Ahhhh, Belgrade! I’ve been waiting to make this post because there truly isn’t enough good things I can say about Belgrade.

You may be wondering why we chose Belgrade, Serbia. It seems like an interesting, less talked about destination- and it is! Along the same lines as Budapest, at this point in the trip we were pretty interested in saving some money- meaning that we were going to go fewer, less expensive places and stay longer. Continuing our journey into the Balkans provided us with lots of interesting destinations that proved to be very budget friendly.

We had decided to go to Belgrade while we were in Madrid, and while sitting in an Honest Greens (remember the amazing healthy place we raved about in Madrid) we booked our stay in a floating hostel, unsure what to expect but intrigued by the concept. Spoiler alert: it was wayyyyy better than we ever imagined!

We took a bus from Budapest to Belgrade and after arriving, it was pretty easy to get to our floating hostel. We checked in and immediately fell in love- it had the cutest little main area that also doubled as a bar, coffee shop, and breakfast nook!

We somehow booked the largest suite they had, meaning that we had a huge room completely bordered by windows- the room even had a sauna which we both loved! The windows all had curtains for privacy except for on the river side. This hostel had all kinds of rooms- shared dorm-style rooms, private rooms, you name it. This definitely meant it was a little on the louder side, but we loved it!

The first night we were there, we explored the place, I went on a quick 3 mile run, and then we went to a restaurant to get drinks and a charcuterie board before heading to dinner. We went to dinner at this place called Trojka in Novi Belgrade, and it was incredible. I got the freshest salad and Evan got an amazing BBQ sandwich with onion rings. The ambience was really nice- it felt like a fancy restaurant but the food was so cheap! They have a really great local cider there too- so of course we couldn’t pass that up!

The next morning we woke up and had a walking tour to head to. We walked from where we were staying in New (Novi) Belgrade to Stari Grad, or old town. The walk was so amazing- we looked forward to it every day and it was only about 20 minutes. We had the 3 hour walking tour and actually ended up meeting some friends- university students from Austria- and decided to have a picnic with them and watch the sunset over the river. We all headed to the grocery store and got some yummy hummus, meats, cheeses, and crackers and had the best time talking and hanging out.

Unfortunately, we didn’t take any pictures with them, but we did get a few sunset pictures! After they left (they had to hurry to catch their bus that night) Evan and I headed over to the arts district to get drinks at a place called Red Bar- the cutest vibes and we even had cats sit at our table with us!

The sunrises in Belgrade were INCREDIBLE. Both Evan and I agreed they were the best of the entire trip- so I’ll include a few pics here. I wasn’t usually up running at this time, but we made it a point to wake up almost every morning, walk 2 steps out to the porch, and watch the sun wake up. I could cry thinking about how special this was- and I really think this played such a huge role in our love for Belgrade.

I wanted to make a list of the highlights in Belgrade. I really cannot describe enough how amazing this place is to visit. I would definitely recommend this as a family destination. Evan and I spent many days just enjoying the beautiful outdoors, weather, and culture. We biked 15 miles, hiked, walked, and explored. But the best part is- we weren’t alone! We biked on Saturday morning and there must have been thousands of people at the park playing sports, exercising, and even grilling food with friends.

Highlights:

• The food. The food here is so good- but what really made it stand out to me was how much healthy food they had! We tried things such as Pumpkin pasta from Prana concept kitchen, truffle ravioli, fresh salads, and vegan hummus and wraps. Everything here was so fresh, healthy, and colorful.
• The running/walking/biking trails. If you are someone who likes to stay active while traveling, this is the destination for you! There must be 50 miles of paved running trails along the river and all throughout the city. I spent most mornings running on these safe, clean running trails. I truly appreciated that so much.
• The kind people. I think this place reminded me the most of the American South of all the places we visited. Whether it was to give directions, a recommendation, or simply say hello, people here were so friendly and always ready to help.
• The architecture. First of all, there’s really not a “bad area” in all of Belgrade. They have the city divided into two parts, old and new, and they’re separated by the river. Both sides are architecturally stunning. There are a few recognizable buildings, but the architecture is unique but modern. Everything is incredibly clean.
• The wine! Belgrade had really crisp, delicious wine. We had so many craft beers, too! There was a huge abundance of restaurants and drinks- it is 100% a foodie city.

So surely after reading this you have a little more idea of why we hope to return to Belgrade. We had such an amazing time here and for such a cheap price! I’ll attach a few photos below to illustrate some of my observations.

I think all of these pictures do such a great job encompassing the spirit and culture of Belgrade. I truly loved our visit there and cannot wait to return!

Until next time 🙂