Belgrade is a city full of hospitable and cheerful Serbs who are skilled in cooking delicious meat, smoking, and brewing strong coffee with an Ottoman recipe. If you haven’t visited Belgrade yet, it’s time to pack your bags and go before it becomes too crowded. Here’s what you should see, eat, and drink in the city!
Belgrade Fortress
One of the main attractions of the capital is the huge fort situated on a hill, which has been destroyed 44 times in 2300 years! From here, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.
The complex has numerous sculptures, busts, towers, gates, wells, and fountains. You can also find the following sights within the complex:
- Natural History Museum
- Military Museum
- Observatory
- Zoo
- Ruzica Church with a chandelier made of swords and shells
- Church of St. Petka (Paraskeva) with a source of healing water
- Monument to the Winner (Pobednik), erected in 1928 to commemorate the final defeat of the Turks
- Military bunker
- Casemates, where torture instruments are exhibited.
Nearby, there is a landscape park.
Address: Kalemegdan Park.
Opening hours: In summer, the fortress is open from 11:00 to 19:00, while in winter, it’s open from 10:00 to 17:00.
Cost: Entrance to the fortress is free, but you will have to pay to visit some sights. A single ticket to the Nebojša tower, clock tower, bunker, powder store, and Roman well costs 450 RSD (4 EUR) for adults, and 350 RSD (3 EUR) for schoolchildren, students, and pensioners.
Military Museum
The museum has a collection of military equipment, including Austro-Hungarian, Turkish, British, and German artifacts. One of the two remaining preserved copies of the Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf tank used by Germany in World War II, and the Yugoslav-licensed copy of the Soviet T-34, Carriage A, are displayed in the free section of the museum.
The museum building has two floors of exhibits, and it also features two halls dedicated to Josip Broz Tito’s uniforms, weapons, and awards. The museum showcases collections on the Serbian-Turkish, World Wars I and II, the NATO military operation against Yugoslavia, a collection of weapons ranging from ancient Greece and Rome to the 20th century, and trophies.
Location: Belgrade Fortress.
Hours: The museum is open every day except Monday from 10:00 to 17:00.
Admission: Adults pay 200 RSD (2 EUR), while students and schoolchildren pay 100 RSD (1 EUR).
Zoo
The zoo was established in 1936 on a small 3-hectare land. However, it quickly became popular among the townspeople and the royal family. Today, the zoo houses 270 species of animals, reptiles, and birds on a 7-hectare land.
One of the zoo’s most famous residents is Muya, the oldest alligator currently in captivity. Muya was brought to the zoo in 1937 as an adult and was the only one to survive World War II when the zoo was destroyed. He also survived the bombing of the city in 1999.
The zoo also has albino animals, such as kangaroos, wolves, lions, tigers, and hedgehogs.
Location: Mali Kalemegdan 8, Belgrade Fortress.
Hours: The zoo is open daily from 8:00 to 19:30.
Admission: Adults pay 500 RSD (4 EUR), while children between 3-15 years old pay 300 RSD (3 EUR).
Museum of the National Bank
The Museum of the National Bank has a permanent exhibition called “Money in Serbia – from the first appearance to the present day” and temporary exhibitions related to money. Tours are conducted in Serbian and English, and visitors can try a gold bar by weight, purchase old banknotes for a collection, or get a fake banknote with their photo on it for free.
Since the exhibition is located in the National Bank building, visitors are required to wear closed shoes and trousers, and a passport is taken as a deposit during the visit.
Location: Kralja Petra 12.
Hours: The museum is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 16:00.
Admission: Free.
Tesla Museum
If you want to experience an electric shock or duel with Star Wars Jedi swords, the Tesla Museum is the place to go! The first part of the tour might seem dull as it shows a documentary film and talks about the life of Nikola Tesla. However, in the next hall, visitors can participate in experiments with Tesla’s inventions. It is recommended to get a spot in the front row to witness the experiments in detail.
The museum consists of only three rooms, but it is unique as it holds the world’s only collection of Tesla’s personal items and original documents, including an urn with his ashes.
Location: Krunska 51.
Hours: Guided tours are conducted daily except on Monday from 9:45 to 20:00, and they start every hour and last 45 minutes.
Admission: Adults pay 500 RSD (4 EUR), while children under 7 years old get in for free.
Saint Sava Cathedral
The Saint Sava Cathedral was planned to be the largest Orthodox church globally, accommodating up to 10,000 people. However, the construction was never completed, and it is often compared to Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. The cathedral resembles a smaller version of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, without minarets and with a different-colored dome. Inside, the walls are concrete, the floors are bare, and there are scaffolds. The cathedral looks magnificent in the evening when the lights are on.
