Understand
Belgrade is a very old city, tracing its origins two millennia BC. The city can be divided into three parts: Zemun, Novi Beograd and Stari Grad, or the Old City. Zemun used to be an independent city that belonged to the Austro Hungarian Empire. Therefore, the architecture of the city resembles that of Austria. Novi Beograd (or New Belgrade) is the most modern part of town, where new edifices are found. However, there is an assortment of communist style buildings. Despite this, it is becoming the commercial hub of the city. Stari grad is the old part of the city, situated on the other side of the Sava. This is where the city first began, and where the famous Kalemegdan is located.
Belgrade is a city that is not diversified. Most citizens are white, with a small minority of Chinese, Africans and Romas.
Despite this, Belgrade is enjoyable and energetic. Also, keep in mind that tourism in Belgrade is still improving and that millions have been spent to improve facilities for tourists.
Get in
By plane
There are plane flights to Belgrade from numerous European, Middle Eastern and some African cities. The national airline of Serbia flies to 38 destinations worldwide. Jat Airways has offices worldwide and you can pay your ticket by credit card, cash or make an online reservations on ther web site (but be quick seats fill up very quickly on many routes). Another 19 airlines fly to Belgrade International Airport "Nikola Tesla", including low cost carriers Germanwings and Norwegian Air Shuttle. The airport is about 12 kilometres west from the city center. Two companies (Jat and Lasta) run hourly direct airport buses to the railway station and to Hotel Slavija for 80 Dinars (Lasta) or 160 Dinars (Jat).
Bus number 72 runs about twice an hour from the airport to Zeleni Venac (city center) in about 40 minutes for 45 dinars (0.5 Euro). You may buy tickets from the bus driver or at city kiosks, but have to you have pay in Dinars. There are also new modern, comfortable mini buses (which have air-conditioning) owned by the city of Belgrade. Route E7 picks passengers from the airport and drives them to the Boulevard of King Alexander, at the city centre. The bus stops at famous Belgrade hotels - Intercontinental, Hyatt and Park however make sure you tell the driver when you board which hotel you are stopping at. You purchase your ticket from the bus driver and it only costs 60 dinars (less then 1 Euro). It is good value for price.
Don't use taxis from the airport as they will not turn on their taxi metres and will make you pay double the price. You can use buses instead, or either walk 50 meters away from the taxi stand and call up a taxi or go to the Departures drop-off area and pick one of the incoming taxis.
By train
The Central Train station is located, not surprisingly, in the city centre. Most national and international trains stop here.
There are several international train connections from Budapest-Vienna and Zagreb-Ljubljana-Munich-Zurich, Normally, trains should not be too late (seldom more than 1 hour), and usually safe. Expect the overnight train from/to Budapest to be overcrowded in summer.
There are also direct (day and night) trains from Skopje and Thessaloniki and an overnight train from Bar, Montenegro to Belgrade. It arrives early in the morning (around 7). This is a reasonably comfortable train with sleeper cars and nice views (even at night). Upgrade to the cabins with two beds only for 100% improvement. Prices are pretty reasonable.
By car
Coming from north, it is recommended to use the Subotica - Novi Sad - Belgrade highway, which is an extension of E-75. However, you might encounter some delays as roads and highways are being constantly reconstructed and improved.
By bus
The central bus station is just next-door from the train station. It serves number of national destinations as well as international ones. Buses being late are not much of a surprise here so do not be too worried about it. Be sure to check your destination since everything is in Serbian and drivers do not speak English usually. Maybe the best way is to spot some from the younger generation and to ask them.
Travelling by bus is pretty much cheap, and depending with which company you travel they are comfortable. Information can be obtained through phone and in person on the bus station. Nearly all bus companies (like Lasta) have a website where you can check your departure and arrival time and other information.
By boat
Belgrade lies where the rivers Sava and the Danube meet. Passenger ships enable you to reach every place along the Danube in a very convenient and meditative manner with many fascinating attractions along it, but it is a quite slow and rather expensive way of traveling.
Get around
Belgrade has a large fleet of busses, trolley buses and trams - 1,000 vehicles to be exact, but even this is not enough, and public transport in Belgrade is always crowded during rush hour.
