Belgrade.
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Overview

Belgrade (Serbian: Београд, Beograd) is the capital of the Republic of Serbia. It stands at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, where the rolling Pannonian Plain fetches up against the rugged Balkan peninsula, and in 2022 had a population of 1.2 million, about a fifth of Serbia's total. It's a fascinating and friendly destination in its own right, and the obvious starting point for exploring more of Serbia and the Balkans.

Understand

The core of the city is on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube. Both rivers are navigable by large vessels: the Sava up to Sisak in Croatia, and the Danube from the Black Sea all the way up to Kelheim in Bavaria. It's been inhabited at least since 6000 BC and the earliest recognisable town was the Celtic settlement of Singidūn. The bluff now called Kalmegdan was fortified and its environs grew into the White City, beo grad.

Belgrade has, however, suffered over 100 wars and was destroyed over 40 times. Those who've left their linguistic or cultural mark include the Slavs from 520 AD, the Ottoman Empire from 1521, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1688. After the First World War, Belgrade became the seat of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, from 1929 known as Yugoslavia. That entity after the Second World War was under Tito's distinctive brand of communism until he died in 1980. The Balkans in the following years were roiled by internecine wars as Yugoslavia broke apart, and in 1999 NATO forces bombed Belgrade to force the independence of Kosovo.

Serbia has not sought to join the EU, eurozone or Schengen area, but Belgrade presents a friendly face to western travellers, with English and German widely understood, and their bank cards accepted. Its overlapping layers of history and capital status create a fascinating vibrant blend. It's easy to reach and relatively inexpensive.

The majority of places of interest are within 2 km of the citadel of Kalmegdan. Belgrade's extension north of the Danube, Kotež, is an ugly sprawl. Novi Beograd is a modern business district west of the Sava, with transport hubs, shopping and entertainment - this page uses its local name to avoid confusion with terms such as "New Belgrade bus station".

Belgrade has a temperate continental climate, with hot rainy summers and cold snowy winters. Keep an eye on the weather forecast when planning your day, and dress accordingly. Košava is the fierce summer wind that's destroyed umbrellas and picnics on a scale that the city's multiple conquerors would admire.

Tourist information is available within the city library at Kneza Mihaila 56, next to the entrance to Kalmegdan. It's open daily 09:00-20:00.

Get in

By plane (, Aerodrom Nikola Tesla Beograd) is how most visitors reach Serbia. Most flights are by Air Serbia, especially from other Balkan cities such as Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Skopje and Zagreb, and within Serbia from Niš and Kraljevo. Other airlines are mostly traditional "flag-carriers" such as Lufthansa. Serbia doesn't have the EU "open skies" philosophy, so Wizz is the only budget carrier. The airport, for practical purposes, has a single terminal. Arriving, you pass through the airside lounge before passport control and baggage reclaim. 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.

Getting there and away: the airport is 18 km west of city centre.

Bus 72 runs every 30 min to Novi Beograd railway and bus station then to Zeleni Venac near Republic Square. It's free and takes 50 min, running daily 05:00-23:30. The bus disembarks passengers outside Departures and then circles around to pick up from Arrivals on the level below. Bus 600 runs every 30-40 min to Central Train Station (Beograd Centar-Prokop) via Novi Beograd station, free of charge (Jan 2026). 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 trip takes 30 minutes. This bus also runs at night, with a short break from around 02:00-04:00.

By taxi: read the precautions described below. Taxi options from safest to least safe: - Order by mobile app such as Yandex Go, CAR:GO or Pink Taxi Beograd. The taxi will meet you upstairs at Departures. The taxi will meet you at Departures. - Take a slip from a vending machine next to baggage claim. Pick up is from Arrivals. - Taking a taxi waiting at Arrivals is risky, there are too many crooks.

By bus Buses are the best overland option from western Europe while the railway is being dug up. They run at least daily from Budapest (6-7 hours), Sarajevo (7 hours), Sofia (11 hours), Thessaloniki (10 hours via Niš and Skopje) and Timișoara (3 hours). Buses connect Belgrade to all the main cities of Serbia: some speed along the motorway, others wend and wind through small towns, so check: the next departure might not be the quickest. 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.

Flixbus is the main operator on long distance routes. Polazak is a portal for planning bus travel within Serbia: bus lines include Ozlem, Jugoprevoz Kruševac, Litas, Niš Ekspres, Dunav Prevoz, Severtrans, Lasta, Best Komerc, Božur and Kavim Jedinstvo.

