Belgrade city guide

Things To Do In Belgrade

A fortress where two rivers meet, nightclubs on floating barges, and the best-value night out in Europe in a city that has been destroyed and rebuilt dozens of times.

Where to stay What it costs

Hostels in the city

8.2

Average, from 17,130 reviews

~40

Times the city has been destroyed and rebuilt, by most counts

Rivers meeting beneath Kalemegdan

~117 RSD

To the euro, roughly

Loud, rough-edged and late, at the meeting of the Sava and the Danube

Belgrade sits on a ridge where the Sava flows into the Danube, and whoever held that point held the route between central Europe and the Balkans. The city has been fought over, razed and rebuilt so many times that very little of it is old, and it has a reputation for not caring much about looking pretty.

Kalemegdan, the fortress on the ridge, is the exception and the place to start: walls, gates and parkland with the rivers below.

The nightlife is what most people come for. Belgrade is among the cheapest capitals in Europe for a night out, and in summer the clubs move onto splavovi — barges moored along both rivers — which run until morning.

The twentieth century is present everywhere. Tito is buried here in the House of Flowers at the Museum of Yugoslavia. Several government buildings damaged in the 1999 NATO bombing have been left standing in the centre, and how people talk about them varies.

It is friendly, direct and cheap. Three days.

Where to stay

An old centre on the ridge, a bohemian quarter, and a riverside district below.

Stari Grad

First-timers

The old centre: Knez Mihailova, Kalemegdan, the squares and most of the hostels.

Dorćol

Cafés and nightlife

North-east towards the Danube: independent bars, cafés and a younger local crowd.

Savamala

Riverside and clubs

Below the ridge on the Sava: warehouses turned into venues, and the barge clubs nearby.

Zemun

Quieter and different

Across the Sava: a Habsburg town that joined the city, with fish restaurants on the Danube.

Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 12 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Things to do

Things to do in Belgrade

Walk Kalemegdan. The fortress is free, its parkland and walls run along the ridge, and the viewpoint at the far end looks over the confluence of the Sava and the Danube. Go at sunset.

The Museum of Yugoslavia, about 600 RSD (€5), holds the House of Flowers, where Tito is buried, and a collection covering the whole Yugoslav period. It is the best single place to understand the country's recent history.

The Temple of Saint Sava is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The exterior was finished decades ago; the interior mosaics were completed much more recently and are extraordinary. Free.

The Nikola Tesla Museum is small, about 800 RSD (€7), and includes a working demonstration of his coil. Tesla's ashes are kept there in a golden sphere.

Skadarlija, the cobbled bohemian street, is touristed but pleasant for an evening of grilled meat and live music.

In summer, Ada Ciganlija — a river island turned lake beach — is where the city swims.

Free things to do in Belgrade

Kalemegdan fortress and its park are free and are the best place in the city.

Knez Mihailova, the pedestrian main street, runs from Republic Square to the fortress and costs nothing.

The Temple of Saint Sava is free to enter.

Ada Ciganlija, the river island with a lake beach, is free and is where Belgraders spend summer weekends.

Zemun, across the Sava, is free to walk and has the Gardoš Tower on its hill with a view back over the Danube.

The riverside promenades along both the Sava and the Danube are free and are best in the evening.

Food and drink

Eating and drinking in Belgrade

Meat, generously and cheaply. A main is 800 to 1,500 RSD (€7–13).

Ćevapi — small grilled minced-meat sausages served in bread with raw onion — and pljeskavica, the Balkan burger, are the everyday meal and cost 400 to 700 RSD (€3.50–6).

Kajmak, a rich clotted dairy spread, goes on almost everything and is worth seeking out.

Burek from a bakery is 200 to 300 RSD (€2–2.50) and is breakfast, traditionally with a glass of yoghurt.

Rakija, the fruit brandy — šljivovica is the plum one — is the national drink, served in small glasses, often homemade and stronger than it looks.

A beer is 250 to 400 RSD (€2–3.50).