Tickets for public transportation are cheap, costing 27 dinars and can be bought from any kiosk in the street. You can also buy them from the driver, and this will cost you 40 dinars. Tickets can only be used once, are good for any type of transportation and must be cancelled once you board the bus, tram or trolleybus. Failure to do so will cost you 1400 dinars (around 20 dollars) if you are caught with an unmarked ticket.
If you are going to spend an extended period in Belgrade, and intend to use public transport a lot, than you can buy passes that range from 15 days to 1 month. Those must be purchased at the public transport department, and can be somewhat difficult for foreigners to acquire, since the process is long (filling out forms with most of your personal information) and attendants do not speak English.
To find your way around, note that although most of the older people also do not speak English, the younger generation will understand you very well.
By bus
By tram
Whereas most buses and trolley buses are new, trams are old and cramped, left over from the communist regime (however new trams are expected to be introduced by mid-2007).
By taxi
Taxi transportation is common, cheap and safe, and you can either stop one in the street, or call a taxi company such as "Beo-taxi", which has older cars, "Lux", for a reasonable price in good, modern cars and companies like "Yellow Taxi", "Pink Taxi", "Blue Taxi", "Maxis Taxi", "Alfa Taxi", "Gold Taxi" and "Beogradski Taxi". Make sure that you ride only in licensed cabs, which carry a little blue sign with the city coat of arms and a number on it, or you may end up paying too much. Never take a privately owned cab (the ones with the white marker on the top that does not list the name of the company), since you can pay up to four times the normal price.
Throughout 2007, major changes are being implemented in the taxi system, as cars are modernised to include receipt printers and an option to pay by card.
By car
There are new spaces for parking in the city center. There is a big car park for 500 spaces under the old palace in the city center.
Also, take into consideration that in the center almost all of the parking spaces in the street have 'zones' marked with green, yellow or red paint on the street. You can only stay for 3, 2 or 1 hours, correspondingly, on those spots. You can pay using the machine usually found near the parking spots or by your mobile phone (just send a message with the license plate of your car to numbers 9111 (red zone), 9112 (yellow) or 9113 (green)) Every message you send counts for one hour. After the time is up you'll have to repark or risk paying a fine (around 10 euros) This only applies from 7 to 21h. After that (21h - 7h) the parking is free.
See
Note that many of Belgrade's museums are closed on Monday. It may be wise to check before making a visit.
Do
Public Observatory (placed at Kalemegdan fortress) - There are four panoramic telescopes installed for daily observations of the city's panorama. This is the unique place in Belgrade for panoramic observations.
National Museum - located at Republic Square has an enormous collection of world painters.
National Theatre - watch opera, ballet and plays - the main hall is simply amazing. Decorated with gold and artworks.
Visit a splav – a floating restaurant located along the Sava and Danube rivers. There you can dine and eat with the extra feature of being on the river and enjoying the view.
If you have time visit the Belgrade Arena. It is the second largest arena in Europe and the largest in the Balkans. You will definitely be impressed by the architecture. The 2005 European Basketball Championships were held there.
Events
Learn
Most people do not speak English. However, the younger generation does. It is therefore useful to learn a bit of Serbian, not only will it be handy, but also, polite.
Like in German, the letter "J" is pronounced like the letter "Y" in word "Yes" in English.
Buy
Money can be exchanged at official exchange offices, which are clearly labelled and they are numerous in central Belgrade, or at the airport. There are many ATMs, which accept foreign bank and credit cards without a glitch (note: they are new machines so you wont have any problems with them).
The stores work into late hours during work days while on Saturdays they normally close around 3 p.m and most of them are not open on Sundays. Therefore, finding an activity for the weekend must be thought of beforehand. At night, however, there are bars, cafes and discotheques that are open, selling cheaply priced drinks. Belgrade was named to have one of the best night lifes in Europe by many American newspapers.
Eat
There is a lot of meat in their meals. Every meal is accompanied by bread, no matter what the meal is.
Belgrade has many international restaurants, cheap comparing to western Europe. Main meals can range from 8-15 dollars per person.
