Remaining firmly under the radar for tourists, Belgrade is a European capital full of young artists, music, nightlife, and culture.
When traveling to Europe, many tourists will go for the cities they see in movies and television where cobblestone streets turn out onto gardens flanked by an ancient castle. Places where Maria from The Sound of Music could sing, or where Audrey Hepburn would go on holiday.
Belgrade isn’t like that. Although Belgrade (Beograd to the locals) is a European capital and is actually one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, movies and television shows don’t often have scenes there (unless you’re the fifth movie in the Die Hard franchise). But why is this? Well, part of it has to do with the Yugoslavian Wars, which didn’t end until 2001. During this time, it’s not like the area was necessarily a tourist hotspot. Other than that, it’s also just city that’s been through a lot of damage in its time and has had to rebuild constantly.
Nowadays, it’s a city that many tourists simply haven’t considered visiting. It’s true that you won’t have the same type of experience there that you would in a place like Paris, London, or Madrid, but you’d be surprised how much Belgrade will sneak up on you. It has a hidden charm that you won’t understand until you experience it!
Tall People, Rejoice! You’ve Found Your Brethren
Although the Dutch are known to have the tallest people in the world, a top 10 list would EASILY include multiple Slavic countries – Serbia amongst them.
How do I know for sure?
*clears throat* Hello, my name is Charlie and I’m a 6’0 woman with size 13 feet.
So, let’s just say that I’m used to feeling tall when compared to other women. In the United States, whereas it’s not uncommon for me to come across a woman taller than myself, eight times out of ten I am still likely to be the tallest woman in the room. When traveling, my height is something that people notice and comment on. This happens even in European countries, which, percentage wise, has multiple countries with some of the tallest populations in the world.
There have only been a few countries where my height didn’t feel like one of the main things people noticed about me, and one of the countries was Serbia.
Those who have been keeping up with professional basketball know that Serbian men are tall, but I don’t think people realize that the women on average are ALSO very tall. As a result, when shopping at a local mall I was able to find pants long enough for me, coats with long arms, AND (this shocked me) shoes that actually fit me!
Youthful, Artsy Vibes
Belgrade, as a European capital that has existed for thousands of years, is likely expected to have an old-world charm, just as Prague, Madrid, Vienna does. But, this is not the case.
Yes, there are impressive historical structures like the Church of Saint Sava or the Belgrade fortress, but Belgrade has been through a lot.
It’s been dragged through wars, bombed, conquered, and destroyed over and over again. All of this destruction has been devastating to its people, of course, but a surprising side effect has been that the younger generation turned to art as a way of voicing themselves.
Street art is everywhere in Belgrade, and although some of it purely exists for beauty, much of it is meant as commentary on political and social issues. Murals are the most common form of street art, but you’ll also see a large number of statues and other sculptures on the streets.
You’ll notice that much of the art feels modern and contemporary. This is likely due to the influx of young artists in the area who have found their way into big museums and galleries.
A Smoker’s Paradise
There are more smokers in Europe than in the United States, that is just a fact that most travelers know. However, although a study shows that Belgrade has a slightly smaller population of smokers than Serbia as a whole, it is still a very high number at almost 40%.
In 2015, a study revealed that over 30% of college students at Belgrade University smoked cigarettes. This percentage is higher for the older population, with a survey in 2002 showing that almost 50% of men in Serbia smoke, and around 33% of women smoke (the highest percentage in Europe at the time of this study).
Smoking is supposed to be banned from public, indoor spaces in Belgrade, but there is an exception for hospitality spaces such as restaurants and hotels. In reality, you’ll be confronted with it everywhere. You’ll likely always be aware of it, but will get used to it.
Party Hardy (Also Known As, Have You Partied On A Houseboat Yet?)
It’s hard to keep up with Serbians on a night out.
Nightlife in Belgrade is a big deal. Alcohol is relatively cheap, and there are an insane amount of options to visit when partying in Belgrade. You could find something a little bit more low-key at a restaurant or a cafe, or, you could go all-in and hit up a club or one of the famous splavovis (floating bars/clubs/restaurants).
In my opinion, a splav is the only way to go. Anchored on the banks of the Sava and Danube river, these floating structures are unique to Belgrade, are open until the wee hours of the morning, and there are literally hundreds to choose from. Some look like little more than rafts with roofs, while others look like large boats adapted for a partying purpose. Music is essential to the splavovis, but since there are so many of them, they’ve learned to create their own unique vibes so as to stand out. This means that the music and decor could cater to hipsters, dancers, older crowds, tourists, locals, and more, but each has a singular goal – to get you f**ked up.
MEAT
With a climate and terrain that historically supported animals and grain products more than fruits and vegetables, meat has always been at the heart of Serbian dishes (so vegetarians, beware!).
Pork, lamb, and beef = the holy trinity of meats in Serbia.
Barbecuing and general grilling is a big deal in Serbia. Most restaurants will consist of those types of dishes as their main staples and street food vendors will offer some form of grilled meat without a doubt. Two of the most popular dishes are Cevapi (grilled diced meat rolled into sausages) and Pljeskavica (a flattened down patty consisting of the holy trinity of meats), but overall, any Serbian will tell you that mixed meat platters are where it’s at.
A Note – Portion sizes are considerable, so order with this in mind.
Social Butterflies
I’ve already mentioned how Belgrade feels like a very youthful place, but it’s also a very social place (and not just for the youngsters).
In the city, live music can be found on every corner and the cafes are crammed with friends, coworkers, family, and strangers just looking for a chat. In the park, you’ll see older men playing chess, families biking, friends playing ball and people swimming in the river. Again, as mentioned above, some of this social behavior is connected to partying and drinking, but beyond that, people in Belgrade always just seem up for anything and can find joy in even the smallest things.
Scars From The Past
War-torn is perhaps one of the best ways to describe Belgrade in a historic sense, seeing how throughout its long history, it has been destroyed over 40 times. Much of this was due to bombing, with the most recent bombing happening in 1999.
As mentioned in a paragraph above, Belgrade has had to fight to rebuild itself over and over again. This hardship has left visible scars, with the most obvious being literal rubble, but also many stray animals and some homeless people begging or trying to pickpocket. But, it has also led to a steadfast and fiercely loyal attitude amongst the people that has been a big part of how they’ve been able to stay strong and rebuild so many times.
In other words, they aren’t going anywhere. No matter how much hardship life throws at them.
The Little Things
- The currency is the Dinar, but Euros are accepted sometimes.
- Tipping is common (but the percentages are lower than in the United States).
- Times to eat are later in the day than other countries, with dinner sometimes not starting until 9-10 pm.
- NEVER slander Serbian basketball players or teams.
- There are lots of stray animals and yes, it’s a bit heartbreaking.
- When people wear their jackets, they don’t put their arms in the sleeves and I’ve never understood why.
- The driving can be a bit hectic and sometimes cars go up on the sidewalks to get around obstacles.
- The public transportation in Belgrade is pretty good, but if you’re trying to get outside the city and don’t have a car, use buses rather than trains.
- The mosquitos will f**k you up. You’ve been warned.
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