2 days in Belgrade

Day by day

1. Day 1: Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park and Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square

   Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square, Skadarlija and National Museum of Serbia, then Splavovi river clubs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park

      The Victor monument faces the rivers, and inside the walls are the Military Museum, the Roman Well and the small Ružica church decorated with chandeliers made from spent cartridges.

   2. Late morning

      Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square

      Republic Square, with the equestrian statue of Prince Mihailo, the National Museum and the National Theatre, is the city's traditional meeting point, known locally as 'kod konja', 'by the horse'.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ćevapi

      Grill restaurants (roštilj) across the city; quality grill houses are always busy at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Skadarlija

      It is touristy, but a long dinner here is a classic Belgrade experience.

   5. Late afternoon

      National Museum of Serbia

      Reopened in 2018 after a long renovation, the National Museum on Republic Square displays prehistoric sculpture from Lepenski Vir, Roman silver, medieval Serbian art and a collection of European paintings including French Impressionists.

   6. Evening

      Splavovi river clubs

      Ask locals which splav suits your music taste; for clubs, reserving a table is common at weekends.

2. Day 2: Church of Saint Sava and Nikola Tesla Museum

   Church of Saint Sava, Nikola Tesla Museum, Kalenić market and Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers, then Splavovi on the Sava and Danube in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Church of Saint Sava

      It stands where the Ottomans are said to have burned the saint's relics in 1595. Inside, the vast central dome is covered in gold mosaic, and the crypt below is richly decorated.

   2. Late morning

      Nikola Tesla Museum

      Guided tours include demonstrations of a Tesla coil, which children love.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pljeskavica

      Street grills open late around Republic Square, Slavija and in every neighbourhood.

   4. Afternoon

      Kalenić market

      It is a good place to taste local produce and see everyday city life.

   5. Late afternoon

      Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers

      Exhibits include the ornate relay batons once carried across the country for Tito's birthday and gifts from world leaders.

   6. Evening

      Splavovi on the Sava and Danube

      Floating clubs and bars on the New Belgrade bank and the Zemun quay, liveliest in summer.

Before you go

• Nikola Tesla Museum: The museum is small and fills with groups; arrive early or check the official site for tour times.

If it rains

• Swap in Princess Ljubica's Residence (Dorćol): Visit with the nearby Cathedral Church of St Michael the Archangel just across the street.
• Swap in Museum of Contemporary Art (New Belgrade): Walk there from the Old Town over Branko's Bridge, and return through Ušće Park along the river.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.8 hours in December to 15.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Kalemegdan to Republic Square along Knez Mihailova takes about 15 minutes, and Skadarlija is another five; expect steep streets down to the rivers.

More or fewer days

• One day in Belgrade
• 3 days in Belgrade

Questions travellers ask