Most Serbian restaurants offer traditional Serbian dishes. If you are a meat lover, try eating rostilj, a large meat meal that satisfies even the craziest of carnivores. If you are a herbivore, then good luck! The only salads available to you are side dishes!
Foods that vegetarians and meat eaters alike should try include kajmak (something between cream cheese and butter) and ajvar, a savory spread of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. It is also worth visiting a pijaca (green market) to buy some fresh fruit and vegetables.
There is also pljeskavica, the serbian version of a hamburger, much better and tastier than the McDonald's version. These can be purchased from fast food restaurants.
Speaking of fast food restaurants, Belgrade is full of them. You can find your typical McDonalds and Pizza Hut, but most Serbs prefer to eat at their local shops. These shops are mainly fast food joints and bakeries, both of which sell pizza, sandwiches and palacinke (the serbian version of a crepe). Some may go beyond that, selling turkish delicassies such as baklava, tulumba and other greek/turkish treats.
There are a handful of international restaurants that range from American to Mexican food to oriental. These are moderately priced to very expensive. The famous "Peking" restaurant is where many people dine out for Chinese meals and there is a Lebanese restaurant in Belgrade as well. See food restaurants can be found near Ada Ciganlija.
A nice, pleasant street filled with very nice restaurants is the Skardalija street. If you get a chance, go there.
Drink
Serbs love beer. So, therefore, you can find a large amount of domestic and imported beer on the market. Domestic beer is very good, suitable to all tastes. Imported beers include Heineken, Bittburger and Becks. Belgrade is famous for its Beer Festival held annually in September.
Most alcoholic drinks are available to satisfy your every craving. Also, try some national alcoholic drinks such as the famous Rakija, a Serbian brandy that is very delicious!
For the sobre crowd, Belgrade has delicious juices and a wide variety of soft drinks.
Sleep
Budget
Several hostels have opened up in Belgrade recently, mainly in the center of the city. Some are only open in the summer, but a couple function all year round.
There are also several hotels right around the train station that are relatively cheap ($10-$15 USD) that are actually quite nice. Just walk around and you should find one with empty rooms without much difficulty. They are, however, a bit of a walk from anything scenic or exciting.
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safe
Belgrade is a relatively safe city, but be wary of pickpocketing. Keep money, cell phones, and other valuable personal items in secure places. If you own your own car, it's preferable for it to have a security system. Traffic laws are for the most part observed.(nervous drivers during rush hour change lanes or make dangerous turns when avoiding traffic)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals should be cautious while staying in Belgrade, as attacks on LGBT individuals, while not necessarily common, do occur.
Emergencies
In case of an emergency, call 92 (police), 93 (fire) or 94 (ambulance). Always carry the phone number and an address of your embassy with you.
In case of injury or illness, the place to go is the Urgentni centar (Emergency Centre) of the Clinical Centre of Serbia.
Stay healthy
In winter, when it snows, the next day, the streets are covered in sleet, so take caution when walking the next day.
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Belgrade (Београд or Beograd ) is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Serbia. The first settlements in the area of Belgrade emerged in prehistoric Vinča in 4800 BC. The site of the city was settled in the 3rd century BC by the Celts, before becoming the Roman settlement of Singidunum. The Slavic name Beligrad (a form of Beograd, literally meaning White City) was first recorded in 878 AD. It first became the capital of the Serbian Kingdom of Syrmia in 1284; the Serbian Despotate was governed from the city from 1403, while in modern times it was the capital of the Principality of Serbia, which became the Kingdom of Serbia in 1882, as well as of the various incarnations of Yugoslavia from 1918 until 2003, as well as of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro from 2003 until 2006.
The city lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers in north central Serbia, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkan peninsula. With a 2002 population of 1,576,124, Its territory is divided into 17 municipalities, each of which has its own local council. Belgrade spreads over 3.6% of the territory of Serbia, and 21% of the Serbian population (excluding that of the Kosovo province) lives in the city. It is the central economic hub of Serbia, and the capital of Serbian culture, education and science.
Geography
Belgrade lies 116.75 m above sea level, at coordinates 44°49'14" North 20°27'44" East. The historical core of Belgrade (today's Kalemegdan) is on the right bank of Sava and Danube rivers. After expanding over the Sava river, it now includes New Belgrade and Zemun on Sava's left bank. The city is located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. The city has an urban area of 359.96 km², while together with its metropolitan area it covers 3222.68 km². Belgrade, like many other cities, is considered a crossroads between the West and the Orient.
