KALEMEGDAN BELGRADE FORTRESS

Belgrade sightseeing should start in the place where every story, tail and myth about the city were made. Belgrade Fortress is the largest free attraction of the city with its gates open 24/7, all year round.

As one of the world’s oldest strongholds, visit to Belgrade Fortress can be considered a unique experience. While walking across very old remains of former fortress (some of them even 600 years old) try to picture in your head life back in the old days – high towers, solders in trenches, horseman bringing news to ruler, battles.

Due to its good location, lying on the ridge overlooking confluence of two big European rivers, the Sava and Danube, fortress was subject of dispute for ages. It was invaded for more than 100 times and many lives were lost. However, after Turks the last invaders left Serbia fortress slowly became huge city park and stays that until today.

If you want to make a quick visit to the fortress than take a stroll down the promenade overlooking New Belgrade, take a photo at Victor Monument and confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, visit Military Museum and Gallery of Natural History Museum.

TAKE A BREAK!You’ve been walking for almost two hours, take a break in kafana “?” or in some of cafes on Konsančićev venac.

KNEZ MIHAILOVA STREET

Knez Mihailova Street is the favorite city promenade and lies in between Terazije Square and Kalemegdan. It is the main meeting point, easy reachable from every part of the city. As epicenter of the culture and history, Knez Mihailova was named one of the most beautiful pedestrian streets in Eastern Europe.

As one of main shopping areas in the city, Knez Mihailova offers good fun while zigzagging through shops of many popular fashion brands. Also, you can enjoy a “slice” of fine secessionist architecture that can be seen in many buildings along the street and relax in cafes and restaurants.

REPUBLIC SQUARE

Republic Square is the main meeting place where you can enjoy lazy afternoon while sipping coffee in the mild autumn Sun, attend concerts, various performances or just hang around doing nothing special. Square is known after monument of Serbian Prince Mihailo on a horse and buildings of two most important cultural buildings, National Theater and National Museum.

SKADARLIJA

Skadarska Street or Skadarlija as Belgradians like to call it was and still is bohemian hearth of Belgrade. If you want to party in an old-fashion Serbian way, with a lot of rakija, good food and live music performed by string orchestras, than you have to visit Skadarlija. It represents the spirit of socializing in bistros and vivid nightlife as it used to be.

Visit one of old kafanas decorated in Serbian style and mostly with traditional Serbian cuisine or pay a visit to the house of notable Serbian poet Djura Jakšić. Concerts, poetry nights and exhibitions are held frequently here.

Although Skadarlija is not particularly convenient for high heels and tipsy walk, it is still very appealing among visitors of all ages.

TAKE A BREAK! At this point, you can take a break and have a lunch in Skadarlija. Taste some specialties of Serbian cuisine and have a glass of rakija to cheer yourself up.

TERAZIJE SQUARE

Terazije Square is one of the most important squares in the city. It got name after numerous water towers that stood on this place some 200 years ago. Today stands only one fountain that was built in 1860 to celebrate the second rule of Prince Miloš Obrenović. Besides being a meeting point, Terazije is gathering place for all lovers of stickers. During summer time, they come here to exchange stickers from various collector albums.

From the left and right side of the fountain stand two most important and the oldest Belgrade hotels, Balkan and Moskva.

In vicinity of Terazije Fountain stands Albania Palace, built in 1937. This building was the first Belgrade skyscraper and the tallest building in the Balkans before World War II.

REPUBLIC PARLAMENT

House of the National Assembly, better known as the Federal or Republic Parliament, is the most important state building where many important decisions were made (good and bad). Parliament building, designed in a neoclassical style, was erected in 1936. During the 90s, this building was symbol of instability and bad ideology.

Parliament stands today not only as a House of Assembly, but also as a monument of culture since the most famous architects, designers and artist of their time took part in design of Parliament. Special attentions should be paid to the sculpture “Play of Black Horses” that stands in front of the Parliament entrance. Sculpture was made by Serbian sculpture Toma Rosandić.

OLD AND NEW COURTS

Former Royal Courts (known as Old and New) lie opposite to Republic Parliament and next to Pionirski Park. Old Court was built in style of academism between 1882 and 1884 and used by Obrenović ruling dynasty. In the time of construction, it was supposed to be larger than any other Serbian ruling residence. Even today, Old Court is considered one of the finest and most beautiful examples of academism in Serbia. Unfortunately, Old Court was place of one of the most hideous assassinations in Serbian history. In the night between 28 and 29 May 1903, conspirators savagely killed King Aleksandar and his wife Draga and threw them from the balcony on the second floor to the street. Today, Old court houses the Assembly of the City of Belgrade and the cabinet of the mayor. New Court was built between 1911 an 1912 by order of ruling family Karadjordjević and it was the official residence of King Aleksandar Karadjordjević. For a certain period, palace served as Museum of Prince Pavle and from 1948, it became official “house” of Assembly of Serbia. Currently, president of Serbia uses New Court as his official office.

SLAVIJA ROUNDABOUT

Slavija is the fastest, busiest and the craziest roundabout and intersection in Belgrade. Rumor has it that a group of Japanese tourists spent half a day just looking on it and trying to figure out how there are no accidents in such a busy roundabout. On a place of today’s so-called square used to be a large swamp in which Belgradians hunted wild ducks. Settlement of Slavija was organized after Scottish businessman Francis Mackenzie bought a piece of land, parceled it out and sold to other people. During decades, it has developed into big roundabout in which seven streets and boulevards intersect. In 1988, the first McDonald’s in Eastern Europe was open in Slavija Square.

SAINT SAVA TEMPLE

Saint Sava Temple, the largest Orthodox temple in the Balkans was built in the Serb-Byzantine style and including the cross on top of the dome, it is 82 meters high. The temple is still under construction, although major works ended in 2004. The construction of the church lasted more than planed because of wars, poverty and partly because of communist rule. Church can seat more than 10,000 people at the same time. Saint Sava Temple is known for its polyphonic bells so make sure to get to the Temple at a full hour to hear them. It is built on the place where Turks burned remains of Saint Sava. Saint Sava, born as Rastko Nemanjić, was son of Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja and founder of Hilandar Monastery on Athos Mountain. In 1219, he founded Serbian Orthodox Church by winning independence from Byzantium. He is considered Serbian educator, saint and patron of schools and education establishments. Although church is still under construction, you can visit it during the day and evening.