A weekend trip in December is always a mixed blessing. No matter where you go, in my case Belgrade, you are on the one hand happy to get away, and on the other hand it’s cold. Because nowhere in Europe is it really warm at this time of the year. Belgrade of course was no exception to this rule. But I loved the mood of the city while bathed in fog, it was all silent and mysterious.
Kalemegdan Park @Belgrade
But the big question remains, is Belgrade worth a visit? I can only answer that with a firm and resounding yes! There are many reasons why you should visit the capital of Serbia, but here are a couple that might help you to decide.
1.) First of all Belgrade has a fortress which lies in the park above. The area is huge and the castle itself looks quite medieval. The Romans built the first wooden fort on this site as early as 2nd century. Shortly thereafter a stone construction replaced it and from then on a fortress stood on this site. Today you can find an exhibition of modern weapons in front of the walls of the fortress.
Stambol gate of fortress @Belgrade
2.) The main shopping street in Belgrade, the Knez Mihailova street, had at least four or five book stores. My poor friend had to stop with me at all of them and take a look. Each one of them had books in English, some even a large selection.
one of many book stores @Belgrade
3.) Belgrade is full of churches, from old to new. Most impressive was the church Saint Sava, modeled after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, with its large dome and beautiful mosaics inside. Construction began in 1935 and in 2004 it was consecrated. The exterior facade was finally finished in 2017.
Church of Saint Sava @Belgrade
4.) Just a short bus ride from the center we visited the medieval ruins of the Zemun fortress. Unfortunately the tower, from which you would have a fabulous view on the Danube, couldn’t be climbed during our stay. Nonetheless it was a fabulous day along the water and the weather was warm enough to eat outside. So there might be differences of climate in Europe.
warm day along the Danube @Belgrade
5.) Belgrade is the home of the Nikola Tesla museum and even I nerded out while following the guided tour. This interactive museum is worth the visit. We went there early on Sunday morning and got tickets right away.
inside the Tesla museum @Belgrade
6.) Belgrade has a lot of interesting coffee houses and restaurants. I loved the decorations and the cool vibe of these places.
three floors of coffee @Kafeterija Magazin 1907
The weekend in Belgrade went by in a flash, it was almost too short. Next time I will come in summer though to check out all these outdoor restaurants which we saw along the river Sava. Yours, Pollybert
