briefly about Belgrade;

One of the oldest cities in Europe, with its history dating back to BC 7000, Belgrade, the White City takes its name from the light color of its fortress. The city which served as a host for Celts, Romans, Bulgarians, Byzantines, Hungarians and Serbs before, was conquered by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1521 and lived a full 357 years of Ottoman rule. The city shows this multicultural identity in all areas from eating and drinking culture to urban architecture.

Being the capital of Serbia as well as the country's political and cultural center, Belgrade has a population of nearly 2 million people.

Sava River running between two parts, divides the city from half. The part called Stari Grad ( Old Town) which is the cultural heart of the city hosts the most important historical architectures. Most of the touristic spots can be found in this district. The opposite bank of the river named New Belgrade serves as the business center of the city. You can see tall office buildings, large shopping centers, sports arenas as well as a plurality of blocks which are reminiscent of the communist era. Zemun district which represents the Austro-Hungarian era also rests in this side.

Why Belgrade?

Thousands of years of historical heritage where you will find many things from us, deep traces of so many different cultures , the impressive architecture in Old Town, and an old looking but classy atmosphere with chic restaurants and hip cafes and last but not least the nightlife which is pointed as one of the best in Europe are a few of the factors which may draw you to this city .

How to get to Belgrade?

Turkish Airlines and Pegasus have scheduled flights from İstanbul every day of the year. Prices are reasonable. Along the way we come watching the Danube River and about 1 hour and 15 minutes later we notice that the rivers multiply and this beautiful city shows itself where Sava and Danube Rivers intersect.

Is Serbia a country that you can go without a visa?

Yes. But although it's a place that you can get without a visa, when your plane lands at Nikola Tesla Airport the police waits for you in the hallway. At this point we showed our previous Schengen visas and successfully moved to the next stage: Passport counter, and we used the same method here too. Even if they are expired, showing your old passports and visas at this point can accelerate your transactions. If you are going abroad for the first time, be sure to get your hotel and return ticket reservations with you. Also a paper which shows your bank account balance will do you good.

How to access to the city center from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport?

When you exit the airport, you will see A1 minibuses waiting just outside the gates. This is the easiest method and costs 300 Dinars per person. You can also get on the bus number 72. It is said to be cheaper but we preferred A1 as it is at a very easy position. There is an exchange office before the gates where you can get some dinars for the ride.

How is the Belgrade city transport?

There are many alternatives available for transportation in the city as trams and buses going all points . Tram number 2 stands out in particular. Because this tram tours around the old town passing in front of the most important points that you might want to go. If you wanted to use a taxi, I would recommend you to call one from your hotel. We didn't use taxis but we heard that unofficial and pirate cabbies want exorbitant prices. You better take one of the official cabs which is recommended by your hotel.

What are the people of Belgrade like?

Serbs are really tall and beautiful people. They like looking after themselves, dressing nice and living in constant motion. Even if they seem cold at first glance, they are always ready to help.

Is Belgrade a beautiful city?

Definitely yes. Despite the turbulent history, it is not hard to notice well-preserved great buildings in Belgrade. You will see people sipping coffee in chic cafes on every corner, bakeries where you can enjoy fabulous pastries and chirping vast parks . There is also an oldish feeling felt immediately immediately after you arrived the city. You feel a light 90s atmosphere ;however, we saw regeneration work everywhere.

What is the weather like Belgrade?

Belgrade's has got quite hot and humid weather, especially in the summer months when we were there. The rivers surrounding the city creates a tropical-like weather. Do not forget to take your cold water with you!

Is Belgrade cheap?

In comparison with the other European capitals, you can find quite inexpensive high quality accommodation in Belgrade. Also food and beverage facilities are all at affordable prices. Prices are more or less equivalent with Turkey. You can eat fairly large pies for 120 Dinars (1 Euro) and for maximum 2800 Dinars (23 Euro) you can have an extremely delicious dinner together. The restaurants that I can recommend are The The Two Deer Skadarlija Restaurant (Dva jelena) whose meat dishes we really like and My Hat (Sesir Moj) Restaurant where you can have a romantic dinner with local food and live music. And of course the last but not least: Smokvica B&B, our hotel's restaurant which has a beautiful garden and one of the coolest places in Belgrade. The food and atmosphere we experienced here are priceless.

Do I have difficulty in terms of language in Belgrade?

I would say that especially young people are fluent in speaking English in Belgrade. You'll also encounter words of Turkish origin almost everywhere . You won't feel lonely :-)

Can I pay in euros in Serbia?

Sırbistan’ın para birimi Sırp Dinarı (RSD). Alışveriş sırasında yalnızca Dinar ve kredi kartı kabul ediyorlar. Şehir merkezinde her köşe başında bulunan döviz bürolarından dövizinizi Dinar’a çevirebilirsiniz. 1 Euro’nun 120 Dinar etmesi sebebiyle bu işlem sonrası Dinar zengini oluyorsunuz 🙂

What about Belgrade nightlife?