Belgrade Bus Station or BAS (Београдска аутобуска станица) moved to Novi Beograd in 2024: it's at Antifašističke borbe 2, south across the street from Novi Beograd railway station. But if you buy your ticket online it's not included, and you have to buy a platform card in the terminal, from a separate kiosk with a queue so long that you'll probably miss the bus. You might also have to pay the bus driver an extra RSD100 per bag placed in the cargo compartment.

It's an hour walk from Belgrade Bus Station to the city center, better use public transport to get there.

The former downtown station on Karađorđeva has closed.

International trains have been a tale of woe for years as the track is dug up. Trains from Budapest are promised from Spring 2026, taking 3 hr 20 min. Until then the workaround is to travel from Budapest Nyugati to Szeged, change to a local train to Subotica, then a Serbian train via Novi Sad to Belgrade Centre (Beograd Centar). There are three connections a day, taking 7 hours.

Trains from Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Sarajevo, Zagreb and Ljubljana have been suspended for years, take the bus.

A nightly sleeper Lovćen runs from Bar on the Montenegro coast, taking 11 hr via Podgorica and Bijelo Polje. It also transports cars, so from Belgrade Centre it rumbles onward to the car terminal at Zemun at the northwest edge of the city. There's also a daytime service Tara, better for admiring the mountain scenery, and you change trains at Bijelo Polje on the border.

Trains from Novi Sad run hourly and take one hour. From Subotica they're every hour or two taking 80 min. Four trains a day take 6 hours from Niš.

Tickets and timetables are available from the national operator SrbijaVoz, but only in Serbian.

(Железничка станица Београд Центар / Železnička stanica Beograd Centar) finally opened in 2016, a tad beyond its original target of 1979. It was a national joke for decades and has been carefully placed 2 km south of downtown, with poor onward connections. It's nevertheless modern and clean, and known locally as Prokop station for its district.

(Нови Београд) is a stop for trains running west out of Centre Station towards Zemun, Novi Sad, Zvornik and Šid. It's more convenient than Centre for connections to city transport, and Belgrade Bus Station is south across the street.

By road Coming from north or south use Highway E-75. Ibarska magistrala M-22 is 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 tolls are inexpensive: 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 direct 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 modern but undivided, 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.

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

Get around

Local public transport in Belgrade is free. This excludes trains, and express bus lines with an E route number.

GSP Beograde (ГСП) operates city buses, trams and trolleybuses. You can try to use their Beograd +plus app for timetables and live tracking, but it is a bit slow and cumbersome compared to your regular navigation app.

Buses are the mainstay of city 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 neighborhoods 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 former intercity main bus station (Železnička 4; 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 run along 11 routes. These all converge in the Slavija-Vukov Spomenik area except 11 and 13 which run to Novi Beograd. Line 2 orbits the centre. Some trams are modern from the 2020s, while others look like they're from the 1960s.

Trolleybuses follow 7 lines along 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).

By train The suburban railway is called '''BG:Voz''' ("BG Train"). Line 1 connects Batajnica with Ovča via Zemun, Novi Beograd, Beograd Centar (Prokop), Karađorđev Park and Vukov Spomenik. Line 2 runs south from Beograd Centar via Rakovica to Resnik. Frequencies vary by route, time of day and day of the week.

Belgrade's railway stations are also served by regional and intercity trains operated by '''Srbija Voz''', including '''Soko''' InterCity services to Novi Sad and Subotica. Timetables for BG:Voz, Soko and other Srbija Voz services across Serbia can be searched together at vozovi.rs, an independent timetable aggregator.

Belgrade does not yet have an operational metro. Line 1 is under construction; as of August 2026, tunnel-boring machines were being transported to Belgrade ahead of planned tunnelling works.

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.

It is always best to order taxis via a smartphone app, since it will record the licence plates, and the whole ride.

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).

Afraid of the city inspection, they might call back the driver and bring him to reason. 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 (, ). 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.

Car rental services are widely available both at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and throughout the city. Local agencies often provide more affordable options compared to major international brands, especially for longer trips.

Examples of local providers include: Terminal Rent a Car, MS Rent a Car

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 Mon-Fri 07:00-21:00 and Sat 07:00-14:00 (in Blue Zone from 08:00). With a kiosk ticket, write down the parking time and display it inside your windscreen. BG123AA) to 9111 (red zone), 9112 (yellow) or 9113 (green). Every message you send buys you an hour. Five minutes 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. 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.

