BELGRADE, SERBIA

June 27-28
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is an hour drive from Novi Sad and happened to be the next stop on our road trip. We were welcomed into the area with a large brutalist building, the Genex Tower, looming over the autostrada. It is said to be the third-largest building in Europe and houses a restaurant at the top with what I would imagine to be some impressive views.

Our first stop after settling into our apartment was to a battery store so I could finally use my camera. A man in Novi Sad had given us the name of a place and it worked out perfectly. The store is in an area called Belville which is across the bride from the downtown and is surrounded by modern shopping malls, stores, apartment buildings, clean public transportation and lots of activity. After my $10 purchase [quite a deal], we headed back to the city center.

We only had that afternoon and the next morning so we set out to explore the city. Belgrade sits at the intersection of the Sava and Danube rivers which surround the city on three sides. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has a history spanning over 7000 years. Throughout time it has passed between many rulers and was renamed the capital of Serbia in 1841 [it was previously the capital from 1282-1316 before it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire]. The city was involved in over 115 wars and leveled to the ground over 40 times. It became the capital of Yugoslavia in 1918 until 2006, when it was dissolved. NATO bombing caused major damage to the city in 1999 during the Kosovo War. Hospitals, offices, etc were destroyed and the ruins of some of the buildings have been left as a reminder.    

Belgrade has a mixture of architectural styles due to it having been part of the Roman Empire, Serbian medieval state, Ottoman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Serbian modern monarchy and republic, and Yugoslavia. There are pieces of neoclassicism, romanticism, eclectic, art nouveau, cubism, modernism, international style, etc all in one place. There are not a lot of contemporary structures throughout the city due to the destruction that occurred in the 90's.

Belgrade fortress [below] overlooks the convergence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The Romans were the first to build a fort on this site which later became the headquarters for the IV Flavian Legion. Over time, the fortress was destroyed and rebuilt and it took its present form during the end of the 18th century [although it is not fully intact]. Kalemegdan Park is part of the fortress and was created in the 19th century. The park is beautiful, filled with many ruins to explore, sculptures and beautiful views overlooking the rivers. While sitting in the park we managed to see about three brides and a street race randomly happening in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art[?!]. I did a little digging and found out that the street near the museum, Ušće, is also the site of a temporary street circuit. The track is in blok 15 and passes along the Sava bank. The track doesn't have the proper barriers or run-off areas and, after a fatality in 2005, it was taken off of the calendar for the "Grand Prix of Belgrade". I am not sure what we were watching, but based on youtube videos it seems that the track is back in use.

We assumed it is because there are no railings?

The Victor

The Victor

Museum of Contemporary Art with the race track in front

Republic Square [below] is the main square and is home to the National Theater, the National Museum and a monument to Prince Mihailo. It is a popular meeting point for local festivities and events. It was also the location of the Stambol Gate, the original entrance to the fortress, however it no longer exists. 

Transformer sculptures

Kafana '?' [below] is an authentic Serbian tavern and one of the oldest houses in Belgrade. It was built in 1823 and became a tavern in 1826. According to the hostess, it is called '?' because there was once a dispute between the neighboring Serbian Orthodox Church and the owner over the name 'kod Saborne crkve' which means 'by the Saborna Church'. The church authorities protested because they didn't want the churches name to be used in the name of a tavern so the owner put a question mark on the door. It still has its traditional interior and a great courtyard.

We only had a limited amount of time in the city so grabbing a free map from the tourist info center was key. We managed to see quite a bit of the old town and still found time to wander around some less touristy streets. Reesey was apparently worn out, so we let her rest at the apartment for most of the day. 

Nikola Pasic Square - right near our apartment

National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia

St. Mark's Church

Yugoslav Drama Theatre

Yugoslav Drama Theatre

President of the Republic of Serbia Building

President of the Republic of Serbia Building and
old palace with Andrićev venac in the center

Terazije Fountain

Princess Ljubica's Residence

Saborne crkve

Cara Lazara

Mala Gostionica - delishous

Mala Gostionica - delishous

One thing that we missed out on was crossing the river and having a drink or dinner on one of the many boats. Some have even been converted into hotels!

PJ and I both fell in love with Belgrade. The city was lively, friendly, clean and safe and we really loved our time there.

Hotel: Studio Parliament 28 euro a night. Great location, friendly owner, clean, well lit and safe. Just be sure to turn the water heater on prior to showering and make sure it is up high enough.
Currency: Serbian Dinar
Restaurants and bars: 
Kafana '?' - we only had drinks but the food looked good. I think it is a bit touristy though.

Mala Gostionica - Absolutely delicious! Not touristy and located in the bohemian area of Skadarlija. The waiter was one of the best that we have ever had. 

Korčagin - We tried to make it out to it but we just didn't have time. What makes Korčagin stand out is that it still has the colors of communism mixed with ethnic elements. The walls are covered in photos, hammer and sickle, pointed star, flag and coat of arms, etc.

Dog friendliness: High. It was warm enough so we only sat outside with her but Reesey won over the hearts of the Serbians. One woman working at the bar we were at kept running over to pet her between orders.

We then drove from Belgrade to the BiH border passing through green fields, small towns and farmland with mountains in the distance. We were driving on a Sunday and noticed that crowds of people were at the local cemeteries carrying flowers and baskets. This was on June 28th, which is also their St. Vitus Day. Maybe that had something to do with it?