simply go to the designated taxi booth, obtain a slip which has your destination written down and hand the slip to the taxi driver.

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.

Local buses don't use BAS, but the bus stands adjacent south. There are no gates or charges to enter this area.

By train


Routes to Centre station 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 (no longer in operation).
 * Change in Budapest from most destinations further west, and from Eastern Europe. But there is one direct train a day from Vienna (12 hr) via Budapest. There's also one from Zürich (23 hr), via Zagreb (7 hr), Ljubljana (9 hr), Villach (12 hr) and Innsbruck (18 hr).
 * Trains from Novi Sad run about twice every hour, taking 36-57 minutes depending on the type of express train. Timetables are available on SrbijaVoz website. Regional train tickets cost RSD393 and Soko non-stop train tickets cost RSD573 (as of July 2024). Be careful that the ticket seller may charge you an extra RSD120 for sitting on the upper deck of the Soko train. The Soko trains are rarely full and train conductors do not check if you're sitting in your assigned seat.


 * An overnight train "Lovcen" runs to and from Bar (11 hours) via Podgorica and offers a car transport service (note that the cars can only be loaded at the Zemun station, which is the terminus station for these trains. The day train "Tara" runs only during the summer season.

Westbound trains also call at on the west bank of the River Sava.

Southbound trains for Thessaloniki, Athens and Istanbul no longer run and probably won't until Belgrade-Niš is upgraded to high-speed rail.

By car
Coming from north or south use the E-75 highway. The Ibarska magistrala (Ibar highway, M-22) approaches from Montenegro and the southwest. From the west (eg Zagreb and Ljubljana) use E-70. There are also major roads from Vršac and Zrenjanin.

Highways have toll stations, which are moderately priced. Serbia's only toll highways are parts of E-70 and E-75, which as A3 goes through the middle of Belgrade. If you're heading for Bulgaria or Greece via Niš, the signs will lead you onto A1 the southern bypass. But except in rush hour, it's just as quick to stay on A3 through the city. A1 is a modern but undivided highway, and you're sure to fetch up behind a slow truckload of watermelons, as heavy goods vehicles are required to use this road and avoid city centre.

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.

As of 2024 GSP Beograd offers the Beograd +plus app. It allows ticket purchases via sms or credit card and offers basic station timetables.

Google Maps can also be used to find good public transport options. You can use the  Moovit application for public transit navigation, maps, schedules, real-time arrivals just adding first and last stop.

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, e.g. the Polish Solaris Urbino 18. Further out you may encounter some elderly specimens, e.g. 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.

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 was the nr. 3, which went through scenic park area of Topčide. As of July 2024, it's out of service.

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
In May 2023, a new ticketing system (Beograd Plus) was introduced to replace the old one (Bus Plus). It made tickets more affordable than before. In July 2023, Android application Beograd Plus is instroduced, in Serbian and English.

The whole city is divided into two zones, marked as A and B, while zone C represents A and B zones combined. Zone A includes most of the urban city part, while zone B includes smaller towns south of Belgrade that are administratively part of it (Lazarevac, Mladenovac, Obrenovac, Barajevo, Sopot and part of Grocka). Since most tourists never leave the urban part, we will only list Zone A tickets here. For other zones, see website.

Ticket options:


 * 90-minute ticket (50 RSD)
 * 1-day ticket (120 RSD)
 * 7-days ticket (800 RSD)
 * 30-days ticket (2200 RSD)

Tickets can be purchased:


 * using Android application Beograd Plus
 * by sending an SMS from a Serbian mobile phone number
 * in a paper form on a very few places in Belgrade (with a promise that from summer 2023 they will be available for purchase on many more places).

To buy tickets using Android application Beograd Plus, you must install the application, create the account in the application, and enter your credit card number. The application also provides the list and map of nearest stations, with the list of waiting times for every line on a selected station.

To buy tickets by sending and SMS, you need to own a Serbian mobile phone number. You cannot ask someone else to buy a ticket for you by sending SMS from their phone number, because during the ticket control, additional SMS will be sent to that same phone number, and if you cannot present the additional SMS to inspector you will be fined. To buy a ticket, send the following codes by SMS from a Serbian mobile phone number to number 9011:


 * A90 for 90-minute ticket
 * A1 for a 1-day ticket
 * A7 for a 7-day ticket
 * A30 for a 30-day ticket

Mobile operators charge an additional 5% fee to the price of the ticket.

