An exceptional position on the Danube and a millennium, no doubt, Belgrade is worth a stay! Ideally located at the confluence of the Save and the Danube, the Serbian capital is almost surrounded by rivers and rivers, giving it a calm atmosphere. But from nightfall Belgrade unveils in another day. Splavs (clubs along the river), bars and clubs are scattered throughout the Serbian city and participate in the international reputation of the city as queen of the party.
This privileged situation, between Save and Danube, now offers the Serbian capital a major position in terms of river trade. Yet peace has not always been the case: international and inward wars, Celtic, Roman, Hungarian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Turkish and Austrian dominated history, and in fact influenced its architecture, culture and the mentality of its inhabitants richly. The ethnic conflicts and the NATO bombing in 1999 are still fresh in mind, explaining the appetite for life of the Serbs, particularly the Belgradians. People have suffered, they are now determined to entertain themselves and to crush their lives. This is where Belgrade reveals one of its significant assets: It's a festive capital!
A capital capital and an economic destination
The least we can say in Belgrade is that it is not a city that has been peacefully allowed to live over the centuries. Its geographical location, at the confluence of two rivers and dominating the horizon, will be jealous throughout history. Belgrade will be indefinitely coveted, assaulted, destroyed, rebuilt, bombed… In such conditions, the city could not be what it became today without the stigma and, indeed, without its own character. Buildings that are beset by NATO bombing in the ancient Kalemegdan fortress through imperial palaces, Belgrade is unscrupulous alongside unscrupulous architectural structures, secular or religious, modern or medieval, Ottoman or Western, Art Deco or Jugendstil (Art Nouveau). The weight of centuries and past dominations is inscribed in its walls.
But let us be honest, Serbia and Belgrade are not really the first choice to which most people turn when they want to fly a few days abroad. Yet Belgrade has many interests for a tourist, the first, not negligible, being the budget that will have to be disbursed on the spot. Indeed, the capital may have higher prices than the average in Serbia, it remains very affordable for a Frenchman, even if he is a student. Most museums on the spot are free or the entrance never exceeds 500 dinars (which makes less than 5 €), you don't pay the entrance to clubs or discotheques, a dish at the restaurant - always generous, it is cultural! - will vary between 3 and 8 € on average… In short, except perhaps the hotel and airline tickets, a stay in Belgrade will never blow up your savings account, unless the very affordable Serbian life price comes to your head! Let us add that, as Belgrade has not yet become the tourist destination 1 of the Old Continent, you will not have to combine endless waves of foreign visitors. In short, the city is not far from taking the title of European capital in which the cost of living is the lowest!
A Declining Community
That is the magic of Europe: we are part of the same piece of land, from the same continental area, yet the landing on arrival is present. Of course, you do not land in Japan, so cultural differences are less marked, but they exist. The first confrontation is done at the language level, written in particular. Because don't forget, cyrillic is Serbia's official alphabet. The russophone will get away with it and for the others, you'll see, it's like a code set at a city scale. Make sure the Latin alphabet is very common. The architecture, which is the fruit of Ottoman and Central European influences, also takes part in the discharge; in particular religious architecture, whose domes will replace the bells of Romanesque and Gothic churches of countries of Catholic culture. The place and importance of Orthodox religion will surprise more than one. The authenticity of the Serbs and their spontaneity to welcome you also make Belgrade a capital…
A green and connected city
The parks of Kalemegdan, Tašjmadan, Topčider, Košutnjak… As many green spaces will delight lovers of nature! Belgrade has some 65 public parks that make the Belgradois happy. In the spring they are a resting place, in summer they turn into a shelter against the sometimes suffocating heat of the city. Small and large enjoy walking in the alleys lined with trees with nuanced colors according to the seasons. Parks are also a place of life: Here you will find the gatherings of elderly people who are confronted with chessboards made available to badgers. It comes in love, with friends, with its children and it is very pleasant to find almost every corner of the street a small square or green space where to relax. And in order to do nothing, the Belgraders, like the rest of the Serbs, are also very attached to the homemade fact, which translates into, especially in gastronomy, products always fresh, organic and local. See the number of overcrowded local fast foods selling Serbian specialties when the corner mcdo is deserted. A quality of life that many of us could envy.
Finally, since 2014, were born new alternative neighborhoods under the Brankov Bridge near the cultural center of young people. Foreigners, who have become more numerous, and the French in particular, are welcomed with unconcealed pleasure. Belgrade has become a fashionable destination for European youth that comes to the rhythm of the Balkans. You will have no difficulty in connecting, and then it will be time to taste the night life on the edge of the two rivers. The belid nights of Belarusian nights become legendary. For example, the young Slovenian, Montenegrin, Macedonian, Croatian and Hungarian neighbors are now coming to the weekend to celebrate or shop in Belgrade, the real capital of the Balkans. So, to your suitcases!
Smart news
When? All year round. But spring and autumn remain the ideal time to travel to Serbia. The months of July and August are to be avoided because of stifling bats.
Go there. Count about 2 h 20 of flights between Paris and the Serbian capital and between 240 € and 480 € round trip on average.
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