Belgrade Travel Forum

My wife is working in Slovenia and I'm planning to visit in late April.We always wanted to visit Belgrade,but as Americans we are concerned that this may not be an appropriate time,given the situation in Kosovo.I would appreciate any Belgrade VT advice about our going to Belgrade at this time.

I would rather stroll on the Kosovo admin. borderline at 3 AM wearing a T-shirt saying "free Kosova" on one side and "CCCC" on the other side... than drive a single inch in places like Bridgeport, CT. Or Tijuana, MX (even worse).

I'm a Brit who went to Belgrade for 4 nights with my wife and 6 month old daughter 2 weeks ago and had a great time.

Given all the recent goings on and media reporting on Serbia, there was no bad atmosphere and we were made to feel very welcome.

Stayed at a nice apartment right in the city centre, rented from www.domovina.com/rentaeng.htm. The one we rented isn't shown on the website, but was on Obilicev Venac.

Arranged transfers with www.bel-drive.com which were a good price and extremely helpful with other arrangements and information.

Whilst the prices in the supermarkets were very cheap and eating out was good value at about £10 a head for 2 courses and 3 or 4 beers, the prices in the shops for a lot of things were more expensive than the UK.

The only other real downsides were getting the pushchair round and the smoke. Just about got it round the Kalmegdan fortress and down the cobbled street of Skadarlija. Had we tried to get it up Skadarlija it would have either killed us or wrecked the buggy. Having enjoyed the smoking ban in the UK for nearly a year it was a bit of a culture shock. My wife was more bothered but she's a reformed smoker.

Had meals out at Guli in Skadarlija, Ottimo on Brace Jugovic and Kosava on Kralja Petra which were very good Italian places and a good price. Kosava was particularly friendly. Also ate at Vuk on Vuka Karadzica which had amongst the most miserable waiters I've ever met and we had to send the grilled chicken back as it was still pink in the middle.

Other than walking round the city and Kalmegdan fortress we also went to Tito's mausoleum. It was very quiet and very much a relic of the last few years of communist rule when Yugoslavia was still one place. It was decked out in the finest late 70's/early 80's decor as a then state of the art resting place for Tito, and now has a slightly crumbling, window on the past feel about it. The place is quite a big complex and even has arrows on the ground to direct the once huge hordes of people, though we only saw about 7 people there.

Went to the Red Star and Partizan stadiums and looked in both club shops. The Red Star shop is in the stand and you can see out onto the pitch from there. The usual graffiti around the stadiums added to the sense of passion of the fans. Put my beloved Watford to shame.

Also went to St Sava's church and the parliament building, where a stern looking man came out and glared at me for my one man recreation of the 1999 storming of the parliament as I ran up the steps.

Everyone treated my daughter like a princess and people stopped in the street to look at her and play with her.

Had a chat with quite a few people over there, including a lad in a record shop (who persuaded me to buy some Serbian dub and reggae CD's), taxi drivers and waiters. The impression I got was that tourists were welcome and it was more the case that they just can't understand why other countries, particularly those in the west, have sold them down the river and are sad about it.

I think it would have been better to go in the summer as it would have been good to spend the evening sitting out in street outside bars and cafés rather than having to go back to the flat as it was too cold. As it was the first trip abroad with my daughter, we couldn’t sample the bars and clubs, but from what I could see it looked a really good nightlife and was a bit disappointed not to be able to get a few beers in and go raving.

I would definitely like to go back and see other parts of Serbia based on my trip and would recommend it highly.

Yes, absolutely the same experience.

Had the same worries as you before I visited Belgrade two weeks ago and can honestly say I was worrying over nothing. The city is amazing, the people are very welcoming, helpful and friendly. I got the impression that a lot of Belgraders are very upset and dissapointed about the downturn in the number of visitors coming to the city due to the recent bad media and are doing their utmost to welcome visitors back to thier wonderful city. Just don't engage in political discussions with people you don't know and you'll have a great time and will be made welcome.

This is a good discussion . We're planning a trip there in June . I know the media can really blow things out of proportion but it still helps to hear from someone who has recently visited.Thanks

Hristos Voskrese!

Sorry, I am lately very busy with some silly earthly things - and completely forgot the Easter...
All best to everyone!

How come? The Catholic was two weeks before this Monday. Isn't it always 13 days difference? I was thinking, I am to late.

LOL, I certainly was an Orthodox in my previous life (if it existed). Now I am who-knows-what, not sure yet. That sentence is actually more in Far Eastern sense...Don't catch my word with that, I am just silly. But since my dad passed away and what I experienced days after that I don't know what to say. But it's maybe just sillyness and confusion of my mind.

My mom was right than, she told me, Easter is calcualted differently, has nothing to do with 13 days 'delay', I did not believe her. Thanks for clarifying!