You can buy paper tickets in just a couple of places in Belgrade:


 * Skender Begova 47, Stari Grad
 * Trg Republike Shopping center (Republic square), Stari Grad
 * Knez Mihailova 6 (2nd floor), Stari Grad
 * Deligradska 10, Savski Venac
 * Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 167, Novi Beograd

The ticket is valid starting from the moment of purchase (including the 90-minute one). Tickets don't need to be validated or stamped when entering the vehicle.

Children, pupils and students must also pay for the tickets, unless they have permanent residence in Belgrade.

If a busy bus suddenly empties, it's highly likely because the passengers with no ticket have spotted an inspector getting aboard. Your options, if you don't have a ticket, are: to jump ship with them, to bluster or brazen your way out, or face a 2000 RSD on-the-spot fine.

Minibuses connect the suburbs and are generally faster and more comfortable than regular buses. A single ride costs 150 RSD, paid to 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 minutes. Night transport is free of charge. The night 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 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: RSD50 single ride.

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. Construction on the first line only began in late 2021.

By taxi
Taxis are cheap by European standards, though far more expensive than anywhere else in Serbia. Car:Go is an Uber-like app and you can pay by card in the app. The other apps are Pink Taxi and Yandex Taxi.

You can find the official info about taxis in Belgrade here. Fares are regulated by the government and are 270 RSD to start a ride, 96-125 RSD per km (depending on time of day) and 20 RSD per minute of waiting time.

Taxi scams are common in Belgrade.

It is always best to order taxis via a smartphone app (Car:Go, Pink Taxi or Yandex Taxi), since it will record the licence plates, and the whole ride. Apps will also give you an approximate price that you will 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's database. However, the information saved in the operator's database are not nearly as clear or as detailed as the one saved by smartphone apps, so that offers 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 licence plates ending with TX (e.g. 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 a driver is trying to rip you off, call the operator of his taxi association to check if the price is regular for the specified distance. Afraid of the 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 driver’s 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 and if you are going from or to the airport, also report it to the airport inspection (, 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 (30 km/h), on the highway is higher (up to 130 km/h). 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,. 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.). There are some other options such as Safe-Driver Beograd. Belgrade is known for nightlife, so if you find yourself in such a situation, this is a way to arrive home safely.

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 per hour.
 * Green Zone is the rest of city centre, maximum stay 3 hours, RSD41 per hour.
 * Blue Zone beyond has no limit but still charges RSD31 per hr or RSD150 per 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 Sa 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 (e.g. 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, e.g. 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.

See
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. Many of Belgrade's museums are closed on Monday.


 * There are two churches within the Fortress.
 * There are two churches within the Fortress.
 * There are two churches within the Fortress.

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.






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

Do

 * 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 204-m 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.
 * 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 204-m 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:

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



Festivals and events

 * Street of Open Heart is a carnival held on 1 January, 12:00 to 23:00, on Makedonska and Svetogorska streets.
 * Guitar Art Festival, March
 * FEST, International Film Festival, March
 * Belgrade Tango Encuentro, April–May
 * Ring Ring, Festival of new and improvised music, May
 * Belgrade Burger Fest, end of May - beginning of June
 * Belgrade Early Music Festival, 18 May–June, no information for 2023, might be canceled
 * Belgrade Beer Festival, June (2023) or August (pre-2023) in Ušće park
 * BITEF Belgrade International Theater Festival, September
 * BEMUS, Belgrade Music Festival, October
 * Belgrade Jazz Festival, October
 * Green Fest International green culture festival, November
 * No Sleep Festival of electronic, house & retro music in November
 * No Sleep Festival of electronic, house & retro music in November

Sports

 * Watch football: Belgrade hosts internationals and has five clubs playing soccer in SuperLiga, the country's top tier.
 * 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.
 * The others are FK Kolubara, FK Čukarički and FK Voždovac. Several 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
For information on the Serbian currency, see Serbia. 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.



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.



Eat
For information on Serbian cuisine, see Serbia

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 barbecue joints around the city where you can have a Serbian burger for around €2, usually with free toppings included.

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.

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

There are a handful of international restaurants, which can range from moderately priced to very expensive.

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.



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.



Drink
The city tap water is generally safe to drink, although one should be cautious if it's from an old building, as the lead piping is sparsely maintained. Knez Mihailova street and several others have public water fountains, which dispense good quality water. 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, e.g. 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



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, +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

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.

Pošta Srbije runs the national postal service. Postal office locations can be found on their website.

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 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
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * North Macedonia
 * 🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * 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.
 * Leave the country by boarding the train Lovcen (433) at 8:20 PM to wake up in Bar (a coastal Montenegrin city) at 7:23 AM (with a border control happening in the middle of the night).