History · Belgrade · Serbia
8 historic sites to see in Belgrade
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Church of Saint Sava and Skadarlija. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–17 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 13–17 hours
- Areas
- Stari Grad, Vračar and Senjak and Dedinje
Historic sites in Belgrade
Castle · Stari Grad
1.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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Couples
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Religious site · Vračar
2.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.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Street · Stari Grad
3.Skadarlija
It is touristy, but a long dinner here is a classic Belgrade experience.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- History
Museum · Vračar
4.Nikola Tesla Museum
Guided tours include demonstrations of a Tesla coil, which children love.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
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Museum · Stari Grad
5.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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Senjak and Dedinje
6.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.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Neighbourhood · Zemun
7.Zemun and Gardoš Tower
Then walk down to the quay for grilled fish and fish soup at one of the riverside restaurants.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Food
- Couples
- Free
- History
Historic site · Dorćol
8.Princess Ljubica's Residence
It is a short walk from Kalemegdan.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Stari Grad | Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Skadarlija and National Museum of Serbia | 2–3 hours + 2–3 hours + 2 hours |
| Vračar | Church of Saint Sava and Nikola Tesla Museum | 45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Senjak and Dedinje | Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers | 1.5–2 hours |
| Zemun | Zemun and Gardoš Tower | Half a day |
| Dorćol | Princess Ljubica's Residence | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 4 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Nikola Tesla Museum. The longest visit is Zemun and Gardoš Tower; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Nikola Tesla Museum: The museum is small and fills with groups; arrive early or check the official site for tour times.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Stari Grad): Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Stari Grad): Skadarlija → National Museum of Serbia, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Vračar and Senjak and Dedinje): Church of Saint Sava → Nikola Tesla Museum → Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Zemun and Dorćol): Zemun and Gardoš Tower → Princess Ljubica's Residence, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 5°C (41°F), about 8 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold, with occasional snow and the biting košava wind; cafés and kafanas are cosy and hotels are at their lowest prices.
- February: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 8 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still cold and grey, with the first film-festival screenings towards the end of the month.
- March: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Days warm up and terraces reopen on sunny afternoons; nights remain cold.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Stari Grad — Old Town between Kalemegdan, Knez Mihailova and Republic Square
- Dorćol — Old riverside quarter of cafés, cocktail bars and the Bajrakli Mosque
- Vračar — Leafy residential hill around the Church of Saint Sava and Kalenić market
- Zemun — Former Habsburg border town on the Danube with fish restaurants and Gardoš Tower
- Senjak and Dedinje — Villa districts on the hills with embassies and the Museum of Yugoslavia
More of Belgrade
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Belgrade?
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.
+Which of these are free in Belgrade?
Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Church of Saint Sava and Zemun and Gardoš Tower.