One of the first things you will notice when you arrive in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is the smog. The air is so thick with fumes on a hot summer day that you can literally taste it. Perhaps this is why the locals love their ice cream so much.
Despite the incredible slenderness of the locals (not just the immaculately groomed women, even the men are generally fit and trim), there are ice cream stalls everywhere in Belgrade and none of them are likely to go out of business any time soon.
Recent History
Belgrade shows plenty of signs of its war-torn past. From the bombed-out building that straddles one of the main streets (a casualty of the NATO bombings in the 1990s that the Serbian government simply cannot afford to repair) to the much older Kalemegdan Fortress at the end of the pedestrian boulevard, there are signs everywhere that this has long been a nation in turmoil.
Place to See and Getting Around
You will need a bit of savvy, and some persistence, to see the main sights in Belgrade. For instance, the Belgrade City Museum's website gives a particular address, and the building displays (in Cyrillic) the name Belgrade City Museum but in true Serbian style the exhibits are actually held in Princess Ljubica's Palace, about a kilometer away. No harm done, the palace is lovely too.
Also, although the tourist maps give the street names in the Latin alphabet that we are all used to, the street signs are in Cyrillic, rendering the maps useless. As Cyrillic looks confusing at first, but is actually a phonetic language, a bit of lip-moving to sound-it-out will help a lot, even though it will make you look pretty silly.
The tourist attractions also give no information, in any form. A visit to Kalemegdan Fortress will bring you a giant perspex eye, upon which is written series of words in list form. There is absolutely no way to know that this is a list of all the names that Belgrade has ever had – each one being given by a new invader. The best advice is to make friends with a local (incredibly easy to do, there is nothing like Serbian hospitality) and ask them to show you around. Serbs are very proud of their country, and this will be more of a pleasure than a chore.
Entertainment
The music in Belgrade is about ten years behind the rest of the world, and local tunes backed by hard bass has evolved into TurboFolk, the trashiest dance music ever invented. Unfortunately, after a couple of glasses of Rakija (the local spirit), it also sounds like the most danceable music you have ever heard. Luckily, these generous-spirited folk won't make too much fun of you when you find yourself dancing on a table at 4am.
Money
Although Belgrade is the most expensive city in Serbia, it will be difficult to hide your surprise at how inexpensive things are. An upmarket meal for two, including generous drinks, will cost around US$30, while a loaf of bread is more like US$0.30. Try to have a little sensitivity here though, as a respectable middle-management career man or woman will be earning only around $500 per month. Serbian pride is strong and while buying drinks is perfectly acceptable, it can really only be done when your new friends have the funds to buy yours next.
Hotels
Accommodation in Serbia ranges from the very inexpensive (you can rent an apartment for around US$250 per month, or get a hostel bed for US$15 per night) to the more upmarket (upmarket is relative, don't necessarily expect a lift in every building) for around US$60 – US$80 per night.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Belgrade, Serbia.
(Photo:iStockPhoto/shishic)
