Belgrade Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

Belgrade is a city that has been through the wringer. The capital of Serbia and the capital of the Yugoslavian state before that, Belgrade has seen conquerors come and go over the centuries. This complex history has seen the city fought over in 115 wars through the ages. As a result, while Belgrade is one of the oldest cities in Europe, little remains of its ancient past, and most of the buildings are no more than a couple of hundred years old.

Maybe it's a consequence of this turbulent past that the city feels so ready to embrace the future. The vibrant population makes the city a lively place to visit, and you won't be short of attractions in the Serbian capital. Drop off your unneeded bags at a Belgrade luggage storage service and see for yourself what this unique place has to offer.

13 Best Ways To Experience Belgrade in 2024

This city is often referred to as sitting at the crossroads to the world. Here you will experience ancient history rubbing shoulders with modern life in a way that is both surprising and enticing. 

There is much to discover and explore here but you won’t want to be doing so while carrying or dragging heavy bags. Bounce has found a solution to this problem. They combine with trusted partners to provide secure luggage storage services both in Belgrade and across the planet. Drop your bags and start your adventure. 

Best regional excursions — Tours From Belgrade

This company's mission is 'to make people fall in love with Serbia'. They offer tours for lone travelers, couples and small groups and will tailor the tour to the needs and tastes of the client. Most of their tours are all-inclusive so that travelers know exactly what the costs are upfront. Call +38 652 066 943 or email them at toursfrombelgrade@gmail.com

Best party tour — Party in Belgrade

If you want to party then this company has your interests at heart. They offer everything in the way of group entertainment. Whether it is a bachelor/bachelorette celebration, or a bit of serious clubbing, let these guys take the organization off your hands. They also cater to adventure breaks and sheer luxury getaways. Call +31 858 769 286 or email at bookings@partiesinbelgrade.com

Best scooter tour — E-Around Electric Scooter Rental and Tours

For an easy and fun way to see Belgrade, the electric scooter is hard to beat. Whether it's whizzing through modern Belgrade or stopping to stare at the wonders of the ancient Kalemegdan fortress, an electric scooter is a great way to see the city. There are ample cycle lanes and rides along the Danube so you won’t be bothered by traffic or short of things to explore. Email at office@escootersbelgarde.com or call +38 606 076 007

Best boat tour — Cruising Belgrade

The Dalmatian coast is one of the most picturesque in the world and there are few better ways to explore it than by boat. Whether you are after a sunset cruise, a day cruise or want to hire a yacht and cruise further afield, Cruising Belgrade will have both the vessel and the cruising package to suit your requirements. Email info@cruisingbelgrade.com or call them on +38 165 601 8080

Best city tour — Glob Metropoliten Day Tours

This is a company with more than twenty-five years of tour guiding experience under their belts, so they know how to show their guests a good time in Belgrade. The range of tours they have on offer is very extensive and you are going to be torn as to which of them most appeals to you. They can provide nature, adventure, culture or gastronomic tours as well as VIP packages. In fact, if you need anything in the tourism sector, these are the guys to talk to. Call + 381 112 430 899 or email at glob@metropoliten.com

Best food tour — Food and Culture Tour in Belgrade

This is a city whose cuisine has come under hundreds of years of different cultural influences. The result is a cuisine that is all its own but with plenty of exotic touches to it. To really get to grips with all the delights on offer, and in order to understand those traditional nuances, you are going to need a guide. This company will walk you through both the food and drink, as well as the folklore and tradition attached to them. Call +38 1 628 713 980 or email at info@foodtourbelgrade.com

Best off-the-beaten-path tour — Explore Belgrade!

This city is often referred to as the ‘crossroads of the world’ and Explore Belgrade would love to show you why. They have been offering their guiding expertise since 2010 and are proud to have some of the best guides in the city working for them. Specializing in small and private groups they offer a wide spectrum of tours including a half-day history walk and an ‘off the beaten track art experience tour’. To learn more about what is on offer call +381 641 531 524 or email at info@explore-belgrade.com

Best nightlife tour — Belgrade Nights

This is a city teeming with the young and beautiful, so it should come as no surprise to learn that there is a thriving nightlife scene. What you may not know is that there is a definite split between what happens in the summer and what takes place in the winter. ‘Splavs’ are boats on the Sava River which are great for summer parties. In the colder months, things tend to move more towards clubs and discos. This company are keen to guide you through the city’s night possibilities so call on +38 164 909 9404 or email at booking@belgradenights.rs

Best bike tour — Belgrade E-Bikes

This is a great city for cycling except that it can be a bit hilly and detract from your pleasure. This company has overcome that problem by offering excellent e-bikes with some serious pedal assist. Combine that with their e-tours and you are free to learn about the city as your electronic guide talks you through your journey. If you prefer to do your own thing, you can rent a bike and head out in whatever direction suits you. Call +38 160 678 9799 or email at office@belgradebikes.rs

Best free tour — Belgrade Free Walking Tour

This is the only company in Belgrade that offers a free walking tour so go for it while you have the chance. Stare down at the meandering Sava and Danube Rivers, walk the Roman Via Militaris or spot the ancient Despot Towers, all under expert guidance. Tours leave at 10 each morning and take around 2.5 hours. Your expert guide will be easy to spot in his red outfit. To be assured of a place in the group call by 5 pm the day before on +38 168 518 4138 or email at office@belgrade-free-walking-tour.com Tipping the guide is not obligatory but it would be nice.

Best custom tours — Go2Serbia

This is a company that is almost unique in that they encourage both locals and foreigners to learn more about Serbia. Their objective is that as many people as possible get to experience what a wonderful country this is. With this in mind, they offer a wide range of services that include sightseeing tours, corporate team building events, and transfers. Whether you want to arrange a bachelor party or a seminar, Go2Serbia has the expertise and know-how to help make your event a success. Call +38 111 328 4383 or email office@go2srbia.net

Best adventure tours — Belgrade Adventure

It would be a mistake to think that Belgrade is all about history and culture and that this is not a place where outdoor adventures are to be had. Belgrade Adventures has put together a series of outdoor activities for those who like their breaks to include a little adrenaline rush now and then. They offer everything from 4 x 4 safaris to canyoning, kayaking, and caving. To find out more about the packages that they offer or to request a tour specific to your needs, call +38 160 014 0117 or email at office@belgradeadventure.com

Best comprehensive tours — All You Need In Belgrade

The objective of this company is to be your best friend when you reach this city. When one looks at the list of services they offer, it is difficult to see what they don’t provide. Here is just part of the comprehensive list of ways that they can help you. Airport transfers, tours, car rental - with or without a driver, right through to a laundry or massage service. If you are the sort of traveler who likes to focus on your vacation while letting someone else deal with the details, All You Need In Belgrade might be a company you want to talk to. Call them on +38 161 289 4528 or email at alltouneedinbelgrade@gmail.com

A weekend in Belgrade

Belgrade has more to do than a single weekend can contain. However, a couple of days in the city gives you enough time to see some of the main attractions and sample the energetic atmosphere. Leave your bags behind at a Belgrade bag storage and enjoy the Serbian capital.

• See where the city was born at Belgrade fortress. Once, the entire city fit inside this fortress. The history of the place goes back 2000 years, and visiting the ancient walls gives you a crash course in Serbian history.
• See one of the world's largest Orthodox churches at St Sava. This green-domed beauty is an icon of the city, and you can see its impressive structure from almost anywhere in the city. The square outside the church is also a great place to hang out and people watch.
• Bask in the opulence of Serbia's former monarchy at Stari Dvor and Novi Dvor. These are the old and new palaces built for two different royal families, dating back to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, respectively. The New Palace is currently the home of the president of Serbia, and can be visited on guided tours.

Belgrade lockers

As an ancient city, Belgrade is a fantastic place to explore on foot. Often, this is the best way to see the city and soak up the atmosphere. Be sure to leave your unneeded bags behind at the Belgrade luggage storage locker so you can travel more easily. The less you have to carry, the more fun you'll have.

Off the beaten path in Belgrade

Belgrade’s troubled 20th-century history means tourists have been slow to discover what the city has to offer. That's rapidly changing, though, as travelers from around the world start to see the potential of Serbia. Still, there are plenty of places where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy some of Belgrade's more offbeat attractions.

• If you're looking to experience Belgrade's bohemian side, you can't miss Skardarlija. This car-free district has been the place where freethinkers have converged since the 1800s. A kind of Serbian echo of Paris' Montmartre, the area is home to great bars, restaurants, and vibrant nightlife.
• Belgrade isn't generally thought of as a beach destination. But if you are looking to enjoy some summer weather, head to Ada Ciganlija. This island in the river offers both forest trails and sandy beaches, making it a great place to unwind in nature without leaving the city.
• Celebrate the life of one of history's genuine mad scientists at the Nikola Tesla Museum. This twentieth-century genius was a pioneer in the development of electricity, and the Serbs are very proud of one of their most famous sons.

What to do alone in Belgrade

Traveling alone in Belgrade is a great way to immerse yourself in its culture. The friendly and fun-loving locals are very welcoming to visitors, and traveling by yourself allows you to really get to grips with the city. Leave your bags behind at a Belgrade luggage locker and head out on a solo adventure.

• Explore the history of conflict at Belgrade Military Museum. Among the ancient walls of the fortress, this museum preserves relics of more modern warfare. Roman swords sit beside German tanks and NATO equipment from the 1990s conflict that led to the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
• Time your visit just right, and you could see one of the most intense sporting events in the world at Rajko Mitic Stadium. When Red Star Belgrade play FK Partizan, the atmosphere is always electric. Be warned that this soccer match is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re willing to take a chance, it could be a truly unforgettable experience.
• Get out on the water and enjoy fabulous nightlife on a splav, or barge. These boats are permanently moored on the two rivers that run through the city, and are used as floating restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Each one has its own different atmosphere, and you'll be sure to make new friends as you party the night away.

The best souvenirs in Belgrade

Yugoslavia dissolved when its different national groups sought independence. There is little nostalgia for the former Yugoslavia in other Balkan countries such as Croatia and Montenegro, since the union was dominated by Serbia. But in Belgrade, you'll find plenty of fondness for the defunct socialist state. Visit House of Flowers, the burial site of Yugoslav ruler Joseph Tito, to pick up pins, flags, and other communist memorabilia. Just don't take them over the border into Croatia.

Another great souvenir from Belgrade is rakia, a local fruit brandy that is a crucial part of Serbian culture. The Rakia Bar Gift Shop is a place to shop for this unique spirit. Or you could head to Zeleni Venac for classic Serbian delicacies such as Ajvar, a delicious red pepper dip you’ll find in restaurants across the country.