Climate
Belgrade has a moderate continental climate. The year-round average temperature is 11.7 °C, while the hottest month is July, with an average temperature of 22.1 °C. However, there are 31 days a year when the temperature is above 30 °C, and 95 days when the temperature is above 25 °C. Belgrade receives about 700 mm (27.56 inches) of precipitation a year. The average annual number of sunny hours is 2,096. The sunniest months are July and August, with an average of about 10 sunny hours a day, while December and January are the darkest, with an average of 2–2.3 sunny hours a day.
History
The Vinča culture existed in or near Belgrade and dominated the Balkans about 7,000 years ago. Settled in the 3rd century BC by a Celtic tribe, the Scordisci; the city's first recorded name was Singidūn before becoming the Roman settlement of Singidunum in the first century AD. Four hundred years later in 395 AD the site passed to the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire.
Middle Ages
Demographics
Belgrade has a population of 1,576,124 as recorded in the 2002 Serbian census. The main ethnic groups were Serbs (1,417,187), Yugoslavs (22,161), Montenegrins (21,190), Roma (19,191), Croats (10,381), Macedonians (8,372), and Muslims by nationality (4,617).
It is estimated that, as at June 2007, the population is approximately 1 588 381.
Although there are several historic religious communities in Belgrade, the religious makeup of the city is relatively homogenous. The Serbian Orthodox community is by far the largest, with 1,429,170 adherents. There are also 20,366 Muslims and 16,305 Roman Catholics. There used to be a significant Jewish community, but following the Nazi occupation, and many Jews' subsequent emigration to Israel, their numbers have fallen to a mere 415. There are also 3,796 Protestants in the city.
Besides to its native born population, Belgrade is home to many Serbs from all over the former Yugoslavia, who either came seeking a better life, or fled as refugees from war and ethnic cleansing. Unofficially—taking into account the large number of refugees from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and displaced persons from the province of Kosovo, students, and people counted in censuses in their hometowns—the population may surpass 2 million. Many non-Serbs also live in Belgrade, largely as a result of Belgrade having been the capital of the multi-ethnic Yugoslavia. Also, many Arabs live in Belgrade. Most of these Arabs arrived in Belgrade to pursue their studies during the 1970s and 1980s, and have remained and founded families in the city. Most come from Syria, Jordan and Iraq.
Economy
Belgrade is the most economically developed part of Serbia. More than 30% of Serbia's GDP is generated by the city, which also has more than 30% of Serbia's employed population. The city's economy has been growing strongly since 2000. During the 1990s, the city was severely affected, like the rest of Serbia, by an internationally imposed trade embargo. The hyperinflation of the Yugoslav dinar, the highest ever recorded in the world, also decimated the city's economy. The National Bank of Serbia is located in the city. Notable companies based in Belgrade include Jat Airways, Telekom Srbija, Telenor Serbia, Delta Holding, Société Générale, Japan Tobacco, and many others.
As of March 2007, the average monthly gross salary in Belgrade amounted to 46,048 Serbian dinars (about 565 euros or $770 USD), and the average monthly net salary in Belgrade amounted to 33,079 Serbian dinars which (about 405 euros or $555 USD), which is one of the highest average net salaries of any district in Serbia.
City budget for 2007 is about 64,4 billion RSD or over 1 billion US $.