By bicycle Old Belgrade is pretty hilly and the cycling infrastructure is scarce, so bicycle transport isn't in wide use. However, Novi Beograd 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.

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

Stari Grad The historic core of the city. is the fortress, park and earliest settlement of Belgrade, on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Danube and Sava. It's free to access 24 hours. Within its bounds are multiple sites including the military museum, a couple of churches, and a zoo.

Military Museum. Extensive collection of Serbia's military history. Good signage in English.

Ružica church within the Fortress 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. "Ružica" means little rose, though it's clad in ivy. Sveta Petka is a chapel next to Ružica built in 1937.

Belgrade Zoo. Popular, but with a lot of animals in a small space.

Belgrade Cathedral. The Cathedral Church of St Michael the Archangel is Orthodox, built 1837-40 in neoclassical style with a richly-decorated interior. Buried in front of the church are two notable Serbian linguists, Vuk Karadžić and Dositej Obradović.

Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Museum of church history with frescoes, mosaics, and icons. Good signage in English.

Residence of Princess Ljubica. Built in 1830 as a grand residence for Ljubica Vukomanović (1788-1843), consort of Prince Miloš Obrenović. It remained in royal use to 1842. Since 1979 it's been a branch of the City Museum, exhibiting architecture and furnishings of the 19th century, when Serbia was in transition from Ottoman to European styles.

National Bank of Serbia has a visitor centre and museum at Kralja Petra 12, a block east of the cathedral. You get to print banknotes with your own face: with the advent of cryptocurrency, the bank probably thought "what the hell". It's open M-F 10:00-16:00.

Museum of Applied Art. Displaying art and design from early history.

Kneza Mihaila is the main pedestrian street. It's lined by elegant 19th century buildings, coursing south from Kalmegdan to Republic Square, such as Heritage House and Zepter Museum.

Heritage House (Кућа легата) is next to Zepter Museum at Kneza Mihaila 46. It hosts changing art exhibitions.

Ethnographic Museum. Extensive display of Serbian costumes, tools, culture and everyday life in past centuries.

Vuk & Dositej Museum is between the Ethnographic Museum and Bajrakli Mosque at Gospodar-Jevremova 21. It's a branch of National Museum (same hours) showing development of the Serbian language. Adult RSD200.

Bajrakli Mosque. Built around 1575 when Islam was the majority religion, it's now the only mosque in Belgrade. Bajrakli means "with flag" - the muwaqqit calculated the exact time of Islamic observances and hoisted a flag to advise the other city mosques, whereupon each muezzin called from their minaret to those within earshot. It's been smashed up several times, most recently in 2004 during the Kosovo conflict, but restored.

Chocolate Museum. Chocolate's role in the story of the city, and you get to make your own.

Dorćol is the neighbourhood from the mosque down the slopes north to the Danube riverbank. The name is Turkish, dort yol means "four roads" or a crossroads, but it was rebuilt in Austrian style from 1717. The west end looks prosperous but the east end is grubby and industrial, as it's a busy river port.

Museum of Science and Technology. Gadgets, transport and machinery down the ages.

Church of St Alexander Nevsky. This Orthodox church was completed in 1929, replacing that of 1877. It has notable relics and frescoes.

National Museum. Founded in 1844, it has more than 400,000 items on 3 floors. It's organised into Paleolithic, Ancient History, Middle Ages and Modern.

Republic Square. The south side of the National Museum is the city's main plaza. The equestrian statue is of Prince Mihailo Obrenović (1823-1868), who negotiated the withdrawal of Ottoman troops from Belgrade. The city Cultural Centre also fronts onto the square. In spite of the imposing buildings, it's a drab concrete expanse thronged with traffic along Francuska.

Sukat Shalom Synagogue. Sephardic Jews settled in Belgrade from the 16th century, as the Ottomans welcomed those fleeing Spanish persecution. The Ashkenazis arrived in numbers from the 19th century, escaping Tsarist Russia, and completed this synagogue in 1924. It's still active, but now closed to visitors because of the risk of attack. (It's the same story with the Jewish Museum at Kralja Petra 71a.)

Terazije is the spine boulevard, coursing south from Republic Square and becoming Kralja Milana at the Old Palace. It's lined with grand buildings, and the police will shoo you away from several. Saint Sava dominates the view as you walk south.

Museum of Illusions. Family-friendly place with all the fairground usuals: distorting mirrors, Ames Room, and so on.

Museum of the Paranormal is authentically hoaky, at Lomina 14, open daily 12:00-21:00.