Be aware that smoking is permitted indoors in many restaurants, bars and cafés, and non-smoking rooms are not always available.

Nightlife

Going out in Belgrade

Among the best and cheapest in Europe, and it runs very late.

The splavovi are the summer signature — clubs and bars on barges moored along the Sava and the Danube, open from late spring to early autumn and running until dawn. Some are loud and mainstream, some are techno, some are folk-pop, and the style varies widely from barge to barge.

In winter, the scene moves indoors to Savamala, Dorćol and the old centre, into converted warehouses, basements and courtyard bars.

A beer is 250 to 400 RSD (€2–3.50) and cocktails 700 to 1,200 RSD (€6–10).

Nights start late and finish later — clubs fill after midnight.

Many venues permit smoking indoors.

Getting around Belgrade

The old centre is walkable, and buses and trams cover the rest of the city.

Public transport in Belgrade was made free for residents and visitors in 2025. Check the current position when you arrive, as arrangements have been changing.

From the airport, bus A1 runs to the centre in about thirty minutes. Taxis from the airport should be booked through the official desk or an app — touts in the arrivals hall overcharge.

Use a ride app or have a venue call a taxi rather than hailing one on the street.

Buses reach Novi Sad in about an hour and Niš in about three. The high-speed train to Novi Sad takes about half an hour, and is being extended towards Subotica and Budapest.

International buses reach Zagreb, Sarajevo, Budapest and Sofia.

Costs

What Belgrade costs

One of the cheapest capitals in Europe. Dorms are 1,200 to 2,500 RSD (€10–21), a main 800 to 1,500 RSD (€7–13), and a beer 250 to 400 RSD (€2–3.50).

A day is €28 to €50.

Serbia uses the dinar, not the euro. Some places accept euros but use poor rates. Cards work widely in the centre; carry some cash for small bars, markets and buses.

Exchange offices are everywhere and generally fair, and far better than airport counters.

Kalemegdan, the Temple of Saint Sava and Ada Ciganlija are free, and the museums cost a few euros.

Safety

Staying safe in Belgrade

Belgrade is a safe city for visitors and violent crime against tourists is rare.

Taxis are the most common problem. Unofficial drivers at the airport and on the street overcharge. Book through an app or have a venue call one.

Pickpocketing happens on Knez Mihailova and in busy nightlife areas, at ordinary levels.

Large demonstrations have been frequent in Belgrade and across Serbia since late 2024. Most have been peaceful, but some have seen clashes. They are generally announced in advance — check local news and avoid them if you prefer.

If Kosovo is part of your trip, plan the route carefully. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence and treats Kosovo's other borders as unrecognised crossings. If you enter Kosovo from Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro or by air and then try to cross directly into Serbia, you may be refused entry. The usual approach is to travel to Kosovo from Serbia and return the same way. Check your own foreign ministry's current guidance.

Emergency numbers are 192 for police and 194 for ambulance, with 112 also working.

Day trips from Belgrade

A Habsburg town, monasteries on a wooded ridge and a fortress on the Danube.

Novi Sad

30 minutes · High-speed train, about 600 RSD (€5)

A calmer, prettier Habsburg city with the Petrovaradin fortress above the Danube.

Smederevo Fortress

1 hour · Bus, about 500 RSD (€4)

A vast fifteenth-century fortress on the Danube, one of the largest lowland fortifications in Europe.

Golubac and the Iron Gates

2.5 hours · Tour, €35–60

A castle at the entrance to the Danube gorge between Serbia and Romania.

What's on

What is on while you are there

Barge clubs in summer, and two Christmases and two New Years in winter.

Staff pick

2–3 October

REACT Festival

REACT Festival in Belgrade, Serbia, stands out as a leading electronic music celebration in the Balkans, drawing passionate ravers and music lovers from across…

Staff pick

23–31 October

International Belgrade Book Fair

The International Belgrade Book Fair, held at Belgrade Fair Hall 1, is a cornerstone event for literature lovers across Southeast Europe. Bringing together leading…

10 October

Deep Purple

Legendary pioneers of hard rock, Deep Purple, are coming to Belgrade Arena on October 10, 2026, as part of their spectacular "MAD IN EUROPE"…

24–25 October

Jakov Jozinović

Jakov Jozinović returns to Belgrade Arena for his second concert following a record-breaking first show. Known for his viral hits, he brings a fresh…

4 November

Aca Lukas

Aca Lukas returns to Belgrade Arena for a night filled with his greatest hits spanning decades. Expect a mix of iconic ballads and fast…

13 November

Pitbull

Pitbull is bringing his 'I'm Back' world tour to Belgrade Arena on November 13. Known as Mr. Worldwide, he delivers high-energy performances filled with…

19 November

Andre Rieu

Andre Rieu, the world-renowned violinist and conductor, returns to Belgrade Arena for a spectacular concert on November 19, 2026. Expect a romantic program blending…

1 October

Autechre

Autechre, the legendary experimental electronic duo, will perform in Serbia for the first time. Known for their influential and innovative contributions to IDM, they…

All events in Belgrade

Hostels

Where to stay in Belgrade

A large, cheap scene concentrated in the old centre and Dorćol. Live from Hostelworld.

9.5 256

When to go

April to June and September to October. July and August are very hot, but the barge clubs are open.

4°

Jan

Cold and grey. Cheapest, and the club scene is indoors

6°

Feb

Cold and quiet

12°

Mar

Improving. Kalemegdan greening

18°

Apr

Excellent. Warm and pleasant

23°

May

Very good. The barge clubs start opening

27°

Jun

Warm, long evenings and the river season in full swing

30°

Jul

Hot. Ada Ciganlija and the barges are the answer

30°

Aug

Hottest month. Beer festival in Belgrade in some years

25°

Sep

Superb. Heat breaking and the barges still open

18°

Oct

Excellent value and mild

11°

Nov

Cooling and grey

5°

Dec

Cold, with Christmas in early January in the Orthodox calendar

Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets: quiet busy peak

Average highs. Serbian Orthodox Christmas falls on 7 January, not 25 December, and Orthodox New Year on 13–14 January is celebrated alongside the ordinary one.

What your trip will cost

Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros — you will pay in dinars, at roughly 117 to the euro.

Shown in euros for comparison; Serbia uses the dinar and places accepting euros use poor rates.

Nights 3

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Beds—
Food and drink—
Getting around—
Doing things—

Belgrade travel questions

The ones we get asked most.

What are the splavovi?

Clubs and bars on barges moored along the Sava and the Danube, open roughly from May to September and running until dawn. Styles vary widely from one to the next — mainstream, techno, folk-pop — so it is worth asking locally which suits you.

Can I travel to Kosovo from Belgrade?

Yes, but plan the route. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence and treats Kosovo's borders with Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro as unrecognised. If you enter Kosovo from one of those countries or by air and then try to cross into Serbia, you may be refused entry. The usual approach is to go to Kosovo from Serbia and return the same way. Check your own foreign ministry's current guidance.

Does Serbia use the euro?

No. It uses the dinar, at roughly 117 to the euro. Some places accept euros but at poor rates. Exchange offices are common and generally fair, and far better than the airport.

Is Belgrade safe?

Yes, for visitors. Violent crime against tourists is rare. The common problem is overcharging by unofficial taxis — use an app. Large demonstrations have been frequent since late 2024; they are usually announced in advance and easy to avoid.

Why is it so smoky indoors?

Serbia permits smoking indoors in many bars, cafés and restaurants, and non-smoking rooms are not always available. If that matters to you, ask before sitting down or look for terraces.

How cheap is it?

One of the cheapest capitals in Europe. Dorms 1,200 to 2,500 RSD (€10–21), a main 800 to 1,500 RSD (€7–13), a beer 250 to 400 RSD (€2–3.50), and a day around €28 to €50.

When is Serbian Christmas?

7 January, following the Orthodox calendar. Orthodox New Year falls on 13–14 January and is celebrated alongside the ordinary one on 31 December.

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