Travel Notes
Serbia
Two days in Belgrade: free buses, chestnut trees, Kalemegdan Fortress, a huge cathedral and an island in the middle of the river.
In short
I reached Belgrade after a 10-hour night bus from Montenegro; Serbia became my 31st country. I arrived at the terminal before dawn, boarded the first city buses and every bus and trolleybus I took turned out to be free.
The main stops in the city: Kalemegdan Fortress, the huge Saint Sava Cathedral inspired by Hagia Sophia, the 17th-century Bajrakli Mosque, lively Republic Square and Ada Ciganlija in the middle of the Sava River. Walking is the best way to explore; chestnut trees on every street, burek and pizza shops on every corner.
Market prices are a bit higher than in other Balkan countries: chicken 3.5 $ per kg, beef 15 $, a burek 1 $ for 100 g. If you cook in the hostel kitchen your daily food cost stays very low.
Not everything is perfect: sidewalks are full of cars, litter is noticeable on the streets, the market is small and there is no culture of cheap ready-made stew restaurants. On the other hand people are very tall, fountains are everywhere and the city is easy to explore.
Two days in Belgrade
From the Montenegro border to the hostel kitchen, in order.
Night bus from Montenegro to Belgrade
Before departure you pay for luggage in euros; the terminal is very small and there is no seat plan on the bus, people just sit wherever. Toilets in Montenegro cost half a euro, in Serbia they are free. After a 10-hour journey we arrived at Belgrade terminal.
Getting off the bus and queuing in Montenegro
In other Balkan countries the driver collects passports and gets them stamped, but at the Montenegro border everyone was taken off the bus and made to queue. At the Serbian border passengers did not get off; two policemen boarded the bus and checked passports one by one.
Terminal and ATM before dawn
Arriving around 04:00 I waited a few hours at the terminal. When I withdrew money from the ATM there a 480 RSD (about 200 TL) fee was charged; withdrawing cash was a frequent problem on this trip.
Free buses and trolleybuses
From platform 14 I took the 581, then the 74; both were free. Some are regular buses, some are trolleybuses connected to overhead wires; there are also trams. All day I paid nothing on any vehicle, but I never found out whether that is the general rule or was a special day.
Hostel with common area
There is a Serbian cemetery next to the hotel. The hostel has a common lounge, guitars, PlayStation, free tea and coffee and a fully equipped kitchen. Ideal for meeting people; the oven was also useful for roasting the peppers I bought at the market.
4 USD dinner
I went to the supermarket near the hotel, checked prices and cooked my own meal; the whole dinner cost 4 $. Prices are a bit higher than in other Balkan countries.
Bajloni and Green Market
Bajloni market is very small, about a 20-metre strip; it was not worth much. Green Market is better, but you need to go early because it closes at 17:00. Here burek is 8 $/kg, dates 10 $/kg, grapes 3–5 $/kg; I bought 1 kg of red peppers and roasted them at the hostel.
From Republic Square to Kalemegdan
From the pedestrian street that feels like Taksim you reach Belgrade's main square: opposite the statue of Prince Mihailo, behind it the National Museum. From there I walked to Kalemegdan Fortress by the river; the fortress garden, the moat, the Victory Monument and the view were the best part of the day.
Saint Sava Cathedral
From afar it looks like a dome; once inside it recalls Hagia Sophia. Construction started in the 1930s and was finished in the 1980s. It is so large it does not fit in the frame. Inside men must remove their hats and women should wear a scarf.
Mosque, church, island
The next day I first visited Bajrakli Mosque, then Saint Mark Church in Tašmajdan Park. Then I took a random bus to the last stop and found myself on Ada Ciganlija in the middle of the Sava River.
Next country Bosnia and Herzegovina
I bought a ticket from Belgrade terminal to Sarajevo for about 35 $. The terminal also has screens showing when the buses arrive.
Places to see
Main places visited in Belgrade.
Kalemegdan Fortress
The name means "fortress square" and dates from the Ottoman period. Its history goes back before Christ; it was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The river in front of the fortress flows through dozens of countries into the Black Sea. At the entrance there is a nude statue, a moat, an iron-clad wooden gate and chestnut trees everywhere.
Victory Monument
Inside the fortress, it symbolizes rebirth. One of the highest points you can climb; the view is beautiful and padlocks are attached to the railings.
Saint Sava Cathedral
A huge building inspired by Hagia Sophia. Once inside, the dome and the scale are stunning. Men remove their hats, women cover their heads with a scarf.
Bajrakli Mosque
Built in the 1600s. From the second floor you can see that the dome is made of small bricks and has holes in many places.
Republic Square
The lively square of the city. Opposite stands the statue of Prince Mihailo, behind it the National Museum, around it a shopping centre and a pedestrian street that feels a bit like Taksim.
Saint Mark Church
Next to Tašmajdan Park. You can visit several churches and a mosque in one day; pay attention to dress and head-cover rules at entrances.
Ada Ciganlija
An island (almost a peninsula) in the middle of the Sava River; the river surrounds it on both sides. You can swim at the water's edge, there are many portable toilets in the park. Floating nightclubs that come alive at night, interesting later structures and a shopping centre connected by a concrete bridge.
Green Market
Vegetables, fruit, burek and dates. It closes at 17:00 so go early.
Serbian cemetery
Almost every grave has a photo on it; the crosses are iron, some are wooden. The cemeteries are very close to each other.
Small details
Odd and charming things that stand out in the city.
Free buses
Every bus and trolleybus I took was free. I never found out why; still I preferred walking because the city is best discovered on foot.
Chestnuts everywhere
Streets, parking lots, the fortress garden; the ground is full of chestnuts. Cars in the parking lot have crushed them all.
Sidewalks full of cars
Everyone parks their car on the sidewalk. There are even special lines drawn for cars; very little space left for pedestrians.
People are tall
People's height is noticeably tall.
Giant crows
The crows here are as big as a chicken. Pigeons try to drink from the fountains.
Drinking water everywhere
There are taps in the city where people can drink water; very useful for long walks.
Videolar
Serbia journey video. Click the card to play the video here.
Bilmekte fayda var
Practical notes.
Be prepared for a night arrival
The bus from Montenegro arrives around 04:00 in the morning. Wait a few hours at the terminal and then take the first free buses into the city.
Watch the ATM fee
The ATM at the terminal charged 480 RSD (~200 TL) per withdrawal. Withdraw enough money in one go to reduce fees.
You may have to get off the bus at the border
At the Montenegro border everyone was taken off the bus; at the Serbian border the police boarded and checked passports.
Check free transport
All the buses I took were free but I do not know if that is always the case or was a special day. Check the current situation before you go.
Toilets are free
In Montenegro every toilet cost half a euro; in Serbia they are free.
Go to the market early
Green Market closes at 17:00. Bajloni is very small and not worth a long walk.
Dress code in the church
At Saint Sava Cathedral men remove their hats, women wear a scarf.
Watch your step on sidewalks
Cars block the sidewalks; sometimes you have to walk in the middle of the road. Cars do not always yield at pedestrian crossings.
Choose a hostel with a kitchen
Cooking your own food in a hostel with a common area and kitchen is both cheap and social. An oven is great for cheap dinners like roasted peppers.
Next stop: Sarajevo
I bought a ticket from Belgrade terminal to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The terminal has screens showing bus arrival times; the ticket is about 35 $.
A cheap, walkable and easy city to explore; be sure to see the fortress, the cathedral and the island.
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