Old Palace. This was the residence of the Obrenović and Karađorđević princely dynasties from 1884 until 1922. It now houses Belgrade City Assembly, no visits except on business.

New Palace is just south of Old Palace on Andrićev Venac square. It was built 1911-22 for King Petar I Karađorđević, and is now the residence of the President of the Republic of Serbia.

Ivo Andric Museum. Museum in the home of Nobel laureate Ivo Andric (1892-1975).

Historical Museum of Serbia. Huge collection of materials about the Serbian nation from ancient times to the present. In the coming years it's intended to move to new premises on the site of the former railway station.

National Assembly of Serbia. Grand neo-baroque legislative palace, built 1907-36.

Postal Museum is a hidden oddity, at Majke Jevrosime 13 a block northeast of the National Assembly. It's open Tu W F Su 10:00-18:00, Th Sa 12:00-20:00.

St Mark's Church. Large Serbian Orthodox church built 1931-40 in Serbo-Byzantine style. Within are the tombs of King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan (1308-55), and of King Aleksandar I Obrenović (1876-1903) and his Queen Draga Mašin.

Church of the Holy Trinity (Храм Свете Тројице), dwarfed by next-door St Mark's, is Russian Orthodox. It was built in 1924 for White Russians fleeing from the Bolsheviks after their civil war. It's open M-Sa 08:30-18:00. Museum of Roma Culture (Kuća romske kulture) is opposite St Mark's at Ruzveltova 54. It's open M-F 09:00-16:00.

Nikola Tesla Museum. Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла, 1856-1943) made huge contributions to electric engineering, pioneering alternating current (enabling long-distance high-energy transfer), radio (underpinning today's mobile comms) and AC motors as used in household and office machinery. Half of this small museum is dedicated to Tesla's personal effects, while the other half contains models of his inventions. English-speaking tours start at the full hour and include demonstrations. Long lines build up at peak hours.

Temple of Saint Sava. The largest church in Serbia and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, under construction since 1935 and still not entirely finished. It's described as a temple (Hram) to distinguish it from the smaller St Sava Church (Tsrkva) adjacent. The crypt (downstairs from the main entrance) is an extensive, bright and polished area with walls covered with modern iconography, so it looks 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.

is at Hadži Melentijeva 75. It's Roman Catholic, and modern.

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin. Small Orthodox church built in 1933, in simple Serbian-Byzantine style. It's adorned with frescoes and mosaics, and has a rich collection of relics.

Presentation of the Virgin Monastery. Orthodox monastery church built in 1935 in the Serbian-Byzantine style.

House of King Petar I is a small museum and exhibition space 300 m west of the monastery at Vase Pelagića 40. There's nothing of the king himself here.

Museum of Yugoslavia and Tito's Mausoleum. This is in 3 buildings. Old Museum is a general display of the history and culture of the former Yugoslavia. 25 May Museum is an oh-so-Sixties building named for the official birthdate of Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980). It displays presents given to him during his 27-year presidency: he amassed quite a collection of youth relay batons. House of Flowers is his mausoleum.

Museum of African Art. West African contemporary art.

Royal Palace. Residence of the royal family of Serbia. You can only visit on a guided tour (in English or Serbian), booked through the Tourist Information Offices. The tour takes in the White Palace, with a large art collection.

Banjica concentration camp. This operated from July 1941 to October 1944 under Gestapo leadership; at least 3849 perished here. It's now a museum.

Rakovica Monastery. Built on its present site from 1600, the monastery's main structure is the Church of Archangel Michael. The other churches are modern.

White Hill. A large tell, a 10 m hillock of prehistoric settlements, mostly Neolithic. At weekends there are guided tours through the site.

16 km south of the city is a mountain of 511 m, topped by a telecoms tower. The tower was destroyed by NATO bombing during the Kosovo conflict but rebuilt in 2017. You can ride up to the observation deck for RSD500. Nearby is the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.

West of River Sava Novi Belgrade (Нови Београд) is the business district, laid out on a grid from 1948. Zemun is a much older settlement further up the Danube that merged into Novi Belgrade. Enjoy it soon before it subsides into a crater: the bedrock is riddled with medieval passageways, cisterns and shafts, all past due for collapse.

Museum of Contemporary Art. Large museum of Yugoslav, Serbian and international art of the 20th century, in a striking modern building.