Location: Karadjordje’s Park, Vracar.
National Museum
The National Museum has a collection of 400,000 exhibits, including paintings and engravings by European masters like Matisse, Picasso, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, and Kandinsky. Recently, an anonymous philanthropist donated Modigliani’s Portrait of a Man to the museum.
Aside from paintings, the museum also displays a numismatic collection of over 300,000 items, including coins and medals from various eras, some of which belonged to Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.
Location: Trg Republike 1a.
Hours: The museum is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Thursday and Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00.
Admission: The permanent exhibition costs 300 RSD (3 EUR), the temporary exhibitions cost 500 RSD (4 EUR), and the complex ticket costs 600 RSD (5 EUR). There is a 50% discount for students, schoolchildren, and pensioners. Admission to the permanent exhibition is free every Sunday.
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art features works of Yugoslav and Serbian masters, including paintings, engravings, drawings, sculptures, and multimedia exhibits from the 20th century to the present day. The museum has about 35,000 items, including works by Western artists like Andy Warhol and Joan Miro. The museum’s annex, the Pariska street salon, hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists.
The museum building has a crystal-like shape and is located near the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, on the opposite bank from the fortress.
Location: Ušće 10, blok 15 (museum) and Pariska 14 (salon).
Hours: The salon is open every day except Tuesday from 12:00 to 20:00. The museum is closed until September 21 for the preparation of Marina Abramovic’s exhibition.
Admission: Admission to the salon is free, while museum admission costs 300 RSD (3 EUR) and above.
Museum of Science and Technology
The Museum of Science and Technology is an excellent alternative to the Tesla Museum, particularly for families with children. It has more exhibits, less foreign language text, and tickets that are twice cheaper. The permanent exhibition “Man and Technology” showcases technological progress in Serbia, including electrification, the appearance of steamships, printing without printers, and the first home computers.
Children will enjoy the toy collection and the science center on the ground floor, which explains complex phenomena in a playful manner. Here, visitors can experience the effect of centrifugal force, test their sense of balance, and see optical illusions.
Address: Skender begova 51.
Hours: Open daily except Monday from 10:00 to 20:00.
Admission: 200 RSD (2 EUR), family ticket – 300 RSD (3 EUR), admission is free for children under 7 years old.
Car Museum
The Car Museum, which originated from the private collection of Bratislav Petkovic, is located in the historic building of Belgrade’s first public garage, designed by Russian architect Valery Stashevsky in 1929. The museum has a collection of 50 exhibits, including the Marot Gardon of 1897, the first car assembled on the assembly line (the Ford T of 1925), and the sports Jaguar MK2 of 1963. Aside from cars, visitors will see spare parts, tools, driving licenses from different years, the first Serbian traffic rules, license plates, and thematic books.
Address: Majke Jevrosime 30.
Hours: Open daily from 9:30 to 20:00.
Admission: 200 RSD (2 EUR), admission is free for children under 7 years old.
Museum of the History of Yugoslavia
The Museum of the History of Yugoslavia is dedicated to the history of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Socialist Yugoslavia, as well as the life of Josip Broz Tito. The collection includes a library, personal items, a photographic archive, uniforms, and medals of Tito, as well as weapons, equipment, costumes, documents, musical instruments, and toys from different eras.
One of the buildings in the complex, the House of Flowers, is where Tito and his wife are buried. This is a winter garden, with walls decorated with photographs of official ceremonies involving Tito and the countries he visited.
Address: Mihaila Mike Jankovića 6.
Hours: Open daily except Monday from 10:00 to 18:00.
Admission: 400 RSD (4 EUR) for adults, 200 RSD (2 EUR) for children over 10 years old and students. On the first Thursday of every month from 16:00 to 18:00, as well as on May 4 and 25, admission is free.
Vespa Museum
A fan of the Vespa brand, Vladan Konstantinovich, has collected a unique collection of 40 Italian scooters in the basement of his house. The collection includes a rare V12 model of 1949 and a Struzzo VL3 with a 1956 cradle. New exhibits appear here from time to time thanks to members of the Belgrade Vespa Club.
You can visit the museum only by prior arrangement with the owner (who speaks English). The contact number is indicated on the website.
Address: Brzakova 2.
Yugodom
Step back in time and spend a night at the first and only museum in the world where you can stay overnight. Yugodom is a guesthouse furnished with retro furniture and Made in Yugoslavia decor items. The apartment has three rooms, which are named after cult films of the second half of the 20th century. The owner of the apartment, Mario Milakovich, collected sofas, telephones, typewriters, books, magazines, televisions, dishes, and other things necessary to bring the idea to life, from attics and flea markets for several years.
