Belgrade Travel Guide

My second time in Belgrade… I went to Belgrade 4 years ago in the spring. This time, I experienced the Fall season in the second half of September. To be honest, I was expecting spring-like weather as it was early days of Fall. On our first day, we walked around in short sleeves and thinking how nice the weather was. On the upcoming days, however, we couldn’t escape the cold even though we dressed in layers.

Is it beautiful in autumn too? Yes, but only if you’re prepared for temperature changes. For example, my mother and her friends went in snowy weather in winter and still enjoyed it because they were prepared. So, Autumn or Spring? I think it’s definitely Spring 🙂

Accommadation in Belgrade

In Belgrade, we stayed at Hotel City Savoy, which was also very central and we chose it because it was close to the Skadarska area. I can say that we were satisfied with both the location and services of the hotel during our 5-day stay in Belgrade.

The hotel can arrange a taxi for transfer from the airport if you wish, but thankfully, they arranged a luxury taxi upon arrival, so we paid almost twice the normal price. On the way back, they called a normal taxi and we paid the regular one. Additionally, our hotel stay included a spa and Turkish bath, but we did not use it due to the pandemic.

Of course, as I mentioned in my first article, you can also use public transportation or the A1 line options to reach the city center from the airport. I generally prefer normally budget-friendly transportation options, but in our recent trips we generally preferred a taxi due to the pandemic.

Places to Visit and Food and Drink in Belgrade

Let’s start visiting the places and landmarks of Belgrade together. On the first day, when we went to our hotel and settled into our room, it was noon. We immediately stepped out to avoid missing the sun. Also, I was about to reach my coffee crisis, and Semiha was starting to get a little hungry.

We went to Poslasticarnica Suma Cafe, which offers delicious delicacies. Seeing that it is especially preferred by families with children gave the first signals about naturalness. It is a small cafe, but it has 4-5 tables outside. While I chose the forest fruit and almond paste cake, Semiha ordered a banana bread with lots of grains. Its organic is definitely evident in the products, as they use date and fruit flavors as sugar, and it is not overly sweet when eating. Prices are also reasonable.

Since Kalemegdan would be very beautiful in this weather, we set out towards the castle passing through Skadarslika, but the smell of Bucko Pizza covered the whole street again. Semiha also read my first article and came prepared, so she said, “Isn’t this the delicious pizza spot?”and immediately jumped in. We were completely satisfied his hunger with a slice of pizza with American salad sauce. Bucko’s feature is the variety of sauces you can put on a normal pizza slice, and there are long queues in the evening or after school hours. A slice of pizza and sauce is an on-budget and delicious choice.

We crossed Francuska Street and dived into one of the parallel streets Simina, Gospodar Jevremova and Gospodar Javanova. It doesn’t matter which one, visit them all, because different beauties will meet you in each one. We passed through Academy Park in front of the university and went to the most famous street, Knez Mihailova. Proceeding along the street, we arrived at Kalemegdan.

Taking a walk among the trees on a sunny day, watching the view of the Sava River, was a nice Sunday activity. There are so many viewpoints and places to see. I recommend you spend a few hours. Just when we were wondering what else could add beauty to your Sunday, we heard the drums and pipes coming from Ruzica Church. We too witnessed the celebration of the bride and groom from afar. The benches in front of Ruzica Church are also very nice to take a breath and enjoy the view.

Another beauty very close to the Ruzica Church is the Boho Bar. This bar, which offers a pleasant concept with its bohemian design with outdoor cushions, is the choice of both Belgrade people and tourists. I would say the only downside is that they only accept cash. We went during the daytime, but if the weather is nice, I’m sure it’s even more beautiful in the evenings with the lighting. Let me also point out that they also have concepts such as sunset parties.

After enjoying the sun in Kalemegdan, we were starting to get hungry. Grmec, which is on the way to our hotel and has a local recommendation, is an old Belgrade restaurant. Semiha ordered the creamy lamb, and I tried the Serbian style hamburger meatballs. Although the flavors were good, the portions were very large and unfortunately almost half of our dishes were left. Our waiter was astonished by what he saw 🙂

When the weather started to cool down in the evening, we went to Cetinska Sokak No:15, a little down from our hotel, which was a great local recommendation with lots of pubs. We were not yet completely aware of its greatness. This area, which creates the feeling of entering a car park when entering and from which we had no expectations, hosts pubs and clubs, each with a different concept and design. Almost all of the pubs have both outside and inside seatin.