(Велико ратно острво, Veliko ratno ostrvo) is the big triangular river island at the confluence of the Danube and Sava. Each summer the army builds a 300 m pontoon bridge from Zemun Quay, then removes it in autumn. It's a wildlife reserve, no buildings are permitted; illegal shacks repeatedly spring up to be swept away by floods before the city authorities can serve eviction notices. Wild boar from the island occasionally wander across to the mainland and make their way towards the swinish attractions of town. Little War Island (Malo ratno ostrvo) is much eroded, little more than a line of trees trying to keep their heads above water. is a hill in Zemun, topped by Gardoš Tower. Also known as Millennium Tower, this was one of seven erected to mark 1000 years of Hungarian settlement along the Danube. The neighbourhood was once part of Zemun Fortress and is now a district of narrow cobbled streets and old buildings. Zemun Cemetery ranges west of the tower. Laid out from the 1740s and still in use, it has Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Jewish sections. St Nicholas is an Orthodox church 100 m east of Gardoš Tower at Njegoševa 43. It was completed in 1752. Zemun Homeland Museum (авичајни музеј Земуна) is 500 m east of Gardoš Tower at Glavna 9. It's open Tu-Sa 12:00-20:00, Su 12:00-18:00 but there's not much in it. Zemun Quay stretches along the riverbank east of Gardoš, a pleasant area for strolling and eating.

Aeronautical Museum. Closed for rebuilding until 2027. The main collection is in a striking geodesic glass building, with additional aircraft displayed on the surrounding grounds. The museum has 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.

Chinese Cultural Centre, Belgrade. A cultural centre built on the former site of the Chinese embassy to Yugoslavia, which was bombed by NATO forces in a so-called miscalculated operation in 1999. There is a plaque commemorating the Chinese journalists who died in the bombing.

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

Do

is a large multi-sports facility that also hosts concerts and similar events. It's on Blv Arsenija Čarnojevića west of the Sava in Novi Beograd. is a river island in the Sava extending 6 km east-west by 700 m north-south, fused to the city mainland since the 1960s and now a large park and recreation area. There are road links at its west and near its east end, while the east tip has a stairway to Ada Highway Bridge. The river loop on its south side between the road links is now a lake for bathing and water sports, with a gravel beach. The island has walking and cycling tracks, sports pitches, golf, and picnic and barbecue areas; camping is not permitted. No bus crosses onto the island but several run along the mainland shore. Badminton Centar is a sports complex at the east tip. Markoni Sport by the east road link hires bikes and has other sports gear. Ice skating: Winter City Ada is by the east road link, see below for other city sites. Veštačka Stena is a climbing wall 500 m west. Aqua Ski is west end of the lake. Ada Međica is a small river island 100 m north of Ada Ciganlija. No boats cross between them, you might find one from the north mainland bank. (And see above for Great War Island, reached by pontoon bridge from Zemun.)

Luna Park is a chain of funfairs for younger children, with three sites in Belgrade: within Kalmegdan, on Zemun Quay west of the Sava, and 2 km southeast of the centre down Blv Kralja Aleksandra.

Public Observatory. Four small telescopes enable daytime viewing of the city. On F Sa evenings from 20:30 if the sky is clear you can use the 110/2050 mm refractor and 200/2000 mm reflector for night viewing, with commentary and guidance from staff. The regular observatory is 3 km southeast in Zvezdara Park, and occasionally has guided tours.

National Theatre. This puts on opera, ballet and theatre. The main hall is worth looking in at, decorated with gilt and artwork.

BITEF Theatre puts on contemporary and experimental work at Skver Mire Trailović, by Skadarlija Market. Bowling alleys: Žabac is a chain, with centres at Višnjička 70 ("Karaburma"), Patrijarha Joanikija 2a ("Vidikovac"), Stari Merkator Shopping Centre Zemun and Kocic Tennis Centre Zemun. These also have pool tables and darts. Colosseum Bowling is at Dobanovačka 56 in Zemun. Ice skating is available in winter at Ada Ciganlija as above, in Trg Nikole Pašića, at Pionir Ice Hall and Olimp Sports Centre.

Movies in Serbia are subtitled, not dubbed. Cinemas include: Yugoslav Film Archive shows contemporary art house movies and classics. It's a block southeast of Kalmegdan at Uzun Mirkova 1. MTS Dvorana is a multi-use venue at Dečanska 14, a block north of the Serbian History Museum. Tuckwood Cineplex is a small place at Kneza Miloša 7a, a block southwest of the National Assembly. Cineplexx Galerija is within Galerija shopping mall, on the Sava riverbank along Blv Vudro Vilson; it has an IMAX. Akademija 28 is a cinema and live arts venue 1 km south of the centre at Nemanjina 28. Cineplexx UŠĆE is within Usce shopping mall on Blv Mihajla Pupina, in Novi Beograd west of the Sava. Cineplexx Delta City is within Delta City shopping mall at Jurija Gagarina 16 in Novi Beograd. Roda Cineplex is a small grubby cinema 5 km southwest of the centre at Požeška 83a.