Culture
Belgrade hosts many annual cultural events, including FEST (Belgrade Film Festival), BITEF (Belgrade Theatre Festival), BELEF (Belgrade Summer Festival), BEMUS (Belgrade Music Festival), Belgrade Book Fair, and the Belgrade Beer Festival. The Nobel prize winning author Ivo Andrić wrote his most famous work, The Bridge on the Drina, in Belgrade. Other prominent Belgrade authors include Branislav Nušić, Miloš Crnjanski, Borislav Pekić, Milorad Pavić and Meša Selimović. Most of Serbia's film industry is based in Belgrade, and one of the most notable films to be made there was 1995's Palme d'Or winning Underground, directed by Emir Kusturica. The city was one of the main centres of the Yugoslav New Wave in the 1980s: VIS Idoli, Ekatarina Velika and Šarlo Akrobata were all from Belgrade. Other notable Belgrade rock acts include Riblja Čorba, Bajaga i Instruktori and others. The city is the main centre (in the former Yugoslavia) of a musical style known as turbofolk, one of whose most famous stars is Ceca Ražnatović. Today, it is the centre of the Serbian hip hop scene, with acts such as Beogradski Sindikat, Škabo, Marčelo, and most of the Bassivity Music stable hailing from or living in the city. There are numerious theatres, the most prominent of which are National Theatre, Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Zvezdara Theatre, and Atelier 212. The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is also based in Belgrade, as well as the National Library of Serbia.
There are many foreign cultural institutions in Belgrade, including Instituto Cervantes, Goethe-Institut and the Centre Culturel Français, which are all located on Prince Michael Street. Other cultural centres in Belgrade are American Corner, the Austrian Cultural Forum (Österreichischen Kulturforums), the British Council, and Russian Center for Science and Culture (Российский центр науки и культуры), the Confucius Institute, the Canadian Cultural Center, the Italian Cultural Institute (Istituto Italiano di Cultura), and the Culture Center of Islamic Republic of Iran.
Following the victory of Serbia's representative Marija Šerifović at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, Belgrade will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.
Museums
The most prominent museum in Belgrade is the National Museum, founded in 1844; it houses a collection of more than 400,000 exhibits, including many foreign masterpieces and the famous Miroslavljevo Jevanđelje (Miroslav's Gospel). The Military Museum houses a wide range of more than 25,000 military exhibits dating as far back as to the Roman period, as well as parts of a F-117 stealth aircraft shot down by Yugoslav forces.The Museum of Yugoslav Aviation has more than 200 aircraft, of which about 50 are on display; a few of which are the only surviving examples of their type, such as the Fiat G.50. This museum also displays parts of shot down US and NATO aircraft. The Ethnographic Museum, established in 1901, contains more than 150,000 items showcasing the rural and urban culture of the Balkans, particularly the countries of the former Yugoslavia. The Museum of Contemporary Art has a collection of around 8,540 works of art produced in Yugoslavia since 1900. The Nikola Tesla Museum, founded in 1952, preserves the personal items of Nikola Tesla, the inventor after whom the Tesla unit was named. It holds around 160,000 original documents and around 5,700 other items. The last of the major Belgrade museums is the Museum of Vuk and Dositej, which showcases the lives, work and legacy of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić and Dositej Obradović, the 19th century reformer of the Serbian literary language and the first Serbian Minister of Education respectively. One of the more unusual museums in Belgrade is the Museum of African Art, founded in the days of socialist solidarity with the undeveloped nations of the Third World.
Education
Belgrade has two state universities and several private institutions for higher education. Belgrade University draws its roots from the Lyceum founded in 1808, and in 1863. it was established as "Great School". It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the country (the oldest higher-education facility—the Teacher's College in Subotica—dates back to 1689). More than 70,000 students study at the Belgrade University. There are 195 primary (elementary) schools and 85 secondary schools. Of the primary schools, there are 162 regular, 14 special, 15 art and 4 adult schools. The secondary school system consists of 51 vocational schools, 21 gymnasiums, 8 art schools and 5 special schools. There are 230,000 enrolled pupils managed by 22,000 employees in over 500 buildings that cover around 1,100,000 m².
Sport
There are around a thousand sports facilities in Belgrade, many of which are capable of serving all levels of sporting events. Belgrade has hosted several relatively major sporting events recently, including Eurobasket 2005, the 2005 European Volleyball Championship, and the 2006 European Waterpolo Championship. Belgrade will be the host city of the European Youth Olympic Festival 2007 and 2009 Summer Universiade, chosen over the cities of Monterrey and Poznań.
The city launched two unsuccessful candidate bids to organize the Summer Olympic Games: for the 1992 Summer Olympics Belgrade was eliminated in the third round of International Olympic Committee voting, with the games going to Barcelona. The 1996 Summer Olympics ultimately went to Atlanta.
