What the famous Serbian writers, poets and journalists said about Belgrade:
„This grand city seems to have always been like this: torn and split, as if it never exists but is perpetually being created, built upon and recovered … Ever in motion and rustle, never calm and never knowing tranquility or quiet, the city upon two rivers, on the grand clearing, bound by the winds. (Ivo Andrić)
“He who was lucky enough to wake up this morning in Belgrade shouldn’t ask for anything more in life. More than that would be immodest.” (Duško Radović)
“It will give you almost physical pain from nostalgia, even to those who spent only a few days walking its streets … The plan of its streets is somewhat similar to topographic map of our heart. This city will enchant us with its charm, but will never give up the secret code of this mysterious love, for which the cause is unknown. We will stay its voluntary captives forever, who among countless master-piece cities chose Belgrade to live their only life in … Belgrade is not a city – it’s a metaphor, a way of life, a way of thinking.” (Momo Kapor)
What the foreigners said about Belgrade:
“I am a victim of its seductive charm, and I have to leave it with utmost pain. This is a new feeling: to fall in love with a city.“ (Herbert Vivian, a British traveller)
„At that time I needed company from people who will not treat me superficially as it happens at home; I needed company from people who sit at the table and mingle, sing songs and always have an awful lot to say. That Belgrade period just cured my soul.“ (Erskine Caldwell, an American novelist)
15 THINGS TO DO IN BELGRADE AND GET A TASTE OF ITS RICH HISTORY! [1]
1. Nikola Tesla museum features an exhibition showing Tesla’s personal life including photographs, letters, personal belongings, some of his original inventions and an urn in the form of a golden orb containing Tesla’s ashes.
2. The church of St Sava is the largest Orthodox Christian church in the Balkans and the second largest in the world. It was built at the place where St Sava’s relics were burned in revolt to his icons being the face of the 1594 protest.
3. Fortress Kalemegdan is built on a white ridge above the confluence of two big rivers, Sava and Danube, destroyed and rebuilt over and over for 16 centuries, still stands as the symbol of Serbia’s capital. The massive statue of the Victor in Kalemegdan fortress was built to celebrate the victory over the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. The statue holds a sword in one hand and a falcon in the other, symbolizing war and peace.
4. Ružica (rose) church is situated in the heart of Kalemegdan fortress. It is the oldest and most breathtaking churches in Belgrade.
5. Bajrakli mosque is the only mosque that survived to this day. It presents the authentic 16th century Oriental architecture.
6. Princess Ljubica’s Residence is built in the early 19th century by prince Miloš Obrenović, to be both the residence of the ruler’s family and the seat of the Serbian government. As a testament to Belgrade’s century-long position at the crossroads between the east and west, the first floor is decorated in the oriental style while the second floor has a distinctly European look.
7. National museum is the city’s oldest and biggest museum. Its collection consists of more than 400,000 items, ranging from ancient and medieval artifacts to exquisite works of art.
8. National theatre is situated across the National museum. Dating back to 1869, the Theater was damaged during the wars, but was rebuilt and improved on. It remains a relevant bastion of Serbian cultural history. The theater’s schedule includes opera, ballet and drama at more than affordable prices.
9. Knez Mihailova street is the biggest pedestrian street and the most prominent shopping area in Belgrade. There are various coffee shops, bakeries, boutiques and bookstores, street buskers, artists and entertainers. The street leads from Kalemegdan fortress to the Republic square where the National museum, National theatre and Prince Mihailo monument are.
10. Prince Mihailo monument is the statue raised in 1882 in honour of Prince Mihailo, the first sovereign ruler after Serbia freed itself from Ottoman rule.
11. Skadarlija is the old and bohemian street, only a few minutes away from the National Theatre. Artists, writers, singers and musicians used to live and work here, giving the street the nickname “Belgrade’s Montmartre“. This cobblestone-paved walkway is rich with authentic restaurants serving traditional Serbian food and drinks such as roštilj and rakija.
12. Tašmajdan park and St. Mark’s church is a Serbian Orthodox Church constructed in the Serbo-Byzantine style and situated in the beautiful Tašmajdan park of central Belgrade.
13. Ada Ciganlija is a peninsula on the river Sava, located just off the city center. It is one of Belgrade’s most popular recreational areas, with bike and jog roads, pebble beach, waterfront bars and coffee shops.
14. Avala tower is one of the most impressive TV towers in Europe and wider. It is the largest one in the Balkans, standing at 205 meters. The tower was destroyed during the NATO bombing in 1999, but was later rebuilt and reopened in 2010.
15. Floating river clubs and traditional restaurants that serve traditional Serbian cuisine. Belgrade is very famous for the many clubs located on rafts along the Sava river. In the city center, there’s a variety of restaurants to choose delicious food and huge wine selection. The oldest kafana in Belgrade is ? (Question Mark).
[1] The photos are taken from the webpage https://inhismind.net/things-to-do-belgrade-nightlife/.