Football: Belgrade has four clubs playing soccer in SuperLiga, the top tier, and several in lower tiers. - 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. - FK Čukarički play at Čukarički Stadium (capacity 4000) in the southwest suburbs. - FK Zemun play at Zemun City Stadium, capacity 9600. Rugby Union: Three of Serbia's 12 top-tier clubs are based in Belgrade - Red Star, Rad and Partizan. Internationals are played at one of the big soccer stadiums. Serbia won their first international 8-3, a knockabout in 1918 between Serbian and British Colonies pupils at Heriot's School Edinburgh, but the century since has been pretty much all downhill. Others such as basketball or tennis are staged either in Belgrade Arena or Aleksandar Nikolic Hall aka Pionir Sports Complex.

Events Dom Omladine is the Belgrade Youth Centre, at Makedonska 22 a block east of Republic Square. Their website lists events appealing to a young audience. hosts trade fairs year-round - check their website for those open to the public. The exhibition halls are on Blv Vojvode Mišića on the Sava riverbank. Street of Open Heart is a carnival held on 1 January on Makedonska and Svetogorska streets. FEST is an international film festival in March. Guitar Art Festival is in May. Ring Ring is a festival of new and improvised music in May. They also organise Todo Mundo world music festival in Sep. Belgrade Burger Fest is in May within Kalmegdan Fortress. They mean the burgers you eat in a bun, not stout bourgeoise citizens. Belgrade Tango Encuentro is in June. Belgrade Beer Festival is in August in Ušće Park. BITEF Belgrade International Theater Festival is Sep / Oct. BEMUS is Belgrade Music Festival in October. Belgrade Jazz Festival is in October. Belgrade Early Music Festival is in November. No Sleep Festival features electronic, house & retro music in November.

Learn

Over a dozen language schools teach English to Serbians. Those with Serbian courses for foreigners include Concord Language School, Serbian Language and Culture Workshop and Institute for Foreign Languages.

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

Buy

For Serbian currency, see Serbia#Buy. Menjačnica is a chain of exchange offices, with a dozen city sites.

Delfi is a chain of bookstores, including English publications. Tržni centar is Serbian for "shopping centre" and there are dozens. The big three - UŠĆE, Delta City and Stadion - are some way from city centre. The closest are Rajićeva at Kneza Mihaila 54 by Kalmegdan, and Millennium at Kneza Mihaila 21, both open daily. The main supermarket chains are Maxi and Idea. is the largest shopping mall in Serbia, open daily 10:00-22:00 with a great array of stores and a food court. It's at Blv Mihajla Pupina 4 in Novi Beograd, but just across Branko's Bridge so it's walking distance from the old city. Or take Tram 7, 9, 13 or any bus into Novi Beograd. is the second largest. It's open daily 10:00-22:00 and has a cinema and food court. It's 1 km west of UŠĆE at Jurija Gagarina 16 in Novi Beograd, Tram 7, 9 or 13, Bus 95. Chinese Shopping Centre is 500 m west of Delta City in Blok 70 on Jurija Gagarina. The clothing is tat, but you can find Chinese food, spices and other exotica. It's open W-M 09:00-17:00. is another large centre, 2 km southeast of city centre at Zaplanjska 32, take Bus 26. It's likewise open daily 10:00-22:00. Buvljak (Бувљак) means a flea market, occupying any edge-of-town brownfield site that developers have not yet cast covetous eyes on. Closest to the centre is at Šajkaška 70 in Zemun on Sunday morning.

Eat

For more on Serbian cuisine, see Serbia#Eat

Belgrade has restaurants for every budget, from traditional Serbian kafanas and neighbourhood bakeries to fine dining, international cuisine and vegan cafés. Prices are generally lower than in Western Europe, although some of the city's top restaurants are comparable to those in other European capitals.

Serbian cuisine is hearty and meat-heavy. You'll find grilled dishes such as ćevapi and pljeskavica almost everywhere, along with classics like karađorđeva šnicla, sarma (pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice), podvarak (roasted sauerkraut with meat) and gulaš. Meals are often served with kajmak, ajvar, fresh bread and seasonal salads.