The city is home to Serbia's two biggest and most successful football clubs, Red Star Belgrade and FK Partizan, as well as a few other first league clubs. The two major stadiums in Belgrade are the Marakana (Red Star Stadium) and the Partizan Stadium. Belgrade Arena is used for basketball matches, along with Pionir Hall. while the Tašmajdan Sports Centre is used for water polo matches.
Tourism
The historic areas and buildings of Belgrade are among the city's premier attractions. They include Skadarlija, the National Museum and adjacent National Theatre, Zemun, Nikola Pašić Square, Terazije, Students' Square, the Kalemegdan Fortress, Prince Michael Street, the Parliament, the Temple of Saint Sava, and the Old Palace. On top of this, there are many parks, monuments, museums, cafés, restaurants and shops; both sides of the river Sava, not to mention views of the city from the Avala Monument, on a hilltop overlooking the city. Josip Broz Tito's mausoleum, called Kuća Cveća (The House of Flowers), and the nearby Topčider and Košutnjak parks are also popular, especially among visitors from the former Yugoslavia.
Ada Ciganlija is a former island on the Sava river, and Belgrade's biggest sports and recreational complex. Today it is connected with the shore, creating an artificial lake on the river. It is the most popular destination for Belgraders during the city's hot summers. There are 7 kilometres of long beaches and sports facilities for various sports including golf, football, basketball, volleyball, rugby union, baseball, and tennis. Extreme sports are available, like bungee jumping, water skiing and paintballing. There are numerous tracks on the island, where it is possible to ride a bike, go for a walk or go jogging. Apart from Ada, Belgrade has total of 16 islands on the rivers, many still unused; among them, the Great War Island on the very confluence of Sava stands out as an oasis of unshattered wildlife (especially birds). Its parts, along with nearby Small War Island, are protected by the city's government as a nature preserve.
Nightlife
Belgrade has a reputation for offering a vibrant nightlife, and many clubs that are open until dawn can be found throughout the city. The most recognizable nightlife feature of Belgrade are the barges (splavovi) spread along the banks of the Sava and Danube Rivers.
Many weekend visitors—particularly from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia—consider Belgrade more of a metropolis than the capitals of their own countries, due to what they see as the friendly atmosphere, great clubs and bars, cheap drinks, the lack of language difficulties, and the lack of restrictive night life regulation.
Famous alternative clubs include Akademija and the famed KST (Klub studenata tehnike) located in the basement of the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Electrical Engineering. One of the most famous sites for alternative cultural happenings in the city is the SKC (Student Cultural Centre), located right across from Belgrade's highrise landmark, the Beograđanka. Concerts featuring famous local and foreign bands are often held at the centre. SKC is also the site of various art exhibitions, as well as public debates and discussions.
A more traditional Serbian nightlife experience, accompanied by traditional music known as Starogradska (roughly translated as Old Town Music), typical of northern Serbia's urban environments, is most prominent in Skadarlija, the city's old bohemian neighbourhood where the poets and artists of Belgrade gathered in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Skadar Street (the centre of Skadarlija) and the surrounding neighbourhood are lined with some of Belgrade's best and oldest traditional restaurants (called kafanas in Serbian), which date back to that period. At one end of the neighborhood stands Belgrade's oldest beer brewery, founded in the first half of the nineteenth century. One of the city's oldest kafanas is the Znak pitanja.
Belgrade also has a small gay scene. The city has only one permanent gay club, as well as a few gay and gay-friendly cafés, in the centre of the city. Intolerance towards sexual minorities is still common in Belgrade and Serbia as a whole.
Media
Belgrade is the most important media hub in Serbia. The city is home to the main headquarters of the national broadcaster Radio Television Serbia - RTS, which is currently in the process of being transformed into a public service broadcaster. The RTS record label, PGP RTS, is also based in Belgrade. The most popular commercial broadcaster is RTV Pink, a Serbian media multinational, known for its popular entertainment programs, which are considered by many to be sensationalist and of low quality. The most popular mainstream "alternative" broadcaster is B92, another media company, which has its own TV station, radio station, and music and book publishing arms, as well as the most popular website on the Serbian internet.
