Things to do · Belgrade · Serbia
18 best things to do in Belgrade
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Peiragmeno paidi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Belgrade are Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square and Church of Saint Sava. Of the 18 picks below, 8 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Nikola Tesla Museum
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park | Stari Grad | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square | Stari Grad | 1 hour | Free |
| Church of Saint Sava | Vračar | 45 minutes | Free |
| Skadarlija | Stari Grad | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Nikola Tesla Museum | Vračar | 1 hour | Low cost |
| National Museum of Serbia | Stari Grad | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers | Senjak and Dedinje | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Zemun and Gardoš Tower | Zemun | Half a day | Free |
| Ada Ciganlija | Čukarica | Half a day | Free |
| Great War Island | Zemun | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Avala Tower and Mount Avala | Avala | Half a day | Low cost |
| Belgrade Zoo | Stari Grad | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Princess Ljubica's Residence | Dorćol | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Museum of Contemporary Art | New Belgrade | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Splavovi river clubs | New Belgrade | An evening | Mid-priced |
| Kalenić market | Vračar | 1 hour | Free |
| Topčider Park and Prince Miloš's Residence | Senjak and Dedinje | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Jevremovac Botanical Garden | Palilula | 1 hour | Low cost |
The 18 best things to do
Castle · Stari Grad
1.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. 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.
Arrive an hour before sunset and walk to the terrace by the Victor monument for the view over the confluence.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Couples
Street · Stari Grad
2.Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square
Belgrade's main pedestrian street runs from Kalemegdan to Republic Square past 19th-century facades, bookshops and cafés. 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'.
Walk it in the evening, when the street fills with families and street musicians.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Iconic
- After dark
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Religious site · Vračar
3.Church of Saint Sava
One of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, Saint Sava's white marble and granite bulk dominates the Vračar plateau. 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.
Don't miss the crypt, reached by stairs inside; it is often quieter and more ornate than the main hall.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Street · Stari Grad
4.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. It is touristy, but a long dinner here is a classic Belgrade experience.
Go for dinner rather than a quick drink, and expect the musicians to visit your table; a tip is customary if you request a song.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- History
Museum · Vračar
5.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. Guided tours include demonstrations of a Tesla coil, which children love.
Join one of the guided tours; the demonstrations are the highlight and the rooms are small.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- The museum is small and fills with groups; arrive early or check the official site for tour times.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
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Museum · Stari Grad
6.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.
Allow time for the Lepenski Vir rooms, some of the oldest monumental sculpture in Europe.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Senjak and Dedinje
7.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. Exhibits include the ornate relay batons once carried across the country for Tito's birthday and gifts from world leaders.
Take a bus or taxi from the centre and combine it with a walk in nearby Topčider Park.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
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Neighbourhood · Zemun
8.Zemun and Gardoš Tower
Climb Zemun's winding lanes to Gardoš Tower, built in 1896 to mark a thousand years of the Hungarian state, for a wide view over the Danube and New Belgrade. Then walk down to the quay for grilled fish and fish soup at one of the riverside restaurants.
Time the climb for late afternoon and stay on the quay for sunset over the Danube.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Food
- Couples
- Free
- History
Beach · Čukarica
1.Ada Ciganlija
A former river island on the Sava, joined to the bank by dams to create a long lake nicknamed the 'Belgrade sea'. In summer, locals swim from its gravel beaches, cycle the shore path and play beach sports, and there are cafés, water sports and children's areas.
Rent a bike at the entrance and ride the loop around the lake, then swim on the quieter far side.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Free
Nature · Zemun
2.Great War Island
An uninhabited, protected island at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube, home to nesting birds and floodplain forest. In summer a temporary pontoon bridge from the Zemun side usually gives access to Lido, a sandy river beach at its tip.
Visit early on a summer morning for birdlife and a quiet swim before Lido fills up.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Free
Viewpoint · Avala
3.Avala Tower and Mount Avala
The Avala TV tower, rebuilt and reopened in 2010 after it was destroyed in 1999, stands on a forested hill about 16 km southeast of the centre. Its observation deck looks out over the Šumadija countryside and Belgrade, and Ivan Meštrović's Monument to the Unknown Hero crowns the summit nearby.