Being at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, Belgrade also has a long tradition of freshwater fish. Many riverside restaurants and floating restaurants (splavovi), especially in Zemun, New Belgrade and around Ada Ciganlija, serve fish soup (riblja čorba), fish stew (riblji paprikaš), grilled carp, catfish, zander and perch. Some splavovi are quiet family restaurants during the day before turning into lively bars or clubs in the evening.

For breakfast or a quick meal, try burek (a flaky pastry filled with cheese, meat, spinach or potato), traditionally eaten with drinkable yoghurt. Bakeries (pekare) are everywhere and are a reliable option from early morning until late at night. Other popular street foods include pljeskavica, ćevapi, pizza by the slice and palačinke (crêpes).

A visit to a traditional kafana is as much about the atmosphere as the food. Many serve classic Serbian dishes accompanied by live folk or tamburica music in the evenings. The best-known concentration of traditional restaurants is in Skadarlija, although excellent kafanas can be found throughout the city.

If you have a sweet tooth, try krempita (custard slice), šampita (meringue cake), baklava, tulumbe or urmašice, all widely available in pastry shops and cafés.

Zeleni Venac Market is a covered hall just south of Zeleni Venac bus station midtown, open M-Sa 07:00-19:00, Su 07:00-17:00. Bajloni Market is a larger hall at the junction of Džordža Vašingtona with Skadarska, open daily 06:00-19:00.

Budget Some places think that a vegetarian eats fish. If you don't, tell them bez mesa, bez ribe - without meat, without fish. Tadich is a pie shop at Kralja Petra 75, open M-Sa 06:00-15:00.

KMN. Great selection of domestic cuisine, including veggie. Friendly efficient staff.

Roll Bar. Good quality, sizable portions. Try the imperial chicken and feta chicken.

Pizzeria Trg. Delicious pizza and pancakes. Cash only.

Skadarlijske kobasice. Excellent sausages.

Jazzayoga. Sandwiches, wraps, juices, and baked goods, relaxing ambience.

Orašac. A garden restaurant with trad Serbian cuisine.

Šešir moj. The hats are the natty boaters of the quartet, who riff away with barcarolles and other crowd-pleasers.

Znak Pitanja. Traditional Serbian cuisine. Try ćevapčići sa kajmakom (grilled minced meat with cream), or if you have an adventurous stomach, try young bull's sex glands & bowels.

Loki. Pljeskavici are Serbian burgers. Variety of toppings like spicy cheese or pickled peppers.

Mika Alas. Try their delicious fish soup "riblja čorba" and their house specialty, "smuđ romanov", Pike Perch fillet in white wine cream sauce.

Makao i Žuto More. Good Chinese food. They also have branches at Pere Velimirovića 7 downtown and Starine Novaka 7a near Tašmajdan Park.

Moon Sushi. Mostly good reviews for their sushi.

Marukoshi. Japanese restaurant with good-ish reviews.

Burrito Madre is a chain with five city outlets, open daily 09:00-21:00: at Terazije 27, Karađorđeva 65, Blv Kralja Aleksandra 54, Svetozara Markovića 36, and Maksima Gorkog 9.

Botako. Good scores for Italian cuisine and ambiance. There's another branch south at Nevesinjska 6.

Restoran Caruso. Italian restaurant on 8th floor, with views over Terazije, river Sava and Novi Belgrade.

Sinđelić. Traditional Serbian cuisine.

Šaran. Riverside fish restaurant with live trad music.

Lorenzo & Kakalamba. Italian and southeastern Serbian cuisine, but mostly you come for the way-out decor, which is beyond kitsch.

Drink

Belgrade's drinking scene ranges from traditional kafanas and rakija bars to pubs, specialist cocktail bars, craft-beer taprooms and late-night clubs. Indoor smoking is still common, so travellers who need a smoke-free venue should check before visiting; terraces are widespread in warmer months. Tap water is safe to drink.

The scene is spread across several areas rather than one strip. Skadarlija has traditional restaurants and live folk music, while the adjoining Cetinjska 15 complex has alternative bars and events. Dorćol and Stari Grad have cocktail, wine and craft-beer bars, and Obilićev Venac is a central pedestrian café and pub strip. Floating venues (splavovi) line the Sava and Danube; they range from daytime bars to late-night clubs, and names, programmes and seasonal opening can change, so confirm the exact location before setting out.

