Travel to Serbia

Serbia in numbers

Why visit Serbia

Where Central Europe meets the Balkans

Places to see

Belgrade, Novi Sad, monasteries and mountains

Belgrade, the city of two rivers

Start at Kalemegdan fortress, high above the point where the Sava joins the Danube, then walk down Knez Mihailova street to the old quarters. Skadarlija is the bohemian district of traditional kafanas, St Sava Temple is the city's best-known landmark, and Zemun feels like a small Danube town. Tito's mausoleum in the House of Flowers draws visitors from across the former Yugoslavia, and Belgrade is also the base for the Nikola Tesla Museum.

Novi Sad and Vojvodina

Novi Sad is the cultural centre of Vojvodina, with the Petrovaradin fortress hosting the EXIT festival and Fruška Gora National Park right next door. River cruises linking Budapest and Vienna typically stop at Novi Sad and Belgrade, with stops at the fortifications of Golubac and Ram.

Monasteries and the south

Studenica, Sopoćani and Mileševa are the great medieval churches, while Niš is a crossroads city with a fortress and Felix Romuliana is the late Roman palace of Emperor Galerius. The country is not a mass-tourism destination, which means quieter sites and room to wander.

Mountains and spa towns

Tara National Park protects old mountain forest, Kopaonik and Zlatibor are the main ski resorts, and spa towns such as Vrnjačka Banja, Palić and Banja Koviljača combine mineral waters with wellness. Expect domestic visitors in the resorts and foreign visitors mostly in Belgrade.

Food and drink

Grills, kaymak and rakia

Serbian food is a Balkan mix of Central European, Oriental and Mediterranean influences. Expect ćevapčići (grilled minced-meat sausages), pljeskavica (a spiced grilled meat patty), Karađorđeva šnicla (a schnitzel stuffed with kaymak), gibanica (cheese pie) and burek.

Hearty dishes include sarma (stuffed cabbage leaves), pasulj (bean stew) and đuveč (meat and vegetable stew), served with ajvar, a roasted red pepper spread, and kajmak, a dairy product similar to clotted cream. Serbians claim their country as the birthplace of rakia, the fruit brandy that appears at every celebration.

Getting around

Motorways, high-speed rail and river cruises

Coach services reach almost every corner of Serbia, and the motorway network includes more than a thousand kilometres. A high-speed rail line of 183 km connects Belgrade, Novi Sad and Subotica, with passenger services run by Srbijavoz, and an extension to Niš is planned.

In Belgrade you will mostly walk between the fortress, the old quarters and the river barges. Hire a car for the monasteries and mountain parks, where public transport is thin. Note that the Košava, a cold southeasterly wind, can make winter days in Belgrade feel colder than the thermometer says.

Before you go

Four regions, four seasons

Region	Climate	Best time
Belgrade and central Serbia	Humid continental, from 1.9 °C in January to 23.8 °C in July in Belgrade, about 698 mm of rain a year	May-June and September
Vojvodina (Novi Sad)	Cold winters and hot, humid summers across the flat plain	May to September, EXIT festival in summer
Mountains (Tara, Zlatibor, Kopaonik)	Cooler summers and heavy winter snowfall	July-August for hiking, December to March for skiing
South-west (Pešter plateau)	The coldest part of the country, with particularly harsh winters	June to September

Serbia is not part of the European Union or the Schengen area, and it uses the dinar rather than the euro: check the entry rules for your passport before you book.

To extend your trip across the region, see also Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. SniperAir will add Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina soon.

Flying to Serbia

The Serbian airport tracked by SniperAir

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Serbia