3 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 and Skadarlija, then Splavovi river clubs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park

      The fortress walls, gates and bastions were rebuilt many times by Romans, Serbs, Austrians and Ottomans, and now enclose a free park on the ridge above the meeting of the Sava and the Danube.

   2. Late morning

      Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square

      Walk it in the evening, when the street fills with families and street musicians.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ćevapi

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

   4. Afternoon

      Skadarlija

      A short, cobbled street of 19th-century houses that became Belgrade's bohemian quarter, Skadarlija is lined with old kafanas where tamburica bands play old city songs between the tables.

   5. 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 and Kalenić market, then Splavovi on the Sava and Danube in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Church of Saint Sava

      Don't miss the crypt, reached by stairs inside; it is often quieter and more ornate than the main hall.

   2. Late morning

      Nikola Tesla Museum

      A small museum in a villa on Krunska street devoted to the inventor Nikola Tesla, with his personal belongings, working models of his inventions and the gilded sphere holding his ashes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pljeskavica

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

   4. Afternoon

      Kalenić market

      Go on a Saturday morning for the liveliest stalls, and taste kajmak before you buy.

   5. Evening

      Splavovi on the Sava and Danube

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

3. Day 3: National Museum of Serbia and Belgrade Zoo

   National Museum of Serbia, Belgrade Zoo and Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers, then Dorćol in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Belgrade Zoo

      Combine it with the fortress playgrounds and an ice cream on Knez Mihailova.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Burek with yogurt

      Neighbourhood bakeries (pekara) and burek shops (buregdžinica), many open from early morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers

      The museum complex in Dedinje tells the story of socialist Yugoslavia and includes the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Josip Broz Tito.

   5. Evening

      Dorćol

      Cocktail bars, craft beer and late-night cafés around Strahinjića bana and Cara Dušana streets.

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

With 3 nights, Stari Grad keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Dorćol ($$) suits food lovers, nightlife, couples and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–18 hours of visiting over 3 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.

More or fewer days

• One day in Belgrade
• 2 days in Belgrade

Questions travellers ask