Rakija is Serbian fruit brandy. Common varieties include plum (šljivovica), quince (dunjevača), pear (viljamovka), apricot (kajsijevača) and grape (loza). Serbian craft beer is widely available, including at brewery taprooms and specialist bars. Serbian wines are widely available, both by the glass and by the bottle.

When toasting, make eye contact, clink glasses and say Živeli! (cheers). Coffee is normally served Serbian/Turkish-style unless another preparation is specified.

Blaznavac. Courtyard café-bar with eclectic decoration, serving cocktails, beer and coffee.

Demokratija bar. Cocktail and wine bar serving cocktails and house infusions, with a smoke-free interior and outdoor seating.

Riddle Bar. Speakeasy-style cocktail bar without a fixed menu; bartenders suggest drinks based on the guest's preferences.

Black Turtle. One of several Black Turtle brewery pubs. House beers include fruit-flavoured variants; this branch has outdoor tables with river views.

Dogma Brewery Central. Brewery taproom with eight rotating taps, canned releases, bar food and a small courtyard.

Gecko. Irish-style pub on the central pedestrian café strip.

Publin. Small neighbourhood pub with rock music and Serbian beer.

Three Carrots Irish Pub. Irish pub with draft beer, televised sport and occasional live or acoustic music.

Zuzu's. Café-bar and kitchen with outdoor tables on Obilićev Venac.

Sleep

Hostel 360. Cosy hostel just off Republic Square.

Hostelche. Clean, cozy place. They have free sheets, towels, laundry, games, books, Wi-Fi, welcome drink, coffee, and tea.

Sun Hostel. Well-run hostel, clean and spacious, with dorms, apt & private rooms. Comfy, a/c, safe-lockers backpack size, free internet, friendly staff.

Fair and Square Hostel. Comfy rooms, large kitchen and public area as well as patio, friendly staff, cat and dog.

Balkan Soul Hostel. Small but very social and cozy hostel with a well-equipped shared guest kitchen and lounge. Rooms have good air conditioning and wi-fi.

ArkaBarka Floating Hostel. Friendly floating hostel on the Danube, with an on-board cafe-bar and sauna.

Boatel Charlie and Green House are similar floating hostels just downstream.

San Art Floating Hostel. Is it a chalet, is it a houseboat? Clean, well-run, friendly hostel near river confluence.

The Horse Monument Hostel. A small hostel in the Old Town, close to Skadarlija bohemic neighborhood.

Belgrade City Hotel. Central hotel in Neo-Renaissance building, with gym, restaurant and bar.

Villa Forever. Basic place near Brankov Bridge.

Slavija Hotel. Basic but central. On-site business center and sauna. The rooftop restaurant serves breakfast.

Hotel Srbija. This weary old Soviet tower is where Air Serbia will put you if you miss a connection. Large restaurant on the 18th floor.

Mercure Belgrade Excelsior. Decent mid-town Accor chain hotel, rooms equipped with TV, mini-refrigerators, workspaces, and Wi-Fi.

Royal Inn. One of the oldest hotels in Belgrade, dating to 1885, gets positive reviews. Rooms are small, but renovated and furnished with TV, air conditioning and mini-bar.

Nevski Hotel. Comfortable central hotel, with business services and a good breakfast buffet.

Design Hotel Mr President. Comfortable modern hotel, 61 rooms with internet and standard facilities.

Queen's Astoria Design Hotel. Central hotel with bistro.

Hotel Rex. Comfy, central business-type hotel.

Putnik Inn. Decent 3 star business hotel.

Belgrade Art Hotel. Boutique hotel in very central spot, now part of Radisson chain. With 55 rooms and suites, bar, lounge bar, restaurant and 2 meeting rooms.

Townhouse 27. Clean efficient 4-star in city centre.

Crystal Hotel. Decent hotel with 44 rooms.

Balkan Hotel. Central functional hotel.

Moskva. 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 pâtisserie - now this is what you call café society! (Especially with limited mobility, since you can enter via the café at street level and avoid the steps to the main hotel entrance.) Room safe & fridge, Wi-Fi & satellite TV.

Hyatt Regency. Big four star on west bank, spacious comfy rooms.

Crowne Plaza. Big glassy business hotel on the west bank, with fitness center and conference facilities, connected by passageway to the Sava congress & retail center.

IN Hotel Belgrade. Boxy 4-star on west bank, good reviews for comfort & facilities. 200 m from Kombank Arena, handy for riverside life and highway out to airport.