Fair warning: I did a temporary assignment in Belgrade, Serbia, for three weeks, so I was a tourist there for an extended time -- and this is an extended post. While there, I was put up in the Hotel Zepter, located right on the edge of the city's pedestrianized area. The view from my apartment wasn't great (left), but from the terrace that connected the hotel to its fitness center, you could look out over the entire capital area (right).
Just from going out to dinner and commuting to and from work each day, I encountered many of the other main sights of Belgrade. I caught Saint Sava Church on a sunny day when its domes matched the blue sky (top left). I passed by Bajrakli Mosque closer to dusk, just as the devout were departing from evening prayers (top right). I skirted Slavija Square even later at night, which made its colorful fountain appear even more vibrant (middle). Every morning, as I walked to my bus, I was welcomed to Belgrade in Nikola Pasic Square, named after a former Belgrade mayor and Serbian prime minister (bottom left). I traversed the sidewalk right in front of the national government assembly, and right across the street was the city government office, which one afternoon was filled with Victory Day celebrants (bottom right).
My first weekend in town, I got oriented via a tour with iBikeBelgrade. Our first stop was Sajmiste Concentration Camp (top left), which was established on the former site of a World's Fair. Little evidence of the atrocities can be found, but a television tower installed for the festivities remains, albeit hidden in some overgrowth (top right). At the Palace of Serbia, we got a primer on Yugoslavian history, as the enormous building once featured a wing for each member state (bottom left); now, it is basically empty, used only as a photogenic backdrop for state visits. The palace is a far cry from the brutalist architecture of Genex Tower, also known as the Western City Gate (bottom right); indeed, I thought I was going to drive right through it during my taxi ride from the airport.
The next day, I took the suggestion of the man who rented me my bike. First, I headed to Ada Island, basically a big bank barrier for a man-made lake (top left). A bike path circles the lake, which is dotted with cafes and bars where you can relax in between water sports, such as wakeboarding and rowing (top right). My bike and I took a water taxi from the island to the far side of the river (bottom left), where I rode so far into the countryside that I couldn't see the city anymore (bottom right).
My first weekend, after the initial bike tour of the new town, I explored old town by foot. I took a detour around the Botanical Garden (top) on my way to Skadarlija (middle left), known as the Montmartre of Serbia due to its cobbled streets and cultural vibe (middle right). I had a single Jelen (Serbian for deer) at Dva Jelena (Serbian for two deer), a long-standing institution, alongside the non-fried version of karadordeva, which is pork stuffed with pork and rolled in pork (bottom left). Serbian cuisine is generally meat-heavy. On another night, at Question Mark, a traditional kafana, I had pljeskavica, basically a big hamburger patty without the bun (bottom right). The waiter suggested I should not order a side of prebranac beans, and he was right.
Although I wanted to be sure to try the local dishes, I couldn't keep eating pounded and ground meat. So on various nights, I sampled other ethnic food. I had Greek gyros at Solunac, Balkan goulash and cabbage rolls at Manufaktura (top), Rajasthani vegetarian curry at Mayka (bottom left), and Thai red curry at Smokvica (bottom right).
I put some culture into my ears as well as my mouth with two trips to Sava Center (left). I saw my first opera, Tosca, there. The performance was sung in Italian with subtitles in Serbian, and although I could follow the action mostly based on the overacting, I am not sure it was up my alley. However, I am keeping my mind open until I see a second one. I was definitely a fan of Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra, actually more of a band with a lead singer from Spain and musicians from throughout Europe performing mostly folk tunes from Romania and its neighbors (right).
My eyes got in on the cultural events as well, when I participated in Museum Night, an annual event where you purchase one ticket that gives you access to dozens of sites throughout the city. I beelined for the Tesla Museum, where I saw the urn containing the ashes of the genius himself (top left). As I walked back to my hotel, I stumbled upon a walkthrough of Christ Church (top right), which features some stunning modern mosaics in the Chapel of the March (bottom left) and Hall of Europe (bottom right).
All in all, I found plenty to keep me entertained in the capital, but nonetheless, I did take a day trip to Novi Sad, an artsy city down the Danube (top left). Unlike in Belgrade, I took plenty of photos of this city's stronghold, Petrovaradin Fortress (top right). On the walk up the hill, I passed a black cat (middle left), but that didn't give me any bad luck; the rain held off as I enjoyed the vista over the valley (middle right). I walked the perimeter of the fortress -- taking in its gates, walls (bottom left), and clock tower (bottom right) -- before heading back downtown.
Restaurants were just starting to open up, so I was lucky enough to snag an outside table at Fish & Zelenish, a cozy spot with Mediterranean fare that fills up fast (left). Some local wine and olive oil went perfectly with my brodetto, a satiating fish stew (right). The dish was so good that I didn't even feel bad that I had no room for the mouth-watering hamburgers on offer at Toster Bar, where I had a couple of pints, from Zebrew and local brewery Razbeerbriga.
Before heading back to Belgrade, I wandered around the cafe-lined streets of the old town (top left). I stood behind Svetozar Milotec, a mayor of Novi Sad, as he faced off against the Catholic Church (top right). (He didn't really have a beef with the church, by the way, but he was a bold guy, from what I've read.) The Orthodox Church Administration building is so beautiful (bottom left) that it could easily be mistaken for the Orthodox Church itself (bottom right).
I could just barely see the Danube River, which intersects with the Sava River, forming the plateau upon which Belgrade sits, with Kalemegdan Fortress guarding the junction. Sadly, I didn't take pictures of the city's centerpiece, thinking I had some from a previous Balkan tour; it was only when I returned home that I remembered how my camera malfunctioned during that visit, so I didn't have any photographic memories of the trip.
Behind the fortress is a lovely promontory from which one can peruse the view, but I chose a different perch: the patio of The Black Turtle, from where I watched one of the many nightclub barges get relocated on the Sava banks (top). Despite their fame (or infamy?), I didn't board any of the floating parties. I was happy to enjoy the river with some good food on dry land. One night at Druga Piazza, I had some mushroom bruschetta (middle left) and pesto fettucine (middle right). Another night at Toro, just a view doors down, I had ceviche and beef arepas (bottom left), which were made even more palatable by a delectable sunset (bottom right).
Behind the fortress is a lovely promontory from which one can peruse the view, but I chose a different perch: the patio of The Black Turtle, from where I watched one of the many nightclub barges get relocated on the Sava banks (top). Despite their fame (or infamy?), I didn't board any of the floating parties. I was happy to enjoy the river with some good food on dry land. One night at Druga Piazza, I had some mushroom bruschetta (middle left) and pesto fettucine (middle right). Another night at Toro, just a view doors down, I had ceviche and beef arepas (bottom left), which were made even more palatable by a delectable sunset (bottom right).
The next weekend, I rented a bike from the same friendly outfit and did some touring of my own divination. Although disappearing into the sunset on the Danube Cycling Route was tempting (top left), I crossed the bridge to the new town and followed the river to Zemun, an 18th-century Austrian settlement. I enjoyed a lunch of river perch cooked a la Orly at the waterside restaurant Venecija (top right). Right before, I had created a deficit of calories by climbing up Gardos Tower -- a popular spot for patriotic wedding photos, apparently (bottom left) -- and looking out over what surely could pass for a Austrian village (bottom right).
As I walked back to the bus station, I noticed police with riot gear on every corner, so I picked up the pace. When I got to the lot, I realized they were preparing for an influx of soccer fans, who were being corralled at the adjacent train station. Unfortunately, this is a poor point to end on, actually, as my time in Serbia was nothing but peaceful -- and I have absolutely no complaints to get rowdy about.
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