When talking about European capital tours, what most people have in mind are Paris, London and Rome (in that particular order). However, there is so much more that the Old Continent has to offer, and all you need to do is start thinking just a bit outside the box. There are many undiscovered jewels of European tourism just waiting for you to come up with the idea to visit them. One of them is Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and a city at the crossroads.

At the crossroads

The reason why I say “a city at the crossroads” is quite simple. Throughout history, this magnificent city was at the very border between east and west. As a border city between Ottoman Turkey and Austro-Hungary, Belgrade was at the epicenter of all cultural, political and imperial occurrences at the time. This also means that this city was a gateway between two cultures, two religions and two spheres of influence. All of them can be seen in its landscape and its people even at the present day. It is not everywhere that you can see an Austro-Hungarian mansion and a socialist multistory building next to each other.

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A Tour of History

For those hungry for history there are so many places to visit in Belgrade. The first thing you should probably do is go to the Belgrade Fortress. This magnificent structure was built in the 6th century, but has constantly been upgraded by the region’s current ruler. Today, it stands as a testament to the Turkish rule of the area.

St. Sava Memorial Cathedral. The construction preparations have lasted since 1894. Although still under construction, this monumental temple is a symbol of the Serbian Orthodoxy and major peculiarity of Vračar and Belgrad.

St. Sava Memorial Cathedral. The construction preparations have lasted since 1894. Although still under construction, this monumental temple is a symbol of the Serbian Orthodoxy and major peculiarity of Vračar and Belgrad.

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On the other hand, if you are one of those who are looking for alternative history, and those little things you cannot normally find in history books, you need ti visit Skadarlija, which is something closest to an “old town” that Belgrade has, and is a most definite must.

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21st Century Tourism

Of course, all of this doesn’t mean that Belgrade is just dungeons and middle ages – in fact it is a genuine 21st century metropolis. If money is not the issue, you can always find lodging in a five-star hotel like the Hyatt Regency or the Metropol Palace. For those obsessed with fitness, gyms in Belgrade are in no way inferior to any around the world. In fact some of them, like Non Stop Fitness, work 24/7, which means that you can fit your trainings into your schedule in any way you like. As for the restaurants in the area, it is once more up to your price range, but Velika Skadarlija has all my recommendations.

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Wild nightlife

When it comes to nightlife, this is one of the main reason why so many tourists come to Belgrade in the first place. The number of clubs and pubs is simply staggering, as is the amount of people in them any day of the week (even Tuesday nights are crazy in Belgrade). Alcohol and work hour laws are not as strict as in most European capitals, which means that you party hard from dusk until dawn.

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Family friendly visit

Apart from having such a lush and vivid nightlife, Belgrade is also known to be a family friendly destination. For example, you can always take your kids to the Belgrade Zoo or observatory, and in this way add a didactic aspect to your tour, as well. Additionally, there are so many great picnic spots in the city and its surroundings and this will allow you to turn your vacation into a genuine adventure. Finally, you can always take your kids to the Nikola Tesla Museum and have them learn a thing or two about one of the greatest and most underappreciated geniuses that ever lived.

As you can see, Belgrade truly is one of the most beautiful and most exciting capitals in Europe. Sure, it may not be as popular as other touristic locations, but anyone who has visited it just once always tends to return. In fact, there is a great chance that a tour to Belgrade will make you want to visit all the other Balkan capitals (which I wholeheartedly support). In other words, a visit to this Balkan metropolis will most definitely provide you with enough excitement to last you a lifetime.

 

ABOUT OUR GUEST BLOGGER

Norah is a newbie traveler with an ever-growing wishlist. She can be found on most days with pen and paper in hand (she is hopelessly outdated at times), jotting down her thoughts. She drinks excessive amounts of tea and raspberry juice, collects running shoes and would feel naked without nail polish.

Written by qmpkatherin