On days when the apartment is not occupied by guests, you can visit it on a tour. Contact the owner to book a tour.
Address: Strahinjica bana 80.
Cost: starts from 50 EUR per day for two.
Princess Ljubica’s Palace
Erected for the wife and children of Prince Milos Obrenovic in 1829-1831, the Palace of Princess Ljubica was one of the first stone buildings in Belgrade. After reconstruction in 1980, it became part of the city museum, and the exhibition “Interiors of Belgrade houses of the 19th century” was opened here. The collection includes paintings by Serbian and Western masters that belonged to Obrenović and other noble families, furniture, and clothing from that era. Don’t miss the temporary exhibitions in the basement.
Expect a modest building that uses different European and Oriental styles for the palace’s interior design instead of gilding, crystal, and four-poster beds. Take postcards with photographs of the interiors for free as a souvenir.
Address: Kneza Sime Markovica 8.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday from 10.00 to 17.00, Friday from 10.00 to 18.00, Sunday from 10.00 to 14.00.
Cost: 200 RSD (2 EUR) for adults, 100 RSD (1 EUR) for schoolchildren, students, and pensioners.
Zemun District
Zemun, once a separate city, is now a part of Belgrade that attracts visitors with its narrow streets, tiled roofs, historic churches, and establishments. Stroll along the Danube, feed the swans, and take in the view of Belgrade from Gardos Hill. When you need a break, grab a beer at the colorful bar Crveni Rak (Beogradska 14) or enjoy a meal at the fish restaurant Šaran (Kej Oslobođenja 53), considered one of the best in the city. For those who enjoy unique dining experiences, we recommend Sač (Rabina Alkalaja 5), located in a building that used to be a synagogue.
Ada Ciganlija
When the weather is nice, head to the beach! Ada Ciganlija is located on a peninsula on the Sava River and offers everything you need for recreation, including numerous cafes and 50 sports facilities, such as a golf course, football field, tennis courts, and volleyball and baseball fields. The artificial lake, one of the largest in Europe, is perfect for swimming, kayaking, diving, surfing, and water polo. For those who enjoy active beach entertainment, try riding a “banana” or bungee jumping.
Address: Ada Ciganlija 2.
Bar Blaznavac
Located in the courtyard of a house that once belonged to a political and military figure named Blaznavac, this bar was named after him. In the center of the courtyard, there is a real carriage where you can sit comfortably while enjoying your cocktails. Blaznavac is a disco bar where DJs play music, and people start dancing, while waiters also move around the place, dancing. On Fridays and Saturdays, the bar is so popular that the corridors connecting it to the secret funk club Strogi Сentar, which hosts concerts and parties in the evenings, open up.
Address: Kneginje Ljubice 18.
Working hours: Daily from 9:00 to 2:00.
Drugstore Club
This techno club is located in a former factory/warehouse/slaughterhouse (opinions are divided). It is noisy, crowded, and loud inside, and the establishment resembles the legendary Berlin club Berghain, but it is easier to get into, and the face control is more relaxed. Although the interior may not impress, the music program certainly will – Drugstore hosts top DJs and consistently ranks among the best clubs in Europe. In the summer, an open-air site, the Secret Garden, opens.
Address: Bulevar Despota Stefana 115.
Working hours: Friday and Saturday from 22:00 to 10:00.
Cost: Free.
Kafana “?”
In the past, kafanas in the former Yugoslavia were places where men would gather to drink coffee or something stronger and chat. Although modern kafanas also offer food, their specialty is “srpska kafa” – strong coffee, the recipe of which dates back to the Ottoman Empire.
“?” is the oldest kafana in Belgrade, operating since 1826. It is the only institution in Europe with a punctuation mark instead of a name. Colorful, hospitable, and with live folk music in the evenings, it offers slightly more expensive prices than its neighboring places, but it’s worth it for the historical significance.
Address: Kralja Petra I 6.
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday – from 8.00 to midnight, Friday and Saturday – until 2.00.
Samo Pivo
As the name suggests, this bar offers only keg beer, bottled beer, and beer-related products. It offers the branded Pablo from the Kabinet brewery, about 30 types of Serbian beer, and a wide selection of imported craft beer. You can bring your food or order delivery to the bar.
The prices are affordable, and the crowd is laid-back and includes smokers. You can escape from the smoke on the open terrace, which offers a view of the oldest street in the capital, Balkanska. However, the bar may be hard to find as it is hidden in an underground passage.
Address: Balkanska 13.
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday – from 12.00 to midnight, Friday and Saturday – until 1.00.
