Living the Serbian Dream

From ‘70s-style disco nightclubs and floating lounges known as splavovi (or splav) anchored along the riverfront, to a Frank Zappa theme club, or dinner at Beton Hala, there’s a lot to do here if you decide to stay up late.

Day Trips from Belgrade

• ZEMUN
  • The old town is peppered with red-tiled roofs. Climb up to the old tower of Gardos for the panoramic view over Zemun and Belgrade. The pedestrian friendly streets are lined with cafés and bars.
• NOVI SAD
  • This pretty little town reminds you of Greece. Located in Vojvodina, an autonomous province of Serbia, the town is overlooked by the majestic Petro Varadin Fortress. It has quaint farm stays with excellent traditional fare.
• SREMSKI KARLOVCI
  • Not many know that this part of the world has a long history of winemaking. This lovely baroque-style town in Vojvodina is well-known for its vineyards and small, family-owned cellars. The vineyards are mostly scattered over the Fruška Gora hill with the Danube river to its north.
• TOPOLA
  • Home to Karadorde, leader of the 1804 uprising against the Ottoman rulers of Serbia, the five-domed Church of Saint George (in pic) with mosaics is worth a visit.

THE INFORMATION

Getting There

Delhi has no direct flights to Belgrade but many carriers, including Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, and KLM, ply between the cities with halts.

Visa

Indian nationals can visit Serbia without a visa for a period not exceeding 30 days from the date of entry, within the span of a year.

Where to Stay

The atmospheric Metropol Palace, Belgrade, which has hosted the likes of Che Guevera, Anthony Quinn, Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Bobby Fischer and Jawaharlal Nehru. A communist-era showpiece, it has now remodelled and relaunched as a luxury hotel in the heart of Belgrade.

The article is from our Story Bank. It was first published in February 2018