While we were wandering around having a hard time deciding which one to sit at, we heard the live music. Was that New Rules by Dua Lipa? It became clear where we were going to sit: Polet. The venue was very affordable, they charge an extra for live music. In the following hours, they sang many more old and new English and Serbian pop songs. I think it’s definitely worth it for an enjoyable night. It’s one of those moments I wish would never end.

Our first stop the next day wasTasmajdan Park. Of course, we grabbed our pastries for breakfast on our way to Tasmajdan. They were the most delicious to my taste among the things we ate. Unfortunately, the name of the pastry shop does not seem to exist, so I can only give you information that you can find this place around Llije Garasanina No:4 near Tasmajdan.

Tasmajdan Park was also very beautiful with its autumn colors. There are also cafes in the park as well as benches to sit on. Many Belgrade locals prefer this place for sports. As far as we can see, both the width and beauty of the area are ideal for a pleasant time., St. Mark’s Church is located at one end of the park, is beautiful to photograph from the outside, but is a very ordinary church inside.

When we left Tasmajdan, we were not sure which way to go for a while, but then we decided to go street art hunting and go to see 3 different murals on Ustanicka Street with the local recommendation. That was our intention, but we did not know what we will encounter yet. The rain started lightly and gradually accelerated .

The backyard of KFT Topolska 18, one of the points we marked on the road, was ideal for a quiet coffee, another local suggestion 🙂 We immediately sar down and tok a breath. When we ordered domestic coffee as on the menu, the woman asked “Turkish coffee?” . Fom now on, wherever we wanted local coffee, we asked for Turkish coffee. Meanwhile, luckily the rain had stopped.

We reached Ustanicka after a long walk. We looked to the right of the suggested spots, there was no street art. Then, we looked from the left, it was not there again. We kept looking until there wasno place left All we had was disappointment and exhaustion. In front of us rose ordinary buildings with no trace of art on their walls. Walking on bumpy roads in the rain for more than half an hour and not being able to find what we wanted… Anyway, while passing through different streets, we consoled ourselves for seeing nice houses in different parts of Belgrade.

Our next stop wasAda Ciganlija, despite the cold. It felt like the road never ends. My knee pain, which started a few months ago, was recurring, and I was writhing in pain due to the cold. Although we could not see any decent cafes on the road, we rested in a cafe that we saw that the people of Belgrade preferred, Kralj Kafe. I tried to gain energy by eating a dessert called chocolate plasma. Dessert was good but the cafe was quite ordinary.

While passing along the river, we checked out some of the spots we marked on the riverside, but most of them were closed or the parts facing the river were closed at least. So there was nothing special about them now. Fortunately, the island was still very beautiful, if the weather were not like this, we could spend hours.

A point where you can take photos with the inscription Ada Ciganlija has been added to the entrance of the island. We also took photos among the trees and on the shore of the pond. Meanwhile, my leg, which was in pain, and the wind prevented me from walking well. Even the pain in my knee has hit my other leg. I don’t feel like walking back.

Even though I didn’t want to, buses were the only option. We jumped on the one we see empty (37, 58, 56 are some of the buses going to the center). There was no place to buy tickets for the buses again, although it was not free. We got off near Terazije, walked to our hotel, dressed a little more warmly and went out for dinner.

I was going as slow as a turtle and I was worried I might not even be able to do that in the coming days. We intended to go to Tri, the Italian restaurant near Tasmajdan, for dinner. We passed by many nice cafes on the way, but when we went there, Tri was not where it was supposed to be. Apparently, we were not able to find what we were looking for today.

When we gave up hope on Tri, we went to the nearby Just a Maestro (JaM) Restaurant. The garden was very elegant. Since the weather was cold, very few tables were open for service outside. The interior was also charming.

We ordered hamburgers. First, we received a treat from their own delicious clotted cream and special bread, to prepare our palate for the flavors that follow. Before the burger, salad and baked spicy potatoes were served on separate serving plates. They were all stylish in their own way. Their homemade sauces were available on the table. The hamburger was served covered in smoke to prevent it from getting cold, with a grand opening. Everything wasdelicious, the only thing I didn’t like is that the meat was overcooked even though I wanted it to be medium-well.

Eating was very enjoyable, but we wished we didn’t have to go back to the hotel. The weather had become very cold, and the drinks we had earlier had no effect anymore. I was moving even slower than a turtle. I found myself daydreaming about taking a taxi instead of walking for 15 minutes. I suddenly realized how difficult it must be for disabled and elderly people. I truly felt it in my heart.

I had already started complaining about how quickly the traffic lights were turning red. How could old people cross? Fortunately, we arrived at the hotel safely, but we were in no mood to go anywhere else. After finishing the day with 40,000 steps and resting, we fell asleep, hoping to wake up to a better day.

We started the 3rd day with pastries from Lulu Bakery. Their taste was average. Even though I was less cold today because I dressed in layers, my leg continued to hurt.

We went to drink Turkish coffee at Blaznavac Cafe, which was recommended by both influencers and locals. The design of the place was quite unique, with every corner being Instagram-worthy. It was no surprise that it was so highly recommended.Blaznavac Cafe is ideal not only for coffee during the day but also for drinks in the evening. Sewing machines were used as stands, and a colorful elephant hung near the door. Its open area was also quite large.

We wandered around the streets in the Skadarska area again. Following a local recommendation, we went to see the clock mural at Gospodar Jovanova No: 22. However, as you can see from the photo, it was a clock depicted in a different way. Then, we stopped by Bajraklı Mosque, but we only passed by, looking at this small mosque from the outside.

As we moved forward, we suddenly came across the chocolate shop I had bookmarked, Valentina i Karanfil. Unfortunately, it didn’t have an open space, but since it was very empty inside, we warmed ourselves up with a quick hot chocolate. Chocolate lovers could also buy many types of chocolate as gifts here.

After finishing our chocolates, we went to see the oldest house in Belgrade at number 10, Cara Dusana. However, it was not at all what we expected; just an ordinary house. Finally, we visited St. Alexander Church and left the area. Of course, we planned to come again!

On our way to the Zeleni Venac bus stop to go to Zemun, we visited the Street Art Gallery in Cavke’s Passage. It connects Nikola Pasic Square and Nusiceva Street on the Terazije side. Different photographs and works of art were exhibited there, and the exhibits change periodically.

Then, we headed to Zeleni Venac, which is the departure stop for almost all buses, and many buses pass through Zemun. Oh, my leg! If only the weather were better, I would have walked that beautiful Zemun road, even if it took hours. We asked the bus driver, just in case, where we could buy a ticket since we didn’t have one. He simply said, “Okay, go ahead.”

Our first stop was Gardos Tower for a view of Zemun. However, remembering the stairs we had climbed last time, I said to Semos, “I can’t go up like this.” By the way, the map stubbornly showed a stop after the Zemun stop for getting to Gardos and even suggested skipping Gardos altogether. While we thought there was something wrong, we ended up missing the Zemun stop and had to get off at the Nade Dimic stop.

As we set off toward Gardos, while waiting for the stairs, I realized that we had arrived at Gardos on foot. At that moment, we understood why the map suggested that stop. Our advice to you is to get off near that stop. Without entering the tower, we took photos of the view and went down the stairs. There were also nice spots for taking photos on the way down.

As we went down the stairs, we came across a small gift shop. The seller mentioned that her husband painted the earrings, which were decorated with different works of art. She said something to us in her own language and smiled, and I wished we could understand her. We bought a pair of earrings and headed toward the riverside and then into Zemun. Meanwhile, the weather was getting milder, and the pain in my leg was easing.

A marketplace was set up in Veliki Square, but when we arrived, almost all the stalls were being gathered. Since the square didn’t have the atmosphere of an Italian square, we didn’t want to sit down. Instead, we decided to walk a little further along the river.

Actually, there were many nice restaurants overlooking the river in the center of Zemun, but we weren’t hungry. Since we were looking for a more café-style place, we went to Savana Cafe (Splav Savana), another local recommendation located by the river, about a 20-minute walk away. This café, with African influences, had wonderful decorations, as you can see in the photo below, with African masks hanging on the walls.

It had tables both inside and outside on the river side, making it a very peaceful place. The sweet service staff immediately brought us shawls in case we got cold and took pictures of us from every angle without even asking. There was a variety of drinks and coffees available, and the prices were affordable. As far as I remembered, there were no food options, just desserts.

On the way back, we got off at the Brankov Most stop as soon as we crossed the Branko Bridge. Our stop for food was Majstor i Margarita Pizza, one of Semiha’s saved spots from the influencers’ posts. We shared a mushroom pizza, but it tasted ordinary to us. Maybe the different varieties were much better.

While we were at the pizzeria, we looked at the Novi Sad tour on GetYourGuide for the next day, and there was still room. We decided to leave buying the tickets for later, planning to pick them up at the hotel in the evening. However, when we arrived at the hotel, we found out that the tour was no longer an option; they had closed the sale.

We investigated other ways to go on our own, but we were not comfortable with the pain in my leg, the pandemic conditions, and the cold weatherAnyway, I still had an excuse to visit Belgrade once more! (Spoiler, I visited Novi Sad in my third visit to Belgrade!)

Another nice and recommended treat in Belgrade is ice cream. When the weather got a little better, we bought a scoop of ice cream from Crna Ovca, one of the famous chains. There were so many varieties that it was hard to choose, but I preferred the pistachio flavor, one of my favorites, and it was truly delicious.

As it got dark, we went to Passengers Bar, a local recommendation, to have a drink. It was a place with a courtyard away from the street, and it looked nice both inside and out. We chose Cosmopolitan cocktails and nachos. We were satisfied with both the cocktails and nachos. The dog at the next table, who frequently visited us, also added joy to our night.

Our first stop in the morning was the branch of Belgrade’s bakery chain Hleb & Kifle in Gospodar Jovanova. We particularly chose this place for its proximity to our hotel and the fact that it had outdoor seating. By the way, don’t pay attention to what I wrote about Hleb & Kifle; normally, you couldn’t understand anything when looking at the sign. There was a wide variety of pastries there, and I chose the one with whole wheat and spinach, which was delicious. I also noticed their desserts.

Meanwhile, while I was at the checkout, I realized that I had forgotten my bag at the hotel, and we had to return with difficulty walking. In fact, Semoş forgot her backpack when getting up from the table. Was there an evil eye on us?!

There was no coffee place on our list, but as we passed by a café called Sweet’n’Chili, its dessert decoration caught our eye. Moreover, it was very charming both inside and outside. We first took a few photos and then sipped our coffee. This place, with its vintage-style cups, reminded me of Velvet Cafe, my favorite destination in Istanbul.

From there, we visited Mama Shelter, an influencer’s recommendation on Knez Mihailova, and continued on our way. Although this hotel and café/restaurant located in the shopping mall stood out with its decoration, we chose not to sit there because they had closed their outdoor area due to weather conditions. There was also Vapiano, which we visited on the way to Zemun during my previous trip, within the same shopping mall. It was nice that it opened to the city center because their pasta was delicious. I hoped their taste hadn’t changed.

Our next stop was the industrial zone—you read that right! When Semiha said they converted a factory by the river into a beer hall, I imagined something like a totally abandoned and transformed area, but it turned out that the factories there were still working. In fact, I felt a little worried while walking and going through the door.

Silosi Beograd serves as both a bar and an event and art center. It might have been a more enjoyable place if it weren’t for the windy weather and lack of music during our visit. The employees seemed surprised that we came in such conditions, and the place was quite empty. It’s a little hard to tell from the photo, but the concept along the riverbank features sun lounger-style cloth chairs and murals on the walls. I don’t think it would be worth walking that far during normal times, but you could follow their events and art activities and visit in the summer.

As if the cold at Silosi wasn’t enough for us, our next stop was Beton Hala (Concrete Hall), one of Belgrade’s most popular spots lately. Here, many stylish venues line up side by side along the riverbank. Cantina de Frida, a Mexican restaurant, attracted us with its design. However, I wish the restaurant itself had been more appealing. Maybe because we didn’t visit during usual working hours, the place wasn’t very crowded. Not everything on the menu was available, and we tried the burrito. It wasn’t bad, but I can’t say it was delicious. Interestingly, the design of the restrooms was better than the restaurant itself!

After leaving Beton Hala, we made our way up and saw the House of Princess Ljubica, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and several other churches in Košutnjak. Skica Café, a local recommendation where you can sit outside in nice weather, is also located on this street, but we didn’t stop there. At the beginning of the street, we found the ruins of the National Library, which was bombed by the Germans during World War II, along with explanations of the ruins.

From here, we headed to Koce Popovica Street, but the houses were not as magnificent as we had expected, making it one of those streets I would prefer to skip next time.

Our next stop was the Girl with an Umbrella mural at number 40 Terazije Street. You have to look really closely to see it, as there are both color and black-and-white versions on two separate walls. However, considering the street art we’ve encountered so far, we can’t say we were very impressed. I’m adding the photo here so you don’t have to walk all that way to see it! 😊

After dark, we headed to a branch of Black Turtle near our hotel. Although the design of the place didn’t appeal to us much, we chose it because we couldn’t find fruit-flavored beer anywhere else. I think blueberry beer might not be to everyone’s taste, especially for those who prefer the traditional beer flavor, but I thought it was decent.

On our last day, we opted for Spasa Bakery, another local recommendation, for breakfast. While their desserts looked tempting, the pastries were a bit underwhelming in terms of both variety and flavor. It seems the bakery is recommended primarily for its desserts, so if you try them, let me know what you think!

After breakfast, we went to see the area where old items are left in front of the building at Hilandarska Street No. 26. Various items, ranging from shoes to wine bottles and old newspapers to tickets, were left there. We also left our overseas exit stamp among them. Nearby, we spotted Ljutic Cafe, a local recommendation, and decided to check it out. The courtyard was indeed as charming as they said, but it was disappointing to learn that it opens after 4 o’clock.

When we lost hope here, we made our way to Tasmajdan. Thankfully, the weather was better this time, allowing us to enjoy the park from the benches. While we were there, a local TV channel arrived for an interview and mistakenly thought we were from the area! I jokingly thought, “If I had known about the interview, I would have dressed more elegantly!”

For coffee, we chose Martovski Cafe near Tasmajdan. The Turkish coffee was served in a mug, which was a nice change. In fact, everywhere else we’d been, it came in larger cups, and the prices were more affordable. This was the first time we saw it served in a cup. They also served it with Turkish delight, which is a nice tradition, although we didn’t continue it this time. The cups at this cafe were really cute, but the place was a bit crowded.

The only place that stuck in our minds was Lorenzo & Kakalamba, so we decided to visit on our last day. It’s both a local favorite and an influencer hotspot. This place is the most uniquely designed venue I’ve ever encountered; it’s impossible to fully describe—it must be experienced in person. They open at noon, but when we mentioned that we only wanted to take photos, they kindly allowed us to do so. Although it doesn’t have an outdoor area, the atmosphere inside is definitely worth experiencing.

Our final stop was Super Donkey, a place that serves sandwiches and salads. The portions are generous, and the ingredients are fresh and tasty, but the menu options are somewhat limited. When we visited, some items were unavailable, which might change depending on the time and day. It’s a solid alternative for those looking for a healthy bite, but keep in mind it’s quite small and ordinary, with just a small table and stools outside.

As for Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, it offers a variety of food options, even though it’s not very large. The Duty-Free shop has decent offerings, allowing you to spend any remaining dinars before your flight.

For those who wonder if they can go to Belgrade twice, as can be seen from my article, it is possible to go even for the 3rd time 🙂 I also think it would not be bad if I experienced the summer when there is no pandemic, what do you think?

You might also want to check out my post on “Things to Do in Novi Sad“.