Of course, the advantage of being here especially in July and August is the nightlife which is pointed as number 1 of Europe. Specifically in the floating discos called Splavs that you can see on both sides of the Sava River, life does not stop at all. If you want something more relaxed I can recommend an extremely high quality live rock music playing environment: The Tramvaj Bar.

10 places to visit in Belgrade

1. Belgrad Fortress and Kalemegdan

Kalemegdan is situated just at the end of Knez Mihailova Street. In this beautiful park are there great fountains and sculptures. Finishing Knez Mihailova you can relax here and then go into the Belgrade Fortress . Situated at a very strategic point at the intersection of the Danube and Sava Rivers, the Belgrade Castle, had been rebuilt several times between the 2. and 18. centuries and hosted Romans, Serbs, Austria-Hungarians and the Ottoman Empire for centuries. In the castle there are Ottoman monuments maintained by Tika. The tomb of famous Groom Ali Pasha, the Peloponnese Conqueror, and Sokullu Mehmet Paşa's beautiful fountain can be seen in the castle. On the edge of the fortress just overlloking the two rivers you will see the Statue of Victory (Pobednik) which was erected after the Serb victory in Balkan Wars. One of the most beautiful places in the castle is İstanbul Gate which is directly facing the direction of İstanbul and the clock tower which carries the traces of Austria-Hungary architecture . You can take great photos from the hills in the Castle and you can lie and relax watching the magnificent landscape. Also located within the castle, the Open-Air War Museum and the Belgrade Zoo may be of interest to you. There is also a cute train which you can ride the castle in. It's a cheap and fun solution for the one who gets tired under hot weather.

2. Knez Mihailova Street

Taking its name from a Prince of Republika Srpska, Knez Mihailova is the heart of the city and its main shopping street. Similar to our İstiklal Street in İstanbul, you can see dozens of shops of the most famous brands, cafes and restaurants, gift shops, street artists showcasing their skills and old buildings with great architecture. It can be planned as the start and end point of a day to Belgrade Castle.

3. Skadarlija Street

Perhaps the most beautiful street of Belgrade. For years, the street has been home to the Bohemian artists of Belgrade and is the answer of Serbs to Montmartrei Paris. You must surely come here for a dinner and take a lot of pictures of the restaurants decorated beautifully with flowers. My advice for meat lovers is the Dva Jelena Restaurant (Two Deers Restaurant) and directly opposite striking with its flower decor and local live music, Šesir Moj Restaurant (My Hat Restaurant) Restaurant.

4. Saint Sava Cathedral

The most magnificent structure in Belgrade and one of the biggest cathedral of the Balkans, Saint Sava is just striking. Shall we say the Hagia Sophia of Belgrade here. It's a giant architecture and you can see it from everywhere in the city. The Cathedral bears the name of the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The construction of the cathedral started in 1894 and still not fully done. Work inside is in progress. You can also relax at a very nice park in front of the Church. Did I say there are a lot of parks in Belgrade? <img draggable="false" class="emoji" alt="?" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.3/svg/1f642.svg">

5. Republic Square (Trg Republike)

This square is known as the meeting point of Belgradians. It's our first stop before moving to Knez Mihailova. On each side of the square is quite crowded cafes, restaurants, museums and theatres. It's also one of the main stops of the municipal busses. The square is situated on the ruins of a road and gate to İstanbul.

6. Ada Ciganlija

Belgrad’da deniz yok diye üzülmeyin. Ada Ciganlija’ da dilediğiniz gibi güneşlenebilir, kendinizi Sava’nn serin sularına bırakabilirsiniz. Su sporları ve cesaretiniz varsa bungee-jumping de cabası 🙂

7. Beton Hala District

In this area again situated on the banks of river just downside Belgrade Fortress you can see some of the best restaurants of Belgrade like Frida, Sakura and Iguana. Ideal for a dinner by the river. But booking in advance is a must.

8. Nikola Tesla Museum

Alternatif akımdan kablosuz elektrik iletimine yüzlerce buluşu olan Edison’un en büyük rakibi Ünlü Sırp bilim adamı Nikola Tesla’nın icatlarını görmekle kalmayıp aynı zamanda tecrübe edebileceğiniz küçük ama farklı bir müze. Girişi 500 Dinar. Saatbaşı rehberli turlar düzenleniyor. Özellikle İngilizce olanlarına katılabilirsiniz. Aksi takdirde çok bir anlam ifade etmeyecektir. Bilime ilgisi olanlar kaçırmamalı 🙂

9. Taşmeydan Park

Sit down any time of the day, you can listen to yourself at this vast park which is built on an area of 80,000 square meters . There is a very nice park culture in Belgrade. You will see people reading books with their coffee, families having breakfast, ladies taking their dogs for a walk. In short everyone is at the parks and Taşmeydan is a good example.

10. St. Mark's Church

This magnificent building right at the end of Taşmeydan affects us immediately facing its enormous architecture. Built in 1835, St Mark's Church was damaged during the World War 2. But it has been restored since then. It's also worth seeing the etchings inside.