The Mini Rough Guide to Belgrade (Travel Guide eBook)

By Rough Guides

This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Belgrade. It covers top attractions like Kalemegdan Fortress, the Museum of Yugoslavia and the Royal Palaces at Dedinje as well as hidden gems, including Cetinjska. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating city.

This Mini Rough Guide to Belgrade covers: Old Town, Knez Mihailova and Studentski Trg, Belgrade's 'Montmartre', Trg Republike, Dorcol, Skadarlija, The wider city centre, Vracar, Savamala, The southern outskirts: Dedinje, New Belgrade and Zemun, Ada Ciganlija

In this travel guide you will find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Belgrade, from cultural explorations in Belgrade Old Town to family activities in child-friendly places, like the Kalemegdan Fortress complex and Belgrade Zoo or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Belgrade's 'Montmartre'.

TOP TEN ATTRACTIONS
Covers the destination's top ten attractions not to miss, including the Museum of Yugoslavia, the Royal Compound, Topcider Park and the Church of St Sava and a Perfect Day itinerary suggestions.

COMPACT FORMAT
Compact, concise, and packed with essential information, with a sharp design and colour-coded sections, this is the perfect on-the-move companion when you're exploring Belgrade.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS
Includes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture.

WHAT TO DO
Detailed description of entertainment, shopping, nightlife, festivals and events, and children's activities.

PRACTICAL MAPS
Handy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around Belgrade.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
Practical information on eating out, including a handy glossary and detailed restaurant listings, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of travel tips on everything from getting around to health and tourist information.

STRIKING PICTURES
Inspirational colour photography throughout.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Oct 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839052644

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

Book preview

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HOW TO USE THIS E-BOOK

Getting Around this e-Book

This Rough Guide Mini e-book is designed to inspire you and help you plan for your visit to Belgrade, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Highlights, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan an unforgettable trip. The Introduction and History and Culture chapters give the lowdown on Belgrade, past and present, while the Out and About chapter is a comprehensive guide to all the best sights. You will find ideas for getting active in Things to Do, while the Food and Drink chapter introduces you to the local cuisine and gives listings of our favourite restaurants by area. Travel Essentials offers just that; practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, Where to Stay provides a special selection of hotels for every budget.

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Belgrade are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Belgrade. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Rough Guides:

Published in 1982, the first Rough Guide – to Greece – was created by Mark Ellingham and a small group of friends who couldn’t find a guidebook to meet their needs. Combining a contemporary, journalistic style with a thoroughly practical approach to travellers’ needs, the immediate success of the book spawned a series that rapidly covered dozens of destinations. These days, Rough Guides include recommendations from budget to luxury and cover more than 120 destinations worldwide, all regularly updated by our team of ever curious, roaming writers. These Rough Guide Minis may be small, but they are packed with information and inspiration and offer amazing value for money.

© 2022 Apa Digital AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd.

Table of Contents

10 Things Not To Miss

A Perfect Day in Belgrade

Overview

Geography

History

Architecture

Tourist Boom

History and Culture

Beginnings

The Medieval Period

Ottoman Conquest

Between Two Empires

Rise of Nationalism

Edging Towards Independence

First and Second Balkan Wars

World War I

The Interwar Years

World War II

Post-War Yugoslavia

The Break-Up of Yugoslavia

War in Kosovo

Serbia Stands Alone

Towards Europe?

Out and About

Old Town (Stari grad)

Kalemegdan Fortress complex

Kalemegdan Park

Within the fortress walls

Ružica Church

Military Museum

Zoo

Knez Mihailova and Studentski Trg (Students’ Square)

Ethnographic Museum

Cathedral and surrounds

Belgrade’s ‘Montmartre’

Trg Republike (Republic Square)

National Museum

Dorćol

Skadarlija

Wider city centre

National Parliament

St Mark’s and Tašmajdan

Vračar

St Sava’s Church

Savamala

Dedinje

The Museum of Yugoslavia

Royal Compound

Topčider Park

New Belgrade and Zemun

New Belgrade

Communist-era architecture

Zemun

Ada Ciganlija

Things To Do

Nightlife

Bars

Old Town

Dorćol

Wider city centre

Vračar

Clubs

Sweet Treats

Entertainment

Classical Music, Theatre and Opera

Live Music Bars

Shopping

Souvenirs and Gifts

Markets

Spectator Sports

Football

Basketball

Belgrade for Children

Food and Drink

Serbian Cuisine

When to Eat

What To Eat

Drinks

In The Restaurant

To Help You to Order…

Food Basics…

Style …

Drinks …

Where To Eat

Skadarlija

Dorćol

Wider Old Town

Wider City Centre

Vračar

New Belgrade and Zemun

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation

Airports

B

Bicycle rental

Budgeting for your trip

C

Car hire

Children, travelling with

Climate

Clothing

Crime and safety

D

Disabilities, travellers with

Driving

E

Electricity

Embassies and consulates

Emergencies

F

Further reading

G

Getting there

Guides and tours

H

Health and medical care

L

Language

LGBTQ+ travellers

M

Maps

Media

Money

N

Nightclubs

O

Opening times

P

Police

Post offices

Public holidays

R

Religion

T

Telephones

Time zones

Tipping

Toilets

Tourist information

Transport

V

Visas and entry requirements

W

Websites and internet access

Where To Stay

Old Town

Wider City Centre

Vračar

Savamala

New Belgrade

Zemun

10 THINGS NOT TO MISS

iStock

1. Kalemegdan Fortress

Survey Belgrade’s most splendid panoramas, where the mighty Danube meets its tributary, the Sava. For more information, click here.

Alamy

2. Museum of Yugoslavia

Indulge in a spot of Yugonostalgia in Tito’s honour. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

3. Royal Palaces at Dedinje

Peek behind the scenes in the luxurious homes of Serbia’s deposed royals. For more information, click here.

iStock

4. Skadarlija

Savour hearty Serbian fare and rousing folk music in Belgrade’s old bohemian quarter. For more information, click here.

Natalija Milošević/Yugotour

5. National Museum

Take in the iconic works of Serbian national art. For more information, click here.

iStock

6. Danube splavovi

Sleep, eat or party on Europe’s second-biggest river. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

7. YugoTour

Putter around Brutalist New Belgrade in a battered old Zastava car. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

8. Zemun waterfront

Take in the immensity of the Danube with a long, slow lunch at one of Zemun’s outstanding waterfront fish restaurants. For more information, click here.

iStock

9. St Sava’s Church

Marvel at this monumental Serbian-Byzantine edifice. For more information, click here.

iStock

10. Nikola Tesla Museum

A (literally) electrifying take on the legacy of one of the nation’s proudest sons. For more information, click here.

A Perfect Day In BELGRADE

9.30am

Brunch in Dorćol. Drinking coffee with friends is a ritual of daily life in the Western Balkans, so start as you mean to go on, caffeinating at a leisurely pace in the elegant Dorćol neighbourhood. French bistro-style Pastis and friendly Red Bread (for more information, click here) both have great breakfast options.

10.30am

Kalemegdan Fortress. Take in the commanding views of the point where the mighty Danube meets her tributary the Sava, and of the post-war utopian project, New Belgrade, beyond. Explore the meandering Kalemegdan complex, pausing at the tiny, gemlike Ružica Church – a microcosm of Serbian Orthodox design – and Ivan Meštrović’s iconic 1928 Victor statue.

11.30am

Military Museum. Get to grips with Serbia’s history of conflict. Unforgettable exhibits include the bloodstained garments of Yugoslav King Alexander Karadjordević, assassinated in France in 1934, and weapons captured from US soldiers during the NATO bombardment in 1999.

12.30pm

Exploring the Old Town. Head out of the Kalemegdan complex to St Michael’s Cathedral, popping over the road to the beautiful Residence of Princess Ljubica to see how fashions changed over the nineteenth century as Serbia sought to assert its place among the European family of nations.

2pm

Lunchtime. Stroll down the central pedestrianized thoroughfare, Knez Mihailova, before refuelling at Supermarket Deli on picturesque Topličin Venac or Belgrade’s most famous tavern, Znak Pitanja (Question Mark).

3pm

National Museum. Buff up on Serbian culture at the refurbished National Museum on the city’s main square, Trg Republike, pausing en route to admire Prince Mihailo’s horse.

4pm

Sugar rush. Fend off that mid-afternoon energy slump with artisanal gelato from Bacio in Dorćol, afternoon tea at the iconic Hotel Moskva on Terazije or picture-perfect creations at Mandarina cake shop in the Old Town.

5.30pm

Bar-hopping. While away an hour or two exploring Belgrade’s characterful drinking dens, such as the World Travellers’ Club (for more information, click here) or Blaznavac (for more information, click here).

8pm

Sample national cuisine. Tackle a karadjordje schnitzel on Skadarska in homage to Serbia’s national hero while listening to the soulful strains of Serbian folk song, or choose instead the cultured surrounds of the venerable Writers’ Club, erstwhile haunt of the Yugoslav literati.

10pm

Cetinjska complex. Sample local craft beers and live music at the buzzy Cetinjska complex, a favourite of Belgrade’s young hipster creatives, set in a former brewery just around the corner from Skadarlija.

Overview

Serbia’s capital city, Belgrade has an alchemy all of its own, somehow combining grit and glitz, post-Communist greyscale with a Southern European zest for life. In recent years, burgeoning numbers of visitors have been captivated by what lies beneath the scuffed facades and ubiquitous graffiti: