Serbia
Overview: Three days exploring the highlights of Serbia
Duration: 3 full days, excluding travel
Locations visited: Belgrade (Belgrade Fortress, St. Mark’s, The Temple of Saint Sava), Danube River, Golubac Fortress, Novi Sad, and Petrovaradin Fortress
How to get there: Fly into Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
How to get around: Walking, Uber, Taxi, Private Tour, Group Tours (Seasonal)
When to go: Fall and Spring offer the best weather. Winter is cold, but tolerable - we went over the New Year’s Holiday
Pace: Intense
Future trips: Drvengrad and Tara National Park, Uvac Canyon, Novi Pazar and Stari Ras, Niš, Smederevo Fortress
Belgrade Fortress inside Kalemegdan Park
Day 1: Belgrade, including Belgrade Fortress, Kalemegdan, Republic Square, St. Mark Orthodox Church, and The Temple of Saint Sava
For the duration of our stay in Serbia, we stayed at a hotel near the Belgrade Waterfront. This central location was perfect for exploring the city and convenient for day trips outside Belgrade.
I started my first full day in Belgrade with a walk along the Belgrade Waterfront toward Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park. The 25-minute walk runs alongside the Sava River, where multiple bridges span the river to connect Belgrade's eastern and western neighborhoods. Along the way, there are many restaurants and shops—starting with trendy new establishments near the Waterfront development and transitioning to more traditional spots closer to the fortress. At the northern part of the city, where the Sava meets the Danube River, is Kalemegdan Park and Belgrade Fortress, which is located within the park. Unfortunately, it was incredibly foggy for most of the day (as is evident from the photos), so some of the panoramic views of Belgrade and the Danube were obscured.
Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan are two of the most visited sites in Belgrade. The fortress dates back to the Celts in 279 BC and was later expanded by the Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and Austro-Hungarians. The fortress is divided into an upper section with defensive walls, gates, and historical buildings, and a lower section, which has medieval fortifications and a museum. Key highlights of the fortress include the Victor Monument, Military Museum, Ružica Church, and Roman Well.
The fortress sits inside Kalemegdan Park, which also features restaurants, cafes, a zoo, shops, sculptures, monuments, and fountains.
Outside the park, heading toward Republic Square, is Knez Mihailova Street, a pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, a mall, and, when I visited, a festive winter village. It’s also a great place to shop for souvenirs.
Farther down the street, you’ll find Republic Square and the National Museum. Unfortunately, the museum was closed during my visit as it was New Year’s Day.
Continuing in the same direction, I passed the House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the country’s parliament building.
Nearby, there are several parks, including Tašmajdan Park, as well as St. Mark’s Orthodox Church, the second most well-known church in Belgrade. Built between 1931 and 1940 to replace an older church on the same site, the interior remains unfinished due to World War II and other historical events. Behind St. Mark’s is the smaller Holy Trinity Church.
Next, I headed to my final major stop of the day: the Temple of Saint Sava, Belgrade’s most iconic church and one of its top landmarks. Dedicated to Saint Sava, the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church, construction of the temple began in 1935 but was paused for several decades. The exterior was completed in 2004, though work on the interior is ongoing. The church is built in the Serbian-Byzantine style and was inspired by the Hagia Sophia. Its exterior is covered in white marble and granite, while the interior features over 15,000 square meters of intricate mosaics. These mosaics, along with the rest of the interior design, make it one of the most beautiful and impressive churches I’ve ever visited.
On my way back to the hotel, I passed the Monument to Stefan Nemanja.
Two major locations I missed due to New Year’s closures were the National Museum and the Nikola Tesla Museum. Be sure to check them out if you have the time!
This wraps up our first day in Serbia.
Day 2: Danube River, Golubac Fortress, Lepenski Vir, and Viminacium
On our second day in Serbia, I booked a tour to explore areas east of Belgrade, focusing on spots along the Danube River bordering Romania. The first stop of the day was Golubac Fortress, about 2.5 hours from Belgrade.
Golubac Fortress is located on one of the widest sections of the Danube River and has served as a stronghold since the 14th century. Over time, it has been controlled by the Serbs, Hungarians, Ottomans, and Austrians, though it was never defeated in open combat. The fortress consists of 10 towers, and on clear days, with the right gear, you can climb many of them. Due to the fortress’s location on a steep hill, accessing some of the towers is more challenging than you might expect (there are even signs warning about poisonous snakes). However, the towers closer to the Danube are easier to reach.
Between 2011 and 2016, the fortress underwent extensive restoration to bring it back to its former glory. Today, it features a museum, multimedia exhibits, guided tours, and even opportunities to interact with birds of prey. From the museum, you can enjoy clear views across the Danube to Romania. Golubac Fortress was one of the highlights of my trip.
Nearby, the town of Golubac is a great spot for lunch. The town has several cafés and shops, along with a riverfront area where you can relax. It’s also close to Đerdap National Park, which is home to the Iron Gate Gorge, a stunning natural attraction.
After Golubac, we drove about an hour along the Danube to Lepenski Vir, a UNESCO-recognized prehistoric archaeological site inhabited from around 9500 BC to 6000 BC. It’s considered one of the earliest known permanent settlements in Europe. Discovered in the 1960s, Lepenski Vir is famous for its trapezoidal stone and clay houses, all of which face the river. Several sculptures of fish-like human figures were also found at the site. Today, the settlement is housed within a modern glass structure that includes a museum. It’s an interesting and compact site, which takes about an hour to explore, including the 10–15 minute walk to and from the parking lot.
The final stop of the day was Viminacium, an archaeological site from the Roman Empire near the town of Kostolac. Founded in the 1st century AD as a Roman military camp, Viminacium later grew into a civilian settlement and eventually became the capital of the province of Moesia Superior in the 2nd century AD. The city was destroyed in the 5th century AD by the Huns and wasn’t rediscovered until mining operations uncovered it in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today, Viminacium is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Serbia, located about 90 km southeast of Belgrade. It was one of the most important cities and military camps of the Roman Empire. Highlights include the amphitheater, thermal baths, necropolises, and a Roman villa. Interestingly, mammoth skeletons were also discovered here, offering a glimpse into the area’s prehistoric past. Note that a guided tour is required to fully explore the site. On the day we visited, the last tour started at 2 pm, so plan accordingly.
This wrapped up our second day in Serbia. From Viminacium, it’s about an hour’s drive back to Belgrade.
Day 3: Novi Sad, Petrovaradin Fortress, Sremski Karlovci, and the Museum of Beekeeping and Živanović Winery
On our final full day in Serbia, we joined a group bus tour heading towards the western portion of the country.
Our first stop was the Museum of Beekeeping and the associated Živanović Winery, both family-run and located in the town of Sremski Karlovci. With the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the museum, which showcases beekeeping tools, traditional beehives, and the evolution of beekeeping at the location over the past century. The tour also includes a visit to the underground wine cellar. The cellar’s underground location, along with the natural mold growing there, perfectly controls the temperature and humidity for aging the wine. Afterwards, there’s a wine and honey tasting. The winery’s specialty is bermet, a dessert wine infused with herbs and spices. They also produce other traditional Serbian wines, such as Riesling and Traminac. Of course, there’s also the option to purchase bottles of wine and honey. There are additional wineries in the area if you’re interested in more wine tasting.
Afterwards, we walked from the winery to the main part of Sremski Karlovci, passing the Plane Tree — a 130-year-old tree near the Church of St. Peter and Paul — on our way to the town square. In and around the town square, you’ll find the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Patriarchate Court, the Four Lions Fountain, and the Karlovci Gymnasium. We took some pictures and stopped for a bite to eat before continuing our day.
Next, we hopped back on the bus and headed to Novi Sad and Petrovaradin Fortress, both located on the Danube River. Novi Sad is the second-largest city in Serbia and regularly hosts festivals, art exhibits, and cultural events. Some of the top sights include Freedom Square, Danube Park, and the Novi Sad Synagogue.
Across the river is the Petrovaradin Fortress, which was built in the 17th and 18th centuries by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The fortress served as a critical military stronghold and was used to guard against Ottoman invasions. Spanning 112 hectares, it contains 16 kilometers of underground tunnels that were used for defense and troop movement. Apart from the tunnels, the Clock Tower and St. George’s Chapel are two of the most famous landmarks within the fortress.
At the fortress, you’ll also find restaurants, a museum, a gift shop, and fantastic spots to take photos of Novi Sad.
After grabbing dinner, we drove about an hour back to Belgrade, where we packed for our flight home the following morning.
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Serbia is a country rich in history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes, offering everything from ancient fortresses and prehistoric sites to vibrant city life and warm hospitality. Whether you’re exploring the bustling streets of Belgrade or the tranquil banks of the Danube, Serbia leaves a lasting impression and is truly worth a visit!
