While its tag as the “party capital of the Balkans” might not sound too impressive at first, Belgrade is enjoying a growing reputation as a magnet for travellers looking for a good time. If New York is the city that never sleeps, Belgrade is the city that, apparently, never goes to work. Partying isn’t restricted to the weekend by any means and, with the streets full even on weekdays, you’d be forgiven for wondering just when the locals get time to earn a living.
What’s more, visiting Belgrade won’t break the bank. Accommodation is cheap and plentiful: there’s loads of affordable hostels and hotels, and you can stay in good Belgrade apartments from as little as (euro)25 per night for up to two people.
The best thing about Belgrade though is that it’s different! Everyone’s been to Prague or Krakow or Amsterdam for the weekend, right? Why not try something a bit out of the ordinary?
Want to go to an all-night party on a raft?
Floating nightclubs (“Splavovi”) are everywhere and are pretty much unique to Belgrade. They don’t open ’til midnight, don’t get going until 1am and don’t throw you out until the sun comes up. Head down to Kej Oslobodenja Street on the banks of the Danube and try out Amsterdam River Club and Acapulco, where you can catch live bands all night, every night. Or go to Sound, a venue playing host to well-known house DJs. There’s usually no cover charge and no dress code, so it’s pretty popular with tourists. Like drum ‘n bass? Indie? Dubstep? Disused cargo ships? Povetarac is the place for you!
Want to just chill and soak up the culture?
Belgrade is also famous for its café and bar culture, with streets all over the city hosting patio bars, pubs and coffee shops where you can relax by day and soak up the atmosphere. Head down to Strahinjica Bana, the best-known café street in the city and home to a cosmopolitan blend of bars, including Belgrade’s only Scottish pub. Of course, being Belgrade, at night these venues transform into live bars and clubs, with the youth of Belgrade turning out in force.
Want to meet some Serbian celebrities?
I’ve only ever seen one Serbian film (“A Serbian Film”, funnily enough) and I’m pretty confident I could recognise everyone in that film even now, what with it being still burned into my retinas today. If you too want to see the recognisable faces and unpronounceable of Serbia, there’s a few clubs at the higher end of the market. Most of these high-end clubs are located in “Silicone Valley” (nothing to do with microchips) so that’s a good place to start…