Pack a picnic; the forest paths around the summit make it a good half-day escape from the city.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Zoo · Stari Grad
4.Belgrade Zoo
A small, long-established zoo set within the walls of the Belgrade Fortress, with enclosures along the old ramparts. It is an easy add-on to a Kalemegdan visit with younger children.
Combine it with the fortress playgrounds and an ice cream on Knez Mihailova.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
Historic site · Dorćol
5.Princess Ljubica's Residence
Built in the 1830s for the wife of Prince Miloš Obrenović, this konak combines Balkan and European styles and is furnished with 19th-century interiors, including a Turkish-style room with low sofas. It is a short walk from Kalemegdan.
Visit with the nearby Cathedral Church of St Michael the Archangel just across the street.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
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Gallery · New Belgrade
6.Museum of Contemporary Art
A modernist building of crystal-like volumes in Ušće Park, reopened in 2017 after a long renovation. Its collection traces 20th-century Yugoslav and Serbian art, and its windows look straight across the Sava to the fortress.
Walk there from the Old Town over Branko's Bridge, and return through Ušće Park along the river.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
Experience · New Belgrade
7.Splavovi river clubs
Splavovi are bars, restaurants and clubs built on rafts moored along the Sava and the Danube, especially on the New Belgrade bank and along the Zemun quay. By day some serve lunch on the water; from late evening many turn into clubs that run until dawn in summer.
Ask locals which splav suits your music taste; for clubs, reserving a table is common at weekends.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Food
- Couples
Market · Vračar
8.Kalenić market
Belgrade's best-loved farmers' market sells fruit, vegetables, kajmak, cheese, cured meats, honey and homemade ajvar in autumn. It is a good place to taste local produce and see everyday city life.
Go on a Saturday morning for the liveliest stalls, and taste kajmak before you buy.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Park · Senjak and Dedinje
9.Topčider Park and Prince Miloš's Residence
A large wooded park in the south of the city, centred on the 1830s residence of Prince Miloš Obrenović, which now houses exhibits on the Serbian uprisings against Ottoman rule. A huge old plane tree stands in front of the house.
Combine it with the Museum of Yugoslavia, a short walk or taxi ride away.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Outdoors
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Free
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Garden · Palilula
10.Jevremovac Botanical Garden
The university botanical garden, founded in the 19th century, has a Victorian-style glasshouse, a small Japanese garden and shaded paths. It is a quiet green stop between Dorćol and the Old Town.
Visit in late spring, when the flowering trees and the Japanese garden are at their best.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Nikola Tesla Museum, National Museum of Serbia, Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers and Museum of Contemporary Art |
| History | Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Skadarlija, Church of Saint Sava and Nikola Tesla Museum |
| Views | Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Zemun and Gardoš Tower, Avala Tower and Mount Avala and Museum of Contemporary Art |
| Outdoors and nature | Ada Ciganlija, Great War Island, Avala Tower and Mount Avala and Belgrade Zoo |
| Food and markets | Skadarlija, Zemun and Gardoš Tower, Splavovi river clubs and Kalenić market |
| After dark | Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square, Skadarlija and Splavovi river clubs |
| With children | Nikola Tesla Museum, Ada Ciganlija, Avala Tower and Mount Avala and Belgrade Zoo |
| On a rainy day | Nikola Tesla Museum, National Museum of Serbia, Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers and Princess Ljubica's Residence |
What to book ahead
- Nikola Tesla Museum: The museum is small and fills with groups; arrive early or check the official site for tour times.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do 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.
+What can you do for free in Belgrade?
Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park, Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square, Church of Saint Sava, Zemun and Gardoš Tower and Ada Ciganlija. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Belgrade when it rains?
Head indoors to Nikola Tesla Museum, National Museum of Serbia, Museum of Yugoslavia and House of Flowers and Princess Ljubica's Residence.
+What is there to do in Belgrade at night?
Knez Mihailova Street and Republic Square, Skadarlija and Splavovi